It looks as though The Bachelor alums Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell have gotten back together, and we're here to explain why Matt was right to give his former costar a second chance. Matt, who starred as the lead in The Bachelor season 25, has recently been spotted with Rachael on a number of occasions. The two have been seen in multiple locations. They've been together in New York City, Los Angeles, and Atlanta.
It has also been reported that Matt and Rachael have been discussing the status of their relationship. They previously shared news of their breakup during "After the Final Rose," which aired back in March. Matt has said that fans of the franchise shouldn't expect to see him on Bachelor in Paradise. Right now, it seems like he is focused on repairing his relationship with Rachael.
Is Matt (he was the first Black male lead on The Bachelor) getting back together with Rachael really the right move? Following a tumultuous season, fans were left with a mixed bag of results. Viewers were not afraid to voice their opinions. In fact, opinions got so extreme that former The Bachelorette star Rachel Lindsay stepped in and voiced her own concerns. She was upset that fans were saying Matt was vile for breaking up with Rachael. See Rachael below:
Controversy has surrounded Rachael since the very beginning of Matt's season. However, there was talk that Matt had stood by her and supported her until the production team convinced him not to. The production team supposedly told him that supporting her wasn't good for the franchise's image or his own. Matt apparently blindsided Rachael with his decision to end their relationship. Following their reunion in New York City, he reportedly wasn't speaking to her.
Matt may have let the opinions of others influence his decisions. He possibly protected himself, rather than supporting Rachel (the season 25 women support her). Was he just trying to save face when he stated that they needed to spend time apart so she could educate herself and understand how her past actions affected him and others? Rachael had attended an Old South-themed ball which resulted in intense backlash, but maybe she wasn't the only one in the relationship who needed to grow.
It was apparent during Matt's The Bachelor finale that he wasn't ready to get married. Instead of an engagement, fans saw the 29-year-old ask Rachael to be his girlfriend. This type of ending isn't uncommon in the franchise. The last two The Bachelor leads (Peter Weber and Colton Underwood) also had lukewarm endings to their seasons. Matt, who had no prior experience in the franchise, had never really had a serious relationship before the show. He did connect with Rachael, so it's not surprising that he didn't want to give up that connection permanently.
Rachael isn't the first member of Bachelor Nation to face controversy and she probably won't be the last. Recently, Taylor Nolan was slammed for a post addressing racist accusations. She had tweeted problematic things as a teenager and fans feel that she didn't take accountability. Hannah Brown, who's close friends with Matt, used a racial slur on Instagram Live and issued an apology that was similar to Rachael's. Even if this is just the beginning stage of their reconciliation, Matt and Rachael from The Bachelor do deserve the opportunity to learn from one another and grow.