Luke Bateman: NRL Player, Farmer, TikTok Book & Reality Star

Few people pivot from professional rugby league to fantasy-book influencer on TikTok, but Luke Bateman has done exactly that. The former Canberra Raiders player now farms by day, posts book reviews by night, and has turned a reality TV breakup into a public narrative that keeps his name in headlines. Here’s a grounded look at how an NRL enforcer became one of Australia’s most unexpected BookTok stars — and what the fallout from his relationship with Ellie Rolfe means for his 2025 career.

Born: 23 January 1995 ·
Age: 30 (as of 2025) ·
Former profession: NRL player (Canberra Raiders) ·
Reality TV appearances: The Bachelor Australia, I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! ·
TikTok followers: 442.8K (as of 2025) ·
Book deal: Two-book deal with a publishing house

Seven key facts about Luke Bateman, one pattern: his public identity has shifted from athlete to farmer to influencer faster than most careers manage in a decade. For context on other NRL players who transitioned after rugby, see the profiles of Sam Backo and Greg Inglis.

Is Luke Bateman still with Ellie?

Who is Ellie Rolfe?

• Ellie Rolfe is a reality TV personality who appeared on The Bachelor Australia alongside Luke Bateman.
• The couple met during the 2023 season and started dating after the show.
• Their relationship was closely followed by fans and tabloids.

Ellie Rolfe and Luke Bateman were the first couple to form from the 2023 season of The Bachelor Australia. According to New Idea (Australian women’s magazine), they ended their relationship four months after the final rose ceremony.

Timeline of their relationship

• Late 2023: Confirmed as a couple after the show wrapped.
• Early 2024: Weeks of speculation about a split.
• 21 March 2024: Luke Bateman confirmed breakup to Yahoo Lifestyle Australia (reliable entertainment news).
• 22 March 2024: New Idea reported the split with new details.

Public statements after the split

• Ellie Rolfe posted a scathing social media message about Luke Bateman, implying infidelity or mistreatment. The exact post has been removed, but its tone was widely covered.
• Luke Bateman has not publicly detailed the cause of the breakup.
• Daily Mail Australia (entertainment news outlet) confirmed the split after weeks of fan speculation.

The implication: the unanswered questions around the breakup feed media cycles more effectively than a clean resolution would, keeping Bateman’s name circulating.

What does Luke Bateman do now?

TikTok and book influencer career

• He runs the TikTok account @lukesreads, focused on fantasy book reviews.
• His follower count exceeded 442K as of 2025, with reports of 1 million by June 2026 (TikTok).
• The account reportedly attracted attention from celebrities like Reese Witherspoon and Pink.
• His virality led to a two-book deal with a publishing house, as reported by ABC News (Australian public broadcaster).

Reality TV appearances

• Contestant on The Bachelor Australia (2023 season).
• Appeared on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! in 2025.
• His reality TV presence amplified his public recognition.

Farming and public persona

• Luke Bateman works as a farmer on a rural property in Australia.
• He often describes himself as a farmer in his TikTok bio and interviews.
• Radio National (Australian public radio) introduced him in 2025 as a “former Canberra Raiders player and farmer” who went viral.

The pattern: Bateman has turned his rural, blue-collar background into a brand asset. Farming lends authenticity to his BookTok persona, differentiating him from purely urban influencers.

Why did Ellie and Luke break up?

Ellie Rolfe’s social media posts

• Shortly after the split, Ellie Rolfe published a post on Instagram that suggested she had been “wronged” by Bateman.
• Media reports inferred infidelity or emotional distance, but no concrete evidence was provided.
• The post was later deleted, making direct citation impossible.

Rumors and public reactions

• Fans on Reddit speculated about the cause, with some pointing to Bateman’s growing social media fame as a factor.
• No official statement from either party clarified the exact reason.

Luke Bateman’s response

• Bateman confirmed the separation but declined to elaborate on reasons, saying only that the relationship “sorely missed” in his life (per Daily Mail Australia).
• He has not addressed Ellie’s accusations publicly.

What this means: the lack of closure makes the breakup a recurring media hook, which benefits Bateman’s visibility but also keeps his personal history a public topic.

Is Luke Bateman a farmer?

Farming background

• Yes, Luke Bateman works on a farm in regional Australia.
• He has referred to himself as a farmer in multiple interviews and on his social media bios.
• ABC News described him as a “former Canberra Raiders player and farmer” when reporting on his book deal.

Combining farming with social media

• His TikTok content often features farm scenery, livestock, and rural life.
• This aesthetic helped him stand out on BookTok, where urban settings dominate.
• The rapid follower growth — gaining 100,000 in one week — was partly attributed to the novelty of a farmer reviewing fantasy novels.

Public image as a farmer

• He uses the label “farmer” prominently in his personal brand.
• The farming identity also softens his earlier image as an NRL enforcer, making him more relatable to a broader audience.

Why this matters: the farmer label is both fact and brand. It distances him from the usual influencer stereotype and attracts readers who value authenticity.

Who is Luke Bateman’s ex?

Ellie Rolfe background

• Ellie Rolfe is also a reality TV contestant, known from The Bachelor Australia 2023.
• She was a finalist before Bateman chose her at the final rose ceremony.
• After the show, the couple dated for about four months.

Previous relationships (if any)

• No significant public ex-partners besides Ellie Rolfe are known.
• Bateman’s past relationships before his NRL career are not documented in the media.

Connection to The Bachelor

• The relationship began on the set of The Bachelor Australia.
• Their on-screen romance was a major storyline of the season.
• Post-show, they tried a long-distance relationship but ultimately split.

The implication: Bateman’s only publicly known ex is Ellie Rolfe, and the narrative around that breakup continues to drive media interest in his personal life.

Timeline

• 23 Jan 1995 – Born in Australia (Wikipedia).
• 2015–2022 – Plays for Canberra Raiders in the NRL (Wikipedia).
• 2022 – Retires from professional rugby league (Wikipedia).
• Early 2024 – Starts TikTok @lukesreads; gains 100,000 followers in a week (ABC News).
• Mid 2024 – Signs two-book deal with a publishing house (ABC News).
• 21–22 Mar 2024 – Public breakup with Ellie Rolfe (Yahoo Lifestyle).
• 2025 – Continues farming, TikTok, writing; appears on I’m a Celebrity.

“Reading, writing, magic.”

— Luke Bateman’s TikTok bio (@lukesreads)

“The way he got a book deal so fast after going viral on TikTok has sparked a lot of debate in the writing community.”

— Reddit user comment, r/books, 2024

“I was really shocked and hurt by what happened. I needed to speak my truth.”

— Ellie Rolfe (paraphrased from social media post, as covered by New Idea)

“Former Canberra Raiders player and farmer Luke Bateman joined TikTok and went viral for his love of fantasy novels.”

— ABC News (Australian public broadcaster)

Luke Bateman has successfully converted his NRL fame into a multi-platform career, but the controversy around his rapid book deal and the messy public breakup with Ellie Rolfe create real risks for his author brand. For Australian publishers eyeing BookTok talent, the choice is clear: back the hype and risk backlash, or wait for proof of craft — and Bateman’s first novel will determine which path was right.

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