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Luke Bateman’s I’m a Celebrity co-star Concetta Caristo has referred to him as “that hot book guy” and “just so lovely” during their stint on the show – but it seems the former NRL star’s ex isn’t quite so enamoured by his re-emergence on TV.
Luke, a Canberra Raiders player turned BookTok star, memorably won the heart of Ellie Rolfe, 31, on the 2023 season of The Bachelor.
The pair remained together during the season finale, but split just four months later – and the blonde reality star didn’t hold back when she discovered he was among those joining I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! in 2026.
“First, I mean are any of them really celebrities?” Ellie questioned in a scathing social media post.
Ellie went on to warn her followers “don’t believe everything you see on TV and social media”.
“People can curate a whole identity for their personal gain/ego,” she wrote. “You don’t know anyone until you’ve been in some sort of relationship with them. Even then you don’t know someone but you know where I’m going with this.
“Don’t put people in the media on a pedestal!!!!” she continued. “You don’t know them.”
The former reality star dished more on her previous relationship on an episode of the Seriously podcast, claiming that Luke had “love bombed” his way into her heart.
“I wasn’t aware of it at the time, because I was caught up in that fairytale world, and I’m a sucker for that,” she said.
“First date – boom: ‘I’m going to marry you’. And it only got more intense from there. I think I was very naive. How can you determine that? How can you be so sure of something like a commitment that large without knowing anything about me?”
Ellie claimed that after filming for The Bachelor ended, she started to see some traits in her boyfriend that did not sit well with her.
“I guess you just kind of get in too deep,” she explained. “It’s a little bit like emotional manipulation – it becomes like a trauma bond because you got so close so quickly, had such intense experiences together and… you’re still really holding on to the fairytale version.”
Luke confirmed he had split with Ellie in March 2024, sharing a statement on the matter with Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Ellie and I have separated and would like to keep our relationship private,” the star said.
“Ellie has a soul that lights up every room she walks into and I will sorely miss it in my life.”
He has since opened up about how his gambling addition at the height of his footy career left him contemplating suicide.
“It was horrible,” Luke, who grew up on a cattle station in WA, told News.com.au before appearing on I’m a Celebrity.
“I was literally at the point of suicide. I was at the end of the tracks.”
A source told Daily Mail that producers were keen to include Luke in the show due to his willingness to speak candidly about his addiction.
“They’ve been looking for someone willing to really go there,” the insider said.
“Luke didn’t hide anything. He was open from the start and producers were genuinely moved by how honest he was.”
“When Ten reached out, he was incredibly raw,” the source continued.
“He didn’t try to polish it or sugar-coat his past. He spoke about gambling, how destructive it became and how much it cost him. That level of honesty is rare.”
Luke himself told Woman’s Day he had formed a “very close relationship with a few people” during his stint in the jungle.
“I look forward to that friendship being a part of my life for many years to come,” he shared.
“Every single contestant has been incredible, and an absolute privilege of mine to get to know them,” he added.
If you or someone you know needs support, help is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.
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