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Rachael Kirkconnell is addressing her split from Matt James shortly before her the release of her tell-all “Call Her Daddy” interview.
“It’s nothing that you can prepare for. So, you just take it one day at a time,” Kirkconnell, 28, said in a video posted by Instagram gossip account Deux Moi on Tuesday, January 28. “I think things will start to come out and I’ll speak about it whenever I’m ready, but for now, I’m just protecting my peace.”
The video of Kirkconnell was taken at an airport, and the former Bachelor star kept it low-key when answering questions. She denied that infidelity caused her split from James, 33, and noted that there was no chance they would be getting back together.
Kirkconnell’s statement comes nearly two weeks after James shared via Instagram on January 16 that the couple had called it quits.
“Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding,” James captioned a photo of them from his Bachelor season. “Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord.”
Throughout their four-year relationship, James and Kirkconnell experienced a series of ups and downs. Following their breakup, a source exclusively told Us Weekly that “it was hard for Rachael to trust [Matt],” claiming the split “was a long time coming.”
The duo met during season 25 of The Bachelor, on which James was the lead. He didn’t propose during the March 2021 finale, but the pair were a couple at the end of the show. However, things didn’t last as James announced during the After the Final Rose special that he and Kirkconnell had split after her past racially insensitive social media photos resurfaced online. James and Kirkconnell reconciled by April 2021.
While the couple teased a potential marriage in the future, James told Us exclusively in June 2024 that he didn’t feel any pressure to propose to Kirkconnell.
“We’re doing great. I feel like when you feel pressure, it’s when you don’t wanna do something. So I’ve never really felt pressure [to get engaged] because it’s something that I’ve always wanted to do,” James explained. “And it’s something that we’re gonna do at some point. That’s why we’re together and what we’re working toward. I’m excited about our future.”
At the time, James noted that it was going to be “tough” to surprise his then-girlfriend with a ring.
“She asks a million questions. … She’s just so intuitive that it’s gonna be tricky,” he continued, noting that Kirkconnell “needs a reason why we do anything.”
“When that happens, I’ll have to think outside the box,” he shared. “I’ll have to stretch the truth on why we’re doing something.”
