Rachael Kirkconnell was the woman on season 25 of The Bachelor who caught Matt James’ eye from the very beginning. After four years of dating and creating food content together, the couple has broken up. Learn more about the former Bachelor contestant who received Matt’s final rose.
Shortly after Rachael was announced as a cast member on season 25 of The Bachelor, a woman who said she had gone to high school with her posted a TikTok video with claims about Rachael. The woman accused Rachael of “bullying” her for dating Black guys when they were in school together. Then, another TikTok user uncovered alleged controversial posts that Rachael had ‘liked’ on Instagram.
As Matt started falling hard for Rachael, more about her past continued to come to light. At the beginning of February, photos surfaced of Rachael attending an Old South-themed party while she was in college. The party glorified the state of the country during this time, when slavery was prevalent. On Feb. 11, Rachael issued a statement to apologize for her past actions, and took accountability for her “ignorance.”
Despite Rachael’s apology, the scandal still exploded due to The Bachelor host, Chris Harrison, weighing in on the situation. During an interview with former Bachelorette, Rachel Lindsay, Chris defended Rachael K.’s past actions. After receiving major backlash for his response, he posted an apology on Instagram. However, it was too little too late. Chris eventually revealed he would be ‘stepping aside’ from the Bachelor franchise for the time being. He confirmed that he would not be hosting the season 25 After the Final Rose special. His future with the franchise after that is unknown.
Rachael, a 28-year-old creative director for Togeth3r, is from Cumming, Georgia, a small town just outside of Atlanta. She attended Georgia College, located close to home, and graduated in 2019 with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing. During her time at school, she earned a spot on the Dean’s List twice.
Although Rachael is a “hopeless romantic,” she’d never been in love before coming on The Bachelor, according to her ABC bio. “Rachael is hoping that her love story will be something huge and life altering,” her bio reads. “She wants to look back at her life when she’s old and feel like she has made the absolute most out of every single day.” However, Rachael has said that she’s fallen in love with Matt and that she’s ready for an engagement.
After Matt chose Rachael to receive his final rose, the couple’s relationship came to an end in January 2025. On January 16, 2025, Matt announced their split on Instagram, writing, “Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to endour 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.”
