2020 Bachelor Australia announced as Locklan ‘Locky’ Gilbert from Survivor

Channel 10 has revealed who the next Bachelor is as filming of the reality show gets underway. And he’s a familiar face.

Australian Survivor cast member Locklan “Locky” Gilbert has been announced as the next star of Network Ten’s The Bachelor.

The 30-year-old adventure guide, who is an experienced cave diver, base jumper, mountaineer and athlete, accepted the opportunity because he “really want(s) to find love”, he said.

It comes after he was eliminated from Survivor: All-Stars during Tuesday night’s episode. He’d previously won fans in his first season of Survivor for his feats of athleticism — and occasional nudity.

“I’m pretty content with my life at the moment. I go on these crazy adventures, but I’d love someone to share the memories with.

“I’ve got best friends, but I want to find that one best friend that I can spend the rest of my life with. This is an amazing opportunity to hopefully find someone special at the end.”

Gilbert said he was a hopeless romantic who wears his heart on his sleeve who is looking for a driven and outdoorsy woman with a wicked sense of adventure.

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Locky Gilbert has been announced as the 2020 Bachelor. Picture: Channel 10.

He also took to Instagram to say while he’d had some “heart-stopping” experiences in his life, starring on The Bachelor would take the cake.

“Pack your bags Australia, I am beyond excited to be announced as this year’s Bacehlor and cannot wait to share this epic romantic adventure with you all,” he wrote.

While the announcement seems early this year – given last year it was announced in June – filming has actually already begun.

And it seems Gilbert has another connection to reality TV, with his long term ex-girlfriend, Jordan Cayless, appearing on the recent season of Love Island Australia.

In photos dated just over a year ago, the couple are seen in plenty of happy snaps posing together and sharing kisses.

They seem to have called it quits in early to mid 2019.

Gilbert also appeared to have shared a close bond with his Survivor: All Stars co-star Brooke Jowett, but the pair grew apart after filming ended in September.

Gilbert is based between Perth and Bali, while Jowett is in Melbourne.

A recent casting call for the upcoming Bachie season read: “Filming will roughly commence mid-February to mid-May of 2020 and may take up to 12 weeks.”

Matt Agnew was announced as the 2019 Bachelor in June last year. Picture: Supplied.

While this year’s Bachelor has been recruited, applications for the series appear to still be open, suggesting that the full line-up of female contestants – as well as “intruders” – vying for the Bachelor’s heart, are yet to be locked in.

Last year’s Bachelor, Matt Agnew, split with winning contestant Chelsie McLeod weeks after the finale aired.

Agnew said the six months after filming ended had been a “very unique experience” and their relationship didn’t “translate” into the outside world.

“Chels and I have made some beautiful memories together that I’ll always cherish, and I wish her nothing but the absolute best,” he wrote.

“However, it’s with a heavy heart that I write this. For Chels and me, our relationship hasn’t translated from filming to the real, every day world as we had hoped.”

He described McLeod as a “very special woman” and hoped she would find the “happiness she deserves”.

The astrophysicist added that there was no other romantic interest in his life at the moment.

“For those who may wonder if there’s someone else for me right now, there absolutely is not,” he said.

“It’s no one’s fault, it’s just life.”