Latest news with #LukeBateman
Sydney Morning Herald
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Sydney Morning Herald
Luke Bateman shared his love of books online. Then social media turned on him
Less than two months ago, in his first-ever TikTok video, Luke Bateman spoke to the camera from a truck in Toowoomba. The former NRL player, who also appeared on the 2023 season of The Bachelor, and who now works as a tree-logger, smiled and greeted the 'BookTok' community, saying that he's loved reading his entire life. 'I've never really had anywhere to talk about it or share those things,' he says, '... cause obviously being a male in a lot of blue-collar work'. Bateman said he hoped to speak to like-minded people about the stories he loves – fantasy, in particular – and find recommendations. For the unfamiliar, the BookTok community first boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when readers started to use TikTok to discuss their favourite books and authors. Colleen Hoover, for example, found herself on the New York Times bestseller list after her novel, It Ends With Us, gained traction via BookTok. To date, the BookTok hashtag has hundreds of billions of views and tens of millions of posts. It has also reshaped the publishing industry. Naturally, brands, publishers and authors have pivoted to focus on infiltrating the space as part of their marketing campaigns in the hope of going viral and seeing sales skyrocket. Bateman's first post quickly racked up 2 million views and within weeks, the former footy star had become a poster child for BookTok, amassing 150,000 followers and launching a book club with close to 6000 members. Loading Then in late May, Bateman posted something a little different. Trading in the front seat of his truck for a cosy room in front of a bookcase, he announced that he'd signed a two-book deal with Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia. 'It's a childhood dream come true,' he said. 'I've wanted to be an author my entire life.' He became emotional, thanking the community for giving him the opportunity 'to put my heart on the page for all of you'. But as is often the way with social media, it didn't take long for the tide to turn. 'This is literally enraging. Absolutely unbelievable.'
The Age
08-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Age
Luke Bateman shared his love of books online. Then social media turned on him
Less than two months ago, in his first-ever TikTok video, Luke Bateman spoke to the camera from a truck in Toowoomba. The former NRL player, who also appeared on the 2023 season of The Bachelor, and who now works as a tree-logger, smiled and greeted the 'BookTok' community, saying that he's loved reading his entire life. 'I've never really had anywhere to talk about it or share those things,' he says, '... cause obviously being a male in a lot of blue-collar work'. Bateman said he hoped to speak to like-minded people about the stories he loves – fantasy, in particular – and find recommendations. For the unfamiliar, the BookTok community first boomed during the COVID-19 pandemic, when readers started to use TikTok to discuss their favourite books and authors. Colleen Hoover, for example, found herself on the New York Times bestseller list after her novel, It Ends With Us, gained traction via BookTok. To date, the BookTok hashtag has hundreds of billions of views and tens of millions of posts. It has also reshaped the publishing industry. Naturally, brands, publishers and authors have pivoted to focus on infiltrating the space as part of their marketing campaigns in the hope of going viral and seeing sales skyrocket. Bateman's first post quickly racked up 2 million views and within weeks, the former footy star had become a poster child for BookTok, amassing 150,000 followers and launching a book club with close to 6000 members. Loading Then in late May, Bateman posted something a little different. Trading in the front seat of his truck for a cosy room in front of a bookcase, he announced that he'd signed a two-book deal with Atria Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Australia. 'It's a childhood dream come true,' he said. 'I've wanted to be an author my entire life.' He became emotional, thanking the community for giving him the opportunity 'to put my heart on the page for all of you'. But as is often the way with social media, it didn't take long for the tide to turn. 'This is literally enraging. Absolutely unbelievable.'
The Guardian
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Footballer, Bachelor star … fantasy writer? The TikTok furore over Luke Bateman's book deal
Hello Caitlin. I hear people on TikTok are up in arms over a Queensland farmer/Canberra Raiders player/Bachelor star scoring a book deal. Who is this modern day Renaissance man? Julia, a colleague described Luke Bateman's four years with the Raiders as the one of an 'honest toiler, who always played above his weight', and to be frank, it's a fairly apt description for the guy. The Toowoomba countryman grew up as the typical sports-playing boy. On his now famous TikTok account, he has spoken earnestly about reading books in a toilet cubicle as a child so his peers wouldn't witness his sensitive side. But that didn't stop him from appearing on The Bachelor's 11th season in 2023 and confessing his love to contestant Ellie Rolfe in the finale (he retired from the Raiders in 2019 after a knee injury). Contrary tothe show's usual success rate, the pair split up months later. But he quickly found a new love to fill his life: #BookTok. He posted his first video in April, speaking passionately from inside a car about his love of books and struggle to 'share those things' as a male in 'blue collar work'. He now has more than two dozen videos, 178,000 followers, and has landed a book deal. Fans are following him for his book reviews, but they're also there for his rugged good looks. In one video, he joked about multiple comments claiming he looked like Shrek after the ogre became a human. 'To begin with, I was like, ah, that's a hard pill to swallow,' he said, donning a large brimmed hat. 'But then I went and Googled … and I was like, they make a good point.' So tell me, what kind of book is he going to write? A farming manual? A sport biography? A reality TV tell-all? You'd think so, but guess again. Bateman's first book, expected to be released in early 2027, will be an 'epic fantasy' story about a young boy battling hardships in a magical world. His contract is a two-book deal, so there's more to come. If you follow his TikTok, this category may not come as a huge surprise. Bateman has filmed several videos about his love of fantasy fiction, including one that runs through his 'GOD TIER' fantasy reads and several dedications to giants Robin Hobb and Garth Nix. That said, he's also delved into 'smut' books (or 'cliterature', as his followers call it), posting a detailed review of the popular Court of Thorns and Roses series. I didn't see that one coming. Obviously he has many skills, but has he ever published anything before? No. But he has written poetry. In one video, posted to TikTok this week, Bateman shared prose he had written while going through a breakup (we've all been there), titled 'When Magic Had a Name'. Publishing has also been a long-held aspiration for Bateman. When announcing the surprise book-deal on social media, he described it as a 'childhood dream come true'. 'I've wanted to be an author my whole life,' he told his audience, teary with joy. 'I can't wait to write this book.' How have people responded to the news? It's fair to say the feedback has been mixed. Some commenters were quick to congratulate Bateman for his Simon & Schuster deal, but others questioned how he had nabbed the deal. In response to backlash, the publishers said they had assessed the scope of his series including its 'magic system' and the 'journey of the protagonist' as well as receiving a 10,000 word writing sample, including a synopsis. Yet the issue has reignited debate about power and privilege in the literary industry, including the weight given to celebrity platforms over more marginalised authors. The inaugural Australian Publishing Industry Workforce Survey on Diversity and Inclusion, published in 2022, found less than 1% of Australian publishing professionals were First Nations, 8.5% had an Asian cultural identity and about 5% identified living with a disability – well below population parity. In Bateman's own words, speaking with the entertainment news website Chattr: 'Obviously, a lot of these conversations are very new to me … I can wholeheartedly understand how angry and resentful these things would make people.'
Daily Mail
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Footy star turned reality TV bachelor and TikTok sensation reveals he was too embarrassed to tell his teammates about his secret obsession
One-time NRL star Luke Bateman has revealed that he was too embarrassed to let his teammates know about his obsession with fantasy novels while he was playing rugby league. Bateman, 30, has become an online sensation after revealing his interest in risqué romance and fantasy novels in a series of videos. The former Canberra Raiders lock - who also appeared on The Bachelor in 2023 - has amassed 178,000 TikTok followers at the time of writing. Last month, Bateman made international headlines after signing a a two-book deal with Atria Books Australia. The former footy star has revealed that his love of books was something he used to hide from his ex-teammates. 'I grew up playing a lot of sport, and I remember whenever you go away for a camp or a weekend away for a game or something, I used to get my books and pack them at the bottom of my bag or somewhere,' he said in a TikTok video. 'I would put all my clothes on top of them to hide them so no one knew I was taking books with me, and whenever I got a spare moment to read I would go and find a cubicle and lock myself in there, just because I was so embarrassed about it and didn't want anyone to know. 'It means the world to me to know there are so many other people out there that share the same passion I do.' Although Bateman has exploded in popularity of late, many of his female fans turned on him after he landed a book deal which sparked a debate about equity in the publishing industry. 'A white man getting a book deal without having written anything? My jaw stayed right where it was,' replied one user, with the comment getting more than 5000 likes. 'This opportunity is the intersection of white privilege, male privilege, and pretty privilege. Not a reflection of worth,' posted another. 'Well good to see that publishing is still a colossal joke,' replied a third. Bateman has addressed the flood of criticism, insisting he understands the anger that's been levelled at him. 'I wholeheartedly understand how angry and resentful these things would make people,' he told Chattr. 'I obviously have advantages that other people don't. How do I capitalise on those to help lift everyone up? Because I feel like dragging people down leaves everyone at the bottom, whereas a rising tide lifts all ships. 'And if I can use my platform and my voice and my privilege and position in society to help uplift others, I say, that is what books are about.' Bateman, who has lots of female admirers, is believed to be single following his split from Ellie Rolfe last year. The pair met on The Bachelor and connected - but eventually went their separate ways. 'Ellie and I would like to keep our relationship private,' Bateman said at the time. 'She has a soul that lights up every room she walks into and I will sorely miss it in my life.' On the footy field, Bateman chalked up 71 appearances for the Raiders between 2015 and 2019. A knee injury ended his career - and before his NRL debut, Bateman in 2014 publicly had to confirm he wasn't gay. It followed an on-field slur from current Parramatta Eels halfback Mitchell Moses, who was playing for NSW against the Maroons in an under-20s match. 'I'm not gay,' Bateman said. 'I've had plenty of people from the gay community write to me or contact me on Twitter giving messages of support. 'I said thanks I'm really not (gay).'
ABC News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- ABC News
The #BookTok backlash over former Canberra Raiders player Luke Bateman's book deal, explained
When Queensland farmer Luke Bateman posted his first TikTok video in April this year, he spoke earnestly about finding a community where he could discuss books and get recommendations. The former rugby league player and star of the television show The Bachelors Australia, had joined #BookTok, a section of the platform where book lovers review and recommend their favourite reads. "I've loved books my entire life … I've never really had anywhere to talk about it or share those things, obviously being a male in blue-collar work," he shared. For many, seeing someone like Bateman interested in books stood out. His first video received two million views, and his account exploded, amassing nearly 180,000 followers in less than two months. But while his reception was initially positive, the tide was about to turn. Just weeks after his viral debut, Bateman hopped on TikTok to announce he had signed a two-book deal for a fantasy series with Atria Books Australia, an imprint of publishing house Simon & Schuster. The announcement drew a mixed response on #BookTok, with some users taking to the comments section of the video with questions around Bateman's writing experience and if the deal was based on his virality alone. Comments included: "Well, good to see that publishing is still a colossal joke," and "The anger here is aimed at the wrong person. He's not the problem. The publisher is". Bateman had said in the announcement video that his social media presence was a big factor in his book deal being finalised. The ABC has contacted Bateman for comment. "It was obviously everyone on here resonating with me that they [Atria Books] gave me this opportunity … all of you have helped me to fulfil my childhood dream." Anthea Bariamis, who acquired the international rights to Bateman's books for Atria Books, confirmed in an Instagram live that she spotted Bateman on TikTok and reached out to his agent. "I had seen Luke online, like I know many people have for the last month or so, and I just loved his content and I was like 'Oh my god, he's a big book nerd!'" Bariamis said that she had a meeting with Bateman, who pitched her a fantasy series that he "had in his mind and has been working on for a long time". She also confirmed that he would not have a ghostwriter, as some had speculated, and that she had been provided a writing sample before the deal was finalised. The ABC has contacted Bariamis for comment. Even by industry standards, Bateman's deal is notable. "For someone who's never previously published anything before … it's quite unusual to get signed for a two-book deal … particularly if you're writing fiction," says Julian Novitz, a senior lecturer in Media and Communications from Swinburne University. Dr Novitz said that typically, debut authors sign a contract for a single book, with publishers reserving the right of first refusal on the second. The speed and scale of Bateman's book deal have also drawn criticism from content creators on #BookTok and authors from marginalised backgrounds, who view his rise as emblematic of a lack of diversity in Australia's book publishing industry. Bron Bateman, an Australian queer author and poet living with a disability, says the news of Bateman's book deal reflects a lack of effort from big publishers to invest in marginalised authors. "I find it extraordinary that six weeks on TikTok is enough to generate the kind of lavish outspending that Simon & Schuster are obviously prepared to do," she says. "The problem isn't Luke Bateman. The problem is big publishing companies." It has been long reported that Australia's publishing industry is lacking diversity. In 2022 the inaugural Australian Publishing Industry Workforce Survey on Diversity and Inclusion found there was much work to be done. The survey found that fewer than 1 per cent of Australian publishing professionals are First Nations, only 8.5 per cent have an Asian cultural identity, and just over 5 per cent identified as living with a disability. Teo Jing Xuan and Marina Sano, co-founders of Amplify Bookstore in Melbourne which solely stocks books written by Black, Indigenous and people of colour (BIPOC) authors, said they weren't surprised by the Bateman deal going through. "I'm deeply unsurprised by it, to the point where I'm honestly kind of surprised by how much outrage there is because this is so run of the mill," Sano says. Teo, who has worked in publishing, says deals like this come down to sales appeal. "It's very common in publishing … they will sit around and say 'What is the sale potential for this book?' before it's being acquired," Teo says. "For books by people of colour, the chat around sales potential is a lot more in-depth than you would get from a white author per se." Bigambul and Wakka Wakka author Melanie Saward, a lecturer at the University of Queensland, said deals like Bateman's send an "awful" message to authors from marginalised backgrounds. "It shows them that they're not exceptional enough for the industry, that their stories aren't valued," she said. Dr Novitz says Bateman's book deal is an example of how virality has become an increasingly decisive factor in publishing decisions. "Publishing is a business … in terms of the works that [publishers are] looking to take a risk on, having an author who already has public visibility, and large followings on social media is a real advantage." Dr Novtiz adds that "publishing has a responsibility to broaden representation," and that when visibility begets more visibility, "it can become a self-fulfilling prophecy". "It becomes assumed that writers from a particular demographic are who readers are most interested in, because they dominate the list of published works." In an interview with entertainment news website Chattr following the outrage, Bateman acknowledged the backlash and said he wants to use his platform to spotlight marginalised authors. "A lot of these conversations are very new to me," he admitted. But one particular quote stirred further criticism. "There is no barrier to entry for reading and writing," Bateman said. It's a comment that struck a nerve with Dr Saward. "As soon as you say something like that, your privilege is out there for the whole world to see," she said. Author and person of colour, Chemutai Glasheen, says the discussions happening in light of the Bateman book deal are important, but should motivate readers to champion diverse authors. Author Bron Bateman agrees with the sentiment, saying that she hopes Luke Bateman takes this opportunity to lift up other marginalised writers. "Now in a time of political and social and cultural upheaval, the need for counter voices to be heard is more important than it has ever been … As a matter of absolute importance." Dr Saward says she also hopes this moment prompts readers to reflect. "Audit your own bookshelves and book buying habits. "[If you] make an effort to buy Australian books that have diversity in them … it's telling the publishing industry that that's what you're interested in and they'll go chasing more of those authors."
