The first cast member of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! has been revealed to be former NRL player Luke Bateman.
The athlete has turned into quite the media personality since he retired from professional sport, appearing on The Bachelors in 2023 and taking the BookTok community on TikTok by storm in 2025.
Luke will be competing against some tough contestants in the jungle, with a returning I’m A Celeb player amongst the cast. Other possible contestants include Mel C, MAFS star Cyrell Paule and Neighbours royalty Rebekah Elmaloglou.
“I’m very excited to see what Robert and Julia have cooked up for me,” Luke said on Instagram. “I’m sure there’ll be some delectable food items, and some fear-instilling trials. I can’t wait, I’ll see you all in the jungle.”
We’ve rounded up all the information about Luke before he enters the jungle on I’m A Celeb, including his latest venture and which charity he’s playing for.
Which charity is Luke Bateman playing for on I’m A Celeb?
Luke will be playing for Farm Angels on I’m A Celeb 2026. The charity supports struggling farmers and their families across Australia. They provide financial assistance, care packages, food hampers, wellness checks and more.
“I’ll be going into the jungle representing my charity, Farm Angels, which is a charity very close to my heart,” Luke said on Instagram. “They do amazing work in my community.”
The charity had over 867 applications for assistance during the last financial year, and has many messages on its website from grateful recipients.
“You are a wonderful organisation that supports farmers during droughts, fires and other disasters and we are all so blessed and grateful that you care,” a Victorian fire-affected farming family wrote.
“If you ever wanted to know you’re making a difference, you are, and take it from me. I would love to see how many farmers have stayed on their property because of you guys. It’s the bloodlines and genetics that Australia can’t afford to lose. You guys are real Aussies and doing what real Aussies need to be doing,” a NSW farmer said.
Luke Bateman’s author controversy
Luke sparked controversy early last year when it was announced he had signed a two-novel book deal with Atria Books Australia. The reality TV star had shot to fame on BookTok, where he reviewed spicy books, leading him to write his own fantasy series.
After being hit with criticism about why he managed to land a book deal so quickly, while marginalised authors are often sidelined, he responded in an interview with Chattr.
@chattrau We interviewed Luke Bateman (aka @lukesreads) about the #BookTok backlash regarding his two-book publishing deal with @Atria Books #booktokfyp #aussiebooktok #diversebooks #bookrecommendations #lukebateman #lukesreads #publishing #booktoker #bookdeal ♬ Daylight by Taylor Swift sped up – Brooke ⎕ âš
“Obviously, a lot of these conversations are very new to me, and I wholeheartedly understand that so many people have felt let down by the industry,” he said.
“I obviously have advantages that other people don’t. How do I capitalise on those and help lift everyone up? If I can use my platform and my voice and my privilege and position in society to help others… [I want to] promote indie authors and self-published authors.”
What happened to Luke Bateman on The Bachelors?
Luke appeared on The Bachelors in 2023 alongside Ben Waddell and Wesley Senna Cortes. He ended up picking Ellie Rolfe, and the pair went public after the show.
On The Project, the couple revealed they had matching tattoos, with Luke getting the letter E inked on his bicep. However, in March 2024, the reality TV star confirmed to Yahoo! Lifestyle that the pair had quietly split.
“Ellie and I have separated and would like to keep our relationship private,” Luke said at the time. “Ellie has a soul that lights up every room she walks into and I will sorely miss it in my life.”
What ended Luke Bateman’s NRL career?
Luke played for the Canberra Raiders from 2015 to 2019, and retired in 2020. In 2019, he was hit with a nasty knee injury, preventing him from playing any NRL games that year.
“It’s been a frustrating period for me with injury and with my contract up at the end of the season and uncertainty about what my future may look like, I’ve decided to finish up with the Raiders and head home and work a while and get away from footy for a bit,” he said at the time.
He played a total of 71 matches for the club, and has since moved on to reality TV and a media career.
We can’t wait to see how he does on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here Australia 2026 premieres on January 18 on Channel 10 and 10Play.
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