Ben Waddell, Wesley Senna Cortes and Luke Bateman have been revealed as The Bachelors Australia 2023 leads, so we’ve done some deep diving into the nitty-gritty of their lives.
Channel Ten revealed in July that The Bachelors is copping a second multi-lead stint, just months after the first-ever season of its kind premiered in January to verrry little acclaim.
The lineup was met with varying reactions, with many fans ticked off by the lack of diversity and the fact there are three lead stars yet again.
Following the announcement, a Ten insider dished to So Dramatic! that Ben, Wesley and Luke “are great for different reasons”, and has former NRL star Luke tipped to “become a national treasure”.
“He’s such a lovely man and so funny too,” they admitted. “It’s nice to have a proper country boy too. Salt of the earth.
“He’s very sincere.”
They added that Wesley “is a delight” and bring “great vibes” to the show. Meanwhile, “Ben is smart, worldly and lives life to the full”.
“I think they’re a solid mix,” the source concluded.
We’re already waiting with bated breath for the show to begin. However, if you’re keen on discovering more about the heartthrobs-to-be, keep scrolling!
Ben Waddell
Ben Waddell is an international model (of course), but his “lucrative” lifestyle is missing a “partner to join him on life’s adventures”, according to 10Play.
In a statement, the Melbourne-based hunk said appearing on The Bachelors is a “surreal experience” and confessed the premise is “very daunting”.
“I’ll be going in with an open mind and open heart to find the girl of my dreams,” Ben added.
Following the announcement of his involvement in The Bachelors, one So Dramatic! listener got in touch with some wholesome tea about Ben.
“I know Ben. He is gorgeous and lovely,” they revealed. “Lots of influencers follow him so he must be part of that scene.
“He has done lots of modelling for Country Road, but he’s not an influencer.” Well, not yet, at least!
The model is represented by Kult Australia and currently holds over 13,000 followers on Instagram, which we can expect to hike up once he hits the small screen.
Flashing his best “Blue Steel” look isn’t Ben’s only claim to fame, however.
The Bachelors’ Ben Waddell was spotted with Pip Edwards
The new Bachie star was also recently spotted looking rather cozy with the co-founder of P.E Nation, Pip Edwards.
According to an outlet, the pair were papped together at the Australian Open on January 30, causing romance rumours to swirl.
To add fuel to the fire, this happened a few days after the sportswear designer was being called “the other woman” in a battle between her ex Michael Clarke and his girlfriend Jade Yarbrough. Yikes…
Ben Waddell was previously in a legal battle with Zac Efron
In 2021, he alleged that the premise behind Netflix’s Down to Earth series (which starred Zac Efron) was copied from a pilot episode he filmed and shopped around in the US in 2017.
At the time, Ben told A Current Affair that his pitch was rejected several times because producers wanted a celeb to host the show in order to amass greater success.
“I said no, because I wanted to learn, I wanted to be the host,” he said in a segment, adding his lawyers contacted Zac’s legal team to hash out the situation.
According to ACA, the actor’s lawyers attempted to prevent the exposé from going to air. They also “categorically disputed and denied” Ben’s claims.
It should be noted, however, that Ben never directly pitched the series to Netflix.
You can watch Ben’s “original concept” video for Down To Earth below.
Wesley Senna Cortes
Wesley is being touted as “Brazil’s hottest export”, having moved to Australia to study theology — the study of the nature of God and religious belief.
10Play revealed that he’s a huge “family man”; however, has “played it safe” when it comes to finding love.
Enter The Bachelors, of which Wesley says he “couldn’t be more excited” to find his soulmate.
“It’s a huge honour given what the show means to Australia, but also to represent my culture,” he confessed. “It’s not every day that you have such an incredible team helping you find love.”
We have a sneaking suspicion that love isn’t the only thing he’s hoping to find.
During an appearance on The Project on July 9, he dished that he’s a “marketing and sales manager”.
However, a quick Google search also shows he already has a profile on The Right Fit and is listed as a “model, actor, [and] influencer” with “more than a decade of experience in the creative industry”.
Meanwhile, his Instagram, which helms 13.6k followers at the time of writing, shows that Bella Management represents him.
Luke Bateman
Then we have Luke, a former NRL player (A.K.A. token athlete á la Felix Von Hofe) who is expected to bring “country charm” to the series.
Those who know of the retired Canberra Raiders star said he was “always so lovely and personable”.
“He had to medically retire pretty young,” the source told So Dramatic! of his career, which ended following a significant knee injury before the 2019 season.
“He’s a country boy too,” they added. “Very down to earth and humble.”
However, another insider said that his NRL occupation gave him away as being a “f*ckboy”. Welp, only time will tell…
A noted “big softie at heart”, 10Play revealed that Luke has been known to “write heartfelt poems when he’s head over heels”. Be still our beating hearts!
However, nerves haven’t surpassed this soon-to-be Bachelor from Western Queensland.
“This is the opportunity of a lifetime, and I’m feeling all the first date nerves — dialled up to 11,” he admitted.
“I’m looking for a partner who I can build and share a life with… A genuine person who makes me laugh and wants to start a family.”
At the time of writing, Luke’s Instagram has just over 5,700 followers. Humble beginnings!
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