The Bachelor‘s Matt James announced he and Rachael Kirkconnell have broken up. The season 25 lead – who was the franchise’s first black Bachelor – and Rachel started dating four years ago after the graphic designer won Matt’s heart.
The announcement:
Matt posted a photo of Rachael just after she arrived at the Bachelor mansion. Paired with the photo, Matt penned, “Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts.”
“Give us peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding. Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔”
Matt has the comments turned off for his post.
Rachael’s last post about Matt:
Just over a month ago, Rachael posted a reel to Instagram dedicated to Matt. “Happiest of birthdays to my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart. You fill it (and my tummy) with so much love and laughter.”
“I’m so thankful I can dance through this life with you. Thank you for your never-ending love and support and smooches and snuggles. To many more adventures. Happy birthday, my pumpkin ♡”
Matt and Rachael’s love story:
The former couple fell in love on season 25 of The Bachelor which aired in early 2021. Although they didn’t get engaged during the finale, they remained a couple over the next four years.
While the season was airing, Kirkconnell found herself at the center of a big controversy. Photos of her attending an Antebellum-themed party in college circulated online, leading to major outrage from fans.
Matt briefly broke up with Rachael amid the fallout, but they got back together after the finale following Kirkconnell’s public apology.
Never forget that longtime host Chris Harrison defended Rachael’s actions. Chris Harrison stepped down from as host and later exited the franchise for good. Jesse Palmer is the new face of the franchise.
