The Bachelor Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell New Sudden Split

The stars of ABC’s The Bachelor have split after four years of dating. In 2021, after the season aired, Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell didn’t get engaged but chose to stay together as a couple.

It’s hard not to wonder what happened, especially since Matt had recently posted a seemingly normal video of the pair enjoying pizza in London. This was posted just one day before their breakup was announced.

Even as recently as December, Kirkconnell posted a heartfelt message for Matt’s birthday.

“Happiest of birthdays to my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart.” Kirkconnell even states the hope she has for them as a couple, “to many more adventures…happy birthday my pumpkin.”

On Thursday, January 16, Matt posted the news of their split stating, “Father God, give Rachael and I the strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a 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, the Lord.”

During the filming of The Bachelor, Kirkconnell became involved in a scandal. A photo resurfaced from college featuring Kirkconnell attending an antebellum themed party. Many found this especially ironic, given that James was the first African American Bachelor in the series’ history.

This scandal caused the pair to briefly split. However, the couple got back together after Kirkconnell issued a public apology, “My ignorance was racist…between that and just a lot of other things about Greek life, I was like, ‘I don’t want to be part of this anymore.’ So I dropped out (of college) after that.”

James commented on the scandal, “I’ve learned a lot. And at the end of day, everything that we’ve been through has prepared us for the future.”

We wish Matt and Rachael privacy and healing during this time. Only time will tell what the future holds for this pair.