Luke Bateman has already been catching eyes since his debut on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! 2026.
The Bachelor star turned BookTok creator, 30, made his jungle debut on Sunday, January 18, and quickly attracted the attention of his campmate, comedian Concetta Caristo.
Fans were left wondering if something might be brewing between the pair after Concetta gushed over “the hot book guy” upon his arrival, and now, we can reveal the truth behind the rumours.
“Luke’s close bond with Concetta was the talk of the set,” our I’m A Celebrity spy dishes. “They get on like a house on fire and Concetta adores him. While it’s nothing romantic, they quickly became the best friends. It’s very cute!”
Retired NRL player, and noted BookTok star, Luke is currently single, while Triple J breakfast co-host Concetta, 31, was most recently linked to comedian Ben Kochan.
“Luke had no plans on hooking up with anyone in the jungle”, the source tells New Idea.
“He’s already been on a dating reality show so he was hoping for a different experience in the jungle.”
Our source adds that, surprisingly, Luke admits he struggles to get a date at the moment! But that could be because he’s chosen to live in a caravan in the middle of nowhere…
“Dating Luke is very difficult,” our source explains.
“His caravan is in the middle of a pine forest in Western Queensland. It’s pretty remote so it’s not exactly the easiest set-up for a relationship!”
But according to those close to him, Luke isn’t sad about his current single status – it’s intentional.
“He’s happy living ‘off the grid’ for now and he’s also focusing on his friendships,” our source says. “He isn’t chasing romance. He gets along very well with women – and that’s what fans are seeing between him and Concetta, especially, in camp. They’re already almost like brother and sister.”
Concetta had raised eyebrows after gushing over Luke upon his arrival in the jungle, leading to romance rumours.
“This is the moment I was waiting for! One [person] I couldn’t believe that was here was that hot book guy,” she said, referring to his career as a social media book reviewer.
She told Luke that she had spoken about him on her Triple J radio show, before gushing over how “inspiring” he was.
“He’s just so lovely, I’m like s*** I’ve got to read more, he’s just so inspiring,” she added.
Scroll on for everything you need to know about Luke’s love life.
Is Luke Bateman single?
Luke hasn’t publicly spoken about having a partner, so it is unclear what his current relationship status is.
He tends to keep his private life under wraps, dedicating his social media pages to sharing his reviews of popular books, which he has made into a career since his NRL days.
The sportsman has become quite the heartthrob among female book readers and earned huge popularity online for his passion for reading.
In June, it was reported that Luke was believed to be single, but it is not known whether he has met anyone new since then.
He has previously told how he is looking for an “adventurous” partner who can match his energy.
“I want to feel that all-consuming head-over-heels love with somebody,” he told our sister publication Who before going on The Bachelor in 2023.
“At the end of the day, all I really want is lifelong love and I’m not concerned about the size or shape of the package that it comes in.”
“I love to dine out at restaurants and get heaps of share plates and I really enjoy the experience with my partner,” he added.
“I’m also an adventurous home cook and someone who doesn’t enjoy that would definitely be a large hurdle.”
Are Luke Bateman and Ellie still together?
NRL player Luke rose to fame on The Bachelor in 2023, where he was one of three single men looking for love.
At the end of the show, he chose beauty therapist Ellie Rolfe as his match.
“I once told you that I’ve only ever felt this way towards someone twice in my life, I now realise that was a lie,” Luke told her during the final vows.
“Ellie, I’ve never felt the way I do for you, for anyone else.”
However, Luke and Ellie went their separate ways in March 2024 after dating for around six months.
“Ellie and I have separated and would like to keep our relationship private,” he told Yahoo! Lifestyle at the time.
“Ellie has a soul that lights up every room she walks into and I will sorely miss it in my life.”
It was his last public relationship, but he might open up about his dating life more in the jungle.
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