Matt James Admits He's 'Pursuing' A Relationship with Rachael Kirkconnell
‘Bachelor’ Matt James Admits He’s ‘Pursuing’ A Relationship With Ex Rachael Kirkconnell
*Deep sigh* It looks like things between The Bachelor Matt James and his ex, Rachael Kirkconnell, aren’t over after all.
Source: Craig Sjodin / Getty
After revealing on his season’s After the Final Rose special last month that he and his final rose recipient broke up after her racially insensitive past was uncovered, the two have since been spotted together in Los Angeles and New York City. While previous reports claimed there was nothing more to their relationship, it looks like the pair is ready to admit that they’re perusing a future together.
“I’ve seen Rachael a handful of times,” James said while talking to PEOPLE about his partnership with Dick’s Sporting Goods for May’s National Runners’ Month. “I’m not pursuing any relationships right now outside of that. I said I was going to focus on my relationship with her and that means focusing on it.”
When asked about whether or not Kirkconnell has been doing the work she promised in regard to educating herself about racism, he said, “that’s something you could talk to her about. A lot of what I’m focused on right now is the work that I’m doing in the community and with the [marathon] training.”
This news of possible reconciliation follows a lot of turbulence off-screen during this past season of The Bachelor, with Kirkconnell apologizing in February for the photos that surfaced of her at an antebellum-themed party in college in 2018.
On After the Final Rose, James said he wanted “to take a step back and allow her to put in that work.”
“The work and reconciliation that needs to be done is work that I can’t do for you,” he told Kirkconnell at the time. “And I know that you’re capable of doing it.”
Now, James says that he wants to continue to be a voice in his community.
“Just being at the center of meaningful conversations, that’s what I’m looking to do,” James told PEOPLE. “I really enjoyed the conversations I had over the past few months and I think it’d be a lot of fun to be a voice on important issues. That’s where I see my future and where I’m pursuing opportunities.”
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