Reality star Locky Gilbert blames SAS Australia editing for his shock remarks

Locky Gilbert is blaming SAS “editing” after controversial comments he made on the show were met with a fierce viewer backlash.

Australian reality star Locky Gilbert has blamed the editing on SAS Australia after copping a viewer backlash comments about people who live a “boring life” and go to work everyday.

The 32-year-old, who has also been on Australian Survivor and The Bachelor, said on Tuesday night’s episode: “In the last 10 years, I really haven’t worked”.

“It blows my mind, people get up and go to work every single day. Living a mundane, boring life,” he continued. “I’ve just done whatever I’ve wanted to do and it’s got me this far.”

The criticism came in thick and fast on social media, with most furious viewer tweets unable to be printed here - but Gilbert says he “never meant it in the way it was edited”.

Locky Gilbert has shown a different side on SAS Australia than what was seen on The Bachelor. Picture: Channel 7

On Wednesday morning, he took to Instagram to “clear things up”, explaining that the reason he felt like he had not worked in 10 years was because “when you do what you love you don’t work a day in your life”.

“When I said I don’t know how people go to work everyday, they left out the part where I said to a job they hate,” Gilbert wrote in a statement for his 136,000 followers.

“I have done the 12 hour days 7 days a week, working my ass off in the last 10 years of my life. I am just doing what I love so I don’t see it as work.”

Gilbert also pointed out his partner Irena Srbinovska, who he met on The Bachelor, and her mother worked in healthcare and were passionate about their jobs.

“I love that they get to do what they love,” he said.

“I never meant for it to come across the way it did and I am deeply sorry if my comments offended anyone.”

Gilbert apologises for his comments. Picture: @locklangilbert / Instagram

Srbinovska worked as a nurse in Melbourne at the start of the Covid pandemic, and now works in Perth where the couple live.

When production of The Bachelor went into lockdown in 2020 and dates with Gilbert continued via Zoom from the contestants’ homes, Srbinovska returned to work on the health care frontline.

In an Instagram post in October 2020 after the show had aired, she told her Instagram followers that she was “taking a mental health break from work”.

Gilbert met his partner Irena Srbinovska, a nurse, on The Bachelor. Picture: Channel 10

“Nursing is a tough but very rewarding career and many nurses will be able to tell about ‘burn out’ and the impact our job has on our mental health,” she wrote.

“So to all my fellow health care workers, this year more than ever we need to support each other and check in on each other. Stay strong.”

Since appearing on SAS Australia, Gilbert has been branded “cocky Locky”.

After being told he was a “f***ing bully” by SAS Australia leader Ant Middleton on Tuesday night’s episode, Gilbert admitted he knew he was selfish and always put himself first.

“I always just don’t think and I always think about myself and I need to change that,” he said.