Luke Bateman reveals why I’m A Celebrity will be his last show – as he opens up on gambling addiction, sobriety milestone and life after the jungle: ‘I’m done with reality TV’

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NRL player Luke Bateman is likely to reach the final of ‘I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!’, but he’s eager for the show to finish.

Before the live finale on Sunday, the former Bachelor told the Daily Mail he’s completely finished thinking about his time in the jungle.

‘Mate, I’m that sick of it,’ he laughed. ‘Like, I just want it to be off.’

Luke, who is 31, says that even though viewers are just now seeing the last part of the show, it feels like a long time ago for him.

It feels strange that we filmed this so long ago, back in November, and people are still watching it now. I’m just ready for it to be over.

Even though he’s exhausted, Luke says he doesn’t regret joining the challenging reality show, and he believes it will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Luke first became well-known on The Bachelor three years ago, and he admitted he was unsure about becoming public again.

I’m not a big fan of reality TV, and I probably won’t participate in it again after appearing on ‘I’m a Celebrity,’ he said.

The difference this time was the format.

He said it was a more demanding experience. Unlike shows like The Bachelor or Survivor, it wasn’t really about competition. It was more about putting yourself out there, meeting others, and tackling unusual and amusing challenges.

Viewers noticed a strong connection between Luke and his co-star, radio presenter Concetta Caristo, leading to rumors of a romance, but Luke immediately denied them.

He explained that what viewers saw on television was an accurate representation of events. He also emphasized how much he values their friendship, stating that they remain close to this day.

He believes fans were too quick to sexualise what was simply a genuine bond.

He explained that people often focus on gender and attraction when they see a man and a woman together, instead of recognizing them simply as two people who have built a meaningful connection and a strong friendship.

Luke also revealed just how brutal camp life really was – and that viewers only saw part of it.

‘It was a lot harder than I expected it to be, mainly from the physical aspect,’ he admitted.

Let me tell you, towards the end of that challenge, things got really tough. As a fairly large and active guy, I honestly struggled just to get through each day. We were all incredibly hungry, but for me, it was a daily question of whether I had the energy to keep going. It wasn’t just discomfort, it was a real physical and mental drain.

Then there were the relentless insects.

Each night, we were covered in huge numbers of tiny bugs. It was awful trying to sleep with them constantly landing on your face. These small, irritating details don’t usually show up on television, but they really made the experience terrible.

Although there were rumors of significant conflict within the camp, Luke maintains that everyone has moved past any disagreements.

When people are forced to live in close quarters with no food and no shelter, tensions naturally rise. It’s inevitable that disagreements will happen in those conditions. However, he believes everyone ultimately parted ways on good terms.

Luke stated that if he wins tonight, the victory would benefit his chosen charity much more than himself.

‘If I win, it’s not Luke Bateman who wins,’ he said. ‘It’s Farm Angels.’

Farm Angels helps rural families in Australia who are facing tough times – a cause that’s especially meaningful to Luke, as he continues to operate his business in Western Queensland.

‘The exposure and money they get really helps families in rural communities. They’re the winners.’

The finale also comes at a significant personal milestone.

Tomorrow marks 12 months since Luke gave up gambling – an addiction he says ‘destroyed’ his life.

He admitted gambling had ruined his life, impacting him personally and those around him. He’d witnessed its devastating effects on both himself and his friends, and believes it destroys lives.

Luke is currently collaborating with the New South Wales government on a campaign to educate people about the dangers of gambling. He’s also aiming to become a public voice on this important issue.

I’m hoping to raise awareness about this and make it less mysterious and frightening for people.

He also confirmed he is completely sober from drugs, and now drinks only occasionally. 

He says he’s in a great place with drugs and alcohol now. He rarely drinks, and when he does, it’s usually just one or two negronis. He’s put his days of heavy drinking behind him.

Despite ongoing rumors about movie producers and possible scripts, Luke downplayed their importance.

He said the idea that celebrities are closely watching what he’s doing is probably exaggerated.

Instead, his focus is firmly on writing.

He shared his dream of becoming an author, hoping to publish his first novel by the end of the year. He’s completely dedicated to writing and making that happen.

Luke is working on the second draft of his book, and he believes writing it has been life-changing. He says books actually helped him through a difficult time.

‘I would not be sitting here talking to you if it wasn’t for books,’ he admitted.

Books offer both a welcome escape and a chance to learn and grow. They can provide comfort during difficult times, and I believe everyone deserves access to stories that can be truly life-changing.

Just to clarify, he has no plans to watch recordings of his jungle experience anytime soon.

He admitted he hadn’t watched a single episode of ‘I’m A Celebrity.’ He explained that he’s too busy with his business and writing a book to have time for it.

Now that the final episode is airing tonight, Luke shares that he’s both proud of everything he’s been through and eager to move on to what’s next.

‘Reality TV – that’s me done,’ he said.

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2026-02-22 08:04