NEED TO KNOW
- Stan is rebooting McLeod’s Daughters 25 years after it first hit screens..
- Former NRL star turned BookTok favourite Luke Bateman is reportedly in the mix for a key love interest role.
- I’m A Celebrity star Luke is also a real-life farmer with rugged good looks and a huge following.
- Rumour has it the reboot may focus on the next generation of McLeod’s.
He’s already conquered footy, reality TV and BookTok.
Now, Luke Bateman could be swapping it all for life on the land, with the Aussie heart-throb (and actual real-life farmer) emerging as one of the names being considered for Stan’s highly anticipated McLeod’s Daughters reboot.
25 years after Tess and Claire McLeod first rode onto our screens, McLeod’s Daughters is officially coming back and New Idea hears Luke could be just the kind of fresh blood producers need.
Stan confirmed the return at Nine’s 2027 Upfronts, revealing the beloved former Channel Nine drama will be reinvented as a Stan Original, produced by Werner Film Productions and built around the world originally created by Posie Graeme-Evans.
While casting remains firmly under wraps, the new series promises the same sweeping landscapes, strong women and, importantly, plenty of “love and connection” in the modern world.
And that’s where Luke could come in.
“Luke would be perfect for McLeod’s,” says an insider. “He has that rugged country look, he’s incredibly popular with women and he already has a huge following.
“Put him on a horse in a dusty paddock and you’ve basically got your new McLeod’s heart-throb.”
The former NRL player has undergone quite the reinvention in recent years, becoming a BookTok favourite, author and reality television personality.
His profile soared after he placed in the top three in the 2026 season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!
Not long after that, he was the subject of an Australian Story special that documented his extraordinary journey from professional footballer to writer whilst also detailing his fight to overcome a gambling addiction.
While Luke has never spoken about wanting to try his hand at acting, our source reckons he could play a romantic leading man with ease.
“He’s certainly had enough practice!” jokes the source. “Just ask his ex-girlfriends.”
Luke’s rising star would definitely make him an irresistible proposition for the producers tasked with finding a new generation of handsome country men. They will be following in the footsteps of original McLeod’s heart-throbs Aaron Jeffery, Myles Pollard and Brett Tucker.
After all, McLeod’s Daughters was always about its formidable women but the men of Killarney and surrounds certainly didn’t hurt the ratings!
“Luke is exactly the sort of eye candy they need,” adds the source. “The women have always been the central heroines of McLeod’s, and that absolutely shouldn’t change. But part of the magic was also the romance. You need men viewers can fall in love with alongside the characters.”
What will the McLeod’s Daughters reboot be about?
The original series became one of Australia’s most successful dramas, running for eight seasons and 224 episodes. Now Stan has the difficult task of honouring that history while creating characters capable of attracting a completely new generation.
The reboot’s writer Joanna Werner has confirmed they are currently assembling a cast that “people are going to love”.
There’s also growing chatter that the reboot might focus on the “next generation” of McLeod women, including Claire’s daughter Charlotte and Tess’ daughter Ruth.
With Luke’s rugged good looks and slight resemblance to Aaron Jeffery, could he be lined up to play the grown-up Xander Ryan, Alex’s son with Stevie Hall?
Watch this space!
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