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Rachael Kirkconnell Says She Was Completely ‘Blindsided’ by Matt James Breakup: Why Are Fans Mad at Matt James?

Andrea Francese — Thu, 30 Jan 2025 17:49:07 +0000

Two weeks ago, Bachelor couple Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell released a shocking breakup announcement on Instagram. Fans of the longtime couple were so surprised by the announcement that many questioned if the couple was trying to throw followers off the trial of an engagement or a major move in their relationship. As it turns out, the breakup was very much real, as was the post.

Fans shouldn’t feel bad about feeling surprised and blindsided — Kirkconnell was also blindsided by the end of her romance. She recently opened up about the fight that ended it all during a podcast appearance, and it paints Matt James as the villain.

Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James | Craig Sjodin via Getty Images

Rachael Kirkconnell revealed she was ‘blindsided’ by the breakup

Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James are never getting back together. In the wake of her very public breakup, Kirkconnell has made it clear that the relationship has run its course. Interestingly enough, Kirkconnell has only had about two weeks to come to that conclusion. The end of her relationship was not in the making for months. In fact, she admits to being just as shocked as fans.

During an appearance on Call Her Daddy, Kirkconnell opened up about the breakup that shocked all of Bachelor Nation. She told host Alex Cooper that she was completely blindsided by the end of the relationship. Kirkconnell said James had told her he felt lucky to have her as his partner just days before ending the relationship.

As Kirkconnell revealed the more private aspects of her romance to the world, a picture of a complex dynamic that didn’t seem to end with a walk down the aisle was revealed. The duo never lived together; instead, they resided in different cities. They spoke about engagement, but plans were never made. In short, no concrete steps were taken to develop a day-to-day life together.

Matt James’ post really made it seem like everything was fine

Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James | Craig Sjodin via Getty Images

While Kirkconnell did reveal an argument precipitated the breakup, there is a reason fans were especially shocked an enraged by it. Matt James’ Instagram activity gave no indication that he wasn’t perfectly in love with his girlfriend. In fact, James had posted videos from his travels with Kirkconnell just hours before issuing the breakup announcement.

Perhaps if the reality TV star hadn’t acted content and happy literally hours before breaking up with Kirkconnell, it wouldn’t have been so shocking. Followers may have been less angry on Kirkconnell’s behalf, too.

Following James’ announcement, fans flooded social media to discuss what went wrong between the couple. It appears that James is receiving most of the criticism. He is being accused of leading Kirkconnell on. So, why exactly are fans so angry with Matt James?

In short, many followers seem to think that the length of the relationship indicates James was stringing Kirkconnell along. They don’t think he ever intended to marry her. In the weeks following the split, fans sounded off on Instagram and Reddit, many sharing stories of being similarly led on by partners who suddenly decided, after years, that they were not marriage material.

While it’s common to date for two or more years before engagement, the lack of planning and the sudden change in sentiment Kirkconnell described in her podcast interview has seemingly irritated fans on her behalf.

James has not returned to Instagram since posting the breakup announcement. He has been blocking followers who show up to spread negativity in his comment section, though. It is unclear when he might return to the platform.

Matt James Posted Breakup Announcement While Rachael Kirkconnell Was Completely Off the Grid

Andrea Francese — Wed, 29 Jan 2025 21:03:15 +0000

Matt James posted a breakup announcement earlier this month, shocking Bachelor Nation fans who watched the evolution of his relationship with Rachael Kirkconnell. The post seemed so out of the blue that some followers wondered if he had been hacked. After all, James and Kirkconnell were traveling and enjoying time together just hours before the post.

Kirkconnell has officially broken her silence on the topic during a recent podcast appearance. She admitted that the breakup was just as sudden as it seemed, but the timing of James’ post felt strategic.

Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James at the end of ‘The Bachelor’ Season 25 | Craig Sjodin via Getty Images

Why did Matt James break up with Rachael Kirkconnell?

Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell’s breakup came after a disagreement, admits Kirkconnell. During an appearance on Call Her Daddy, she rehashed the end of the romance. She revealed that James had called it quits on their relationship while they were vacationing because he said he couldn’t see himself marrying her. The decision came after they discussed a potential proposal timeline.

James and Kirkconnell met on the set of The Bachelor in 2020. The season premiered in January 2021. James initially picked Kirkconnell for the final rose, but the relationship was rocky. The couple broke up after photos of Kirkconnell attending an Antebellum-theme event surfaced. They later got back together and have been dating since, but apparently a proposal was never imminent.

Rachael Kirkconnell star was off the grid when the breakup news hit the internet

Rachael Kirkconnell admits to having been completely blindsided by James’ breakup. While she accepted the end of the romance, she seems pretty salty over the timing of James’ announcement. Kirkconnell revealed that her ex timed his breakup post to go live when she would be entirely off the grid and unable to respond for hours.

‘The Bachelor’ couple Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell at the 57th Academy of Country Music Awards at Allegiant Stadium on March 7, 2022 | Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic

During her appearance on Call Her Daddy, Kirkconnell revealed that James’ post went live as she buckled up for a long flight. She said that her phone, for unknown reasons, won’t connect to airline Wi-Fi. Kirkconnell explained that the phone hasn’t connected for years, a fact that James likely would have known.

A friend texted her about the breakup as she was about to take off. By that point, there was nothing she could do. She lost her signal as the plane departed. Kirkconnell said she had to spend hours on the flight, unable to see what was being said about the end of her relationship.

While Rachael Kirkconnell did attempt to keep it mostly polite, it was clear that she remains hurt by the breakup and the timing of Matt James’ cryptic and downright strange breakup announcement. In the wake of the breakup, James’ social media accounts have been flooded with comments, many of them lambasting him for the dramatic breakup announcement and, now, for how he did it. He has been hard at work blocking anyone who comments negatively on his posts; the comments on the breakup post have been turned off.

‘The Bachelor’ News: Rachael Kirkconnell Confirms She’s Never Getting Back Together With Matt James

Lauren Weiler — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:21:00 +0000

The Bachelor couple Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James became fan favorites after their season. While they didn’t end The Bachelor as a couple, they reconciled and made their romance work, giving fans hope that they’d tie the knot. Unfortunately, Matt suddenly posted on Instagram that he and Rachael broke up on Jan. 16, 2025, causing panic among fans. Here’s what Rachael said in the wake of the breakup when approached at the airport.

‘The Bachelor’ winner Rachael Kirkconnell confirmed she and Matt James are never getting back together

Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James at the CELSIUS pickleball tournament in 2023 | Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for Celsius

TMZ caught up with The Bachelor contestant Rachael Kirkconnell at LAX on Jan. 28, 2025, to ask her questions about her breakup with Matt James. The interviewer asked Rachael how it felt to have a high-profile relationship end with the public watching.

“It’s nothing that you can prepare for,” she said while traveling up an escalator. “So, yeah, just take it one day at a time.”

The interviewer then asked Rachael about why the breakup happened.

“I think things will start to come out, and I’ll speak about it whenever I’m ready,” she answered. “But, for now, I’m just protecting my peace.” Rachael also confirmed that infidelity did not lead to the breakup. And when it comes to possibly getting back together, it’s a hard no for her.

“No, definitely not,” she said. “Yeah, we’re out.”

The interviewer tried asking Rachael whether she was ready to date against post-Matt. She didn’t answer and continued further into the airport.

Rachael is set to appear on the Call Her Daddy podcast on Jan. 28, 2025, to provide further context about the breakup.

The Bachelor Season 29 airs Mondays at 8 p.m. on ABC.

‘The Bachelor’ Season 29 Spoilers: What Cities Does Grant Ellis Visit for the Hometown Dates?

Andrea Francese — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 21:17:00 +0000

Grant Ellis’ season of The Bachelor premiered on Jan. 27. While fans of the fame series are just watching Grant meet his eligible bachelorettes, filming took place months ago. In real-time, Grant is rumored to be happily engaged. Still, it took a lot of group and one-on-one dates to get there. To celebrate season 29 of The Bachelor, let’s take a look at the Hometown dates spoilers that have already been made public

[Spoiler alert: The Bachelor Season 29 spoilers ahead]

Grant Ellis in ‘The Bachelor’ Season 29 premiere | Disney/John Fleenor

Grant Ellis’ final four prospects were revealed weeks ago

While The Bachelor will spend several weeks building up the suspense, fans who are interested in spoilers for season 29 can easily find them. In fact, we know for sure who the day trader chose as his final four. Reality Steve spilled the beans about Grant’s finale four weeks ago. According to the content creator, Juliana Pasquarosa, Zoe McGrady, Litia Garr, and Dina Lupancu were all given hometown dates with Grant. It seems like some of those dates went better than others.

Grant Ellis | Disney/Matt Sayles

Interestingly, none of the four ladies who took Grant to their hometowns received the first impression rose on night one. That honor went to Alexe Godin, a speech pathologist from Canada. Ellis opened up about giving the first impression rose to Alexe. He told E! News that Alexe’s fun personality and unique entrance (she brought along a llama) sealed the deal. It is unclear how far into the competition Alexe makes it, but it’s clear she didn’t win Grant’s heart overall, even though her llama was a showstopper.

Where did Grant Ellis head on his hometown dates?

Grant might be weeks away from visiting his contestant’s hometowns in TV time, but we already know where he is headed. According to several spoilers, The Bachelor season 29 will take Grant to Chicago, New York City, Wyoming, and Newton, Massachusetts, to meet the family’s of his four remaining contestants.

Grant an Dina on ‘The Bachelor’ | Disney/John Fleenor

Julia Pasquarosa lives in Newtown, Massachusetts. The 28-year-old is a client service associate. According to Yahoo! Grant and Julia were spotted looking comfortable and cozy during their Hometown date this fall. Grant also visited Dina Lupancu in Chicago. While TMZ spotted the pair at the city’s famed Riverwalk, the feeling between them wasn’t great. Apparently, the chemistry was as frigid as Chicago’s winters. According to the publication, Grant and Dina had little interaction when the cameras were not rolling and didn’t seem interested in getting cuddly.

Grant and Litia | Disney/John Fleenor

Zoe and Grant spent time in New York City, an area that was plenty familiar to Grant. Grant grew up in Newark, New Jersey, just 45 minutes from New York City. Finally, Grant was taken out of his element when he visited Litia in Wyoming. The hometown dates reportedly helped Grant narrow down which ladies he could date long-term, but he still had a tough choice. Jesse Palmer revealed he even had to encourage Grant to make a decision. In the end, though, he did pick one contestant to move into the real world with.

‘The Bachelor’ 2025: Who Goes Home in the First Rose Ceremony?

Lauren Weiler — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 01:19:01 +0000

The Bachelor 2025 is here with Grant Ellis at the helm. The 30-year-old day trader hopes to find love after experiencing heartbreak on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette. The two-hour premiere will show Grant meeting the women who are vying for his love. So, who goes home during the first rose ceremony? Here’s what to know.

[Spoiler alert: The Bachelor Season 29 spoilers ahead regarding the first rose ceremony.]

Who goes home during the first rose ceremony of ‘The Bachelor’ 2025?

The Bachelor Season 29 features Grant Ellis on a quest to find the love of his life. He and Jenn Tran had a promising connection on The Bachelorette, but she sent him home. The women hoping to fall for Grant this season are ecstatic at the opportunity to form a close bond.

“Grant is authentic,” contestant Litia Garr tells the camera in the trailer. “He is genuinely seeking a wife and a mother for his kids.”

The trailer features Grant sharing his artistic side, as he’s seen playing piano and singing during a date. He’s also athletic and challenges the women with a basketball group date.

“I’m not used to dating emotional guys who write you songs and play the piano, and I’m having the best time of my life,” Alexe Godin says while sitting next to Grant on a one-on-one.

In another moment in the trailer, Grant exclaims, “I’m ready to get married; I’m ready to find my wife; I’m ready to have kids. I’m ready for everything.”

While Grant has 25 fabulous women to choose from, The Bachelor 2025 first rose ceremony shows him sending seven women home. According to spoilers, the following women head home on night one:

Christina Smith
J’Nae Squires Horton
Kelsey Curtis
Kyleigh Henrich
Neicey Baxter
Radhika Gupta
Savannah Quinn

This leaves the following women moving on to the second rose ceremony:

Alexe Godin
Alli Jo Hinkes
Allyshia Gupta
Bailey Brown
Beverly Ortega
Carolina Sofia
Chloie Costello
Dina Lupancu
Ella Del Rosario
Juliana Pasquarosa
Litia Garr
Natalie Phillips
Parisa Shifteh
Rebekah Garrett
Rose Sombke
Sarafeina Watkins
Vicky Nyamuswa
Zoe McGrady

Who receives the First Impression Rose?

Alexe Godin from ‘The Bachelor’ Season 29 | Disney/Matt Sayles

The Bachelor 2025 lead Grant makes an early connection with Alexe Godin. He awards her the First Impression Rose, which also means that she received the first one-on-one date of the season. According to spoilers, the couple’s first date is shown in the trailer. Grant serenades Alexe and plays the piano for her.

According to the ABC bios, Alexe is a “small-town girl looking for a big-time love.” She’s from Canada and “grew up on a farm surrounded by goats, bunnies and chickens, which led to her lifelong love of animals.” Alexe likes to travel and play beach volleyball in her spare time — and she also loves to “make all her friends laugh.” Her Instagram notes she works as a speech-language pathologist.

In a preview for the season, Alexe brings her “no-drama llama,” Linda, to meet Grant. Grant loved the sentiment and noted that he doesn’t want drama while he’s trying to find love.

The Bachelor Season 29 premiere features a woman from Grant Ellis’ past

The Bachelor 2025 premiere features an early twist. An Instagram teaser shows a mystery woman arriving at the mansion after Grant met all 25 of his contestants.

“I am ecstatic, excited,” Grant says. “I just met 25 fabulous women. I’m trying to fall in love, and the right woman is going to knock me off my feet.”

The teaser shows the woman walking through the mansion toward the other women as the women wonder who she is.

“Is that a new girl?” one contestant asks.

“Is that his ex-girlfriend?” another asks.

“Who is this person? Why are you here?” contestant Allyshia Gupta says. “She means business. She’s here for a reason.”

The woman then interrupts Grant while he’s talking to another contestant. “Holy s***,” Grant says.

This article was originally reported by Reality Steve.

The Bachelor Season 29 premieres on Monday, Jan. 27, 2025, at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Jesse Palmer Reveals That the 1st Rose Ceremony on ‘The Bachelor’ Is the Longest Night on Television: He Fuels Up With Snacks

Andrea Francese — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 01:01:00 +0000

Jesse Palmer has spent several years performing hosting duties for Bachelor Nation. Fans will watch him perform those duties again on the premiere episode of The Bachelor season 29. He is set to introduce Grant Ellis to 30 eligible bachelorettes on Jan. 27. While Palmer seems to love his job, he insists there are some challenging moments, too.

In a recent sitdown, Palmer revealed that the first rose ceremony of the season is the longest night on television. He gets through The Bachelor and The Bachelorette‘s first rose ceremony with plenty of snacks.

The first rose ceremony for ‘The Bachelor’ takes an entire evening to film

On the first night in the Bachelor Mansion, the lead must meet each contestant as they enter the house. From there, depending on the iteration, he or she gets to know their contestants. After a cocktail party and one-on-one chats, the lead must make tough cuts during the first rose ceremony. While most Bachelor Nation fans assumed the process took hours, Jesse Palmer recently revealed how many hours it takes. The host told Eating Well that the first rose ceremony is the longest night in television. He said filming can start at 8 pm and doesn’t wrap up until 8 am the next morning.

Over the years, several contestants and leads have discussed the lengthy and emotional process of the first night in the mansion. Some contestants have said the first evening in the mansion, from arrival to dismissal, took upwards of 16 hours. In 2016, Ken Fuchs, one of The Bachelor’s directors, opened up about the filming process and the first rose ceremony.

Fuch told The Hollywood Reporter that the first night of the dating competition took forever for logistical reasons. Not only does the lead have to meet each contestant as they arrive but the cocktail party and one-on-one interactions also stretch on for hours. The goal is for the lead to get a good idea of their contestants before they make any cuts. By the time they get to the rose ceremony, most contestants have been filming through the night, with roses handed out in the wee hours of the morning.

Jesse Palmer stays fueled for the marathon with tons of snacks

While Palmer admits that filming the ceremony can be difficult, he’s found a way to keep himself awake and active during the extended schedule. In a chat with Eating Well, Palmer said he keeps himself going during long filming days, like The Bachelor‘s first rose ceremony, with plenty of snacks. His go-to options are fruit, protein shakes, yogurt, and trail mix. During the first rose ceremony, he also relies on an “espresso or two” to keep himself sharp.

‘Bachelor in Paradise’ Season 8 host Jesse Palmer | Craig Sjodin/ABC via Getty Images

Greek yogurt with granola is his go-to meal, even if filming days aren’t particularly long. The TV personality told the publication that he often eats Greek yogurt with granola and honey when the cast travels for filming, relying on it for breakfast, lunch, and even a late-night snack on some days. He says it is quick and filling enough to keep him fueled for the day without interfering with his work commitments. While Palmer keeps it healthy most of the time, he does admit to enjoying a slice of pizza when he can. Dark chocolate and berries also help fuel him through more challenging days.

Bachelor Nation Divorces: The First, the Latest, and the Most Shocking

Andrea Francese — Sun, 26 Jan 2025 03:34:00 +0000

The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and other dating competitions in the franchise have led to many engagements and several marriages over the years. While there have been a few happy endings in the franchise’s history, there have also been a fair number of failed courtships. Do you know how many divorces Bachelor Nation fans have endured? We have all the details on the first divorce and the latest and most surprising one.

A ‘Bachelor in Paradise’ couple were the first to call it quits

The first episode of The Bachelor premiered in March 2002. More than 18 years later, the first franchise divorce was finalized. In February 2020, Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone announced their split with a statement issued to Bachelor Nation. After meeting on Bachelor in Paradise season 5, the couple married in a televised wedding during the next season of the unique dating competition.

Krystal Nielson and Chris Randone | Denise Truscello/Getty Images for Clique Hospitality

The couple’s marriage was a short-lived one. Randone and Nielson were married for less than a year when they announced plans to separate. In August 2020, a year and two months after their wedding, Nielson filed for divorce. They finalized the split by the end of the year. Over the years, Randone has spoken about the split, insisting he hoped to reconcile before Nielson filed for divorce. She moved on, and he spent time talking about the marriage.

During a chat with Us Weekly shortly after Nielson filed, Randone said his Bachelor Nation commitments and failure to process his reality TV fame led to the breakdown of the marriage. Nielson opted not to discuss what led to the divorce but did admit the pandemic, coupled with the split, was a scary time in her life. She went on to welcome a baby with a new partner in 2021.

Marcus Grodd and Lacy Faddoul | Rick Rowell/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

While Randone and Nielson were the first Bachelor Nation couple to legally end their romance, they weren’t technically the first couple to announce a “divorce.” Lacy Faddoul and Marcus Grodd technically married in a ceremony on Bachelor in Paradise; they announced their split in 2016. While they had a marriage ceremony, the duo never filed official paperwork, meaning they weren’t legally married, so they couldn’t legally divorce.

Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner’s divorce was shocking

While Chris Randone and Krystal Nielson were the first Bachelor Nation couple to legally split, they are not the couple that fans were most surprised to learn had opted for divorce. That distinction goes to the most recently divorced duo, Gerry Turner and Theresa Nist. Like Randone and Nielsen they married in a whirlwind ceremony and announced their plans to divorce before the ink was dry on the license.

Theresa Nist and Gerry Turner | John Fleenor/Disney via Getty Images

Nist and Turner left The Golden Bachelor’s inaugural season excited about starting a life together. In January 2024, the couple wed in a televised ceremony. While they seemed in love at the time, the honeymoon phase of their relationship was remarkably short-lived. By April 2024, they announced their plans to divorce. Everything was finalized in August 2024, exactly one year after filming for The Golden Bachelor ended.

Turner and Nist’s Bachelor Nation divorce certainly took viewers by surprise. The speed at which they split was only one element that made it shocking. The reason came as a surprise, too. At the time, the couple insisted they were calling it quits because they couldn’t agree on where to live. Fans were surprised by the announcement. After all, the couple really did seem to have a viable plan mapped out upon leaving the Bachelor mansion. Theresa Nist later hinted to darker reasons behind the breakup.

‘The Bachelor’: Jesse Palmer Admits He Had to Push Grant Ellis to Give Away His Final Rose

Andrea Francese — Fri, 24 Jan 2025 15:10:00 +0000

Grant Ellis’s season of The Bachelor premieres on Jan. 27. Ellis was a fan favorite on Jenn Tran’s season of The Bachelorette before she eliminated him from the competition during week 6. Now, he’ll date a host of beautiful women.

Apparently, Ellis’ contestants were so exceptional that he had difficulty picking “the one” when the time came. His indecision was highlighted in a recent promo for the upcoming season. Jesse Palmer recently revealed he had to coax a decision out of Ellis while filming the finale.

Jessie Palmer and Grant Ellis | Disney/John Fleenor

‘The Bachelor’ Season 29 teaser highlights Grant Ellis’ indecision

Grant Ellis’ season of The Bachelor is set to premiere in just a few days. ABC released a teaser for the competition a month before the season premiere. That teaser showed off some of the beautiful locales Grant and his bachelorettes visited, along with several emotional moments from the season. It even included a bit of drama between the ladies vying for Grant’s attention.

While the teaser felt pretty typical, one aspect seemed unique to Grant’s season. The promo highlighted how Grant entered the season finale feeling pretty indecisive and tense. He revealed he was afraid of making the wrong choice. Now, Jesse Palmer, the TV personality named the host of The Bachelor in 2021, is opening up about Grant’s indecisiveness.

Jesse Palmer opens up about how hard the call was for Grant Ellis

While The Bachelor and The Bachelorette teasers are known for creating more drama with their edits, Jesse Palmer insists season 29’s teaser depicts what happened. The famed series’ host sat down for a chat with Us Weekly and opened up about Grant’s season. He even chatted a bit about the finale, which the teaser highlighted in a few snippets.

Palmer said Grant Ellis did have a difficult time making a final call. He was so indecisive in the final moments that Palmer said he had to coax him along. Palmer explained that while he wouldn’t traditionally break the fourth wall, he felt it was the only way to get Ellis moving in one direction or another. Still, he sympathized with the New Jersey native, insisting he understood why he hadn’t entered the finale with the clarity of past contestants. Palmer didn’t reveal why the choice was so hard, opting to leave fans to solve that mystery when the season premieres.

Joan Vassos Refuses to Comment on Theory Gerry Turner Wanted Another Shot at Love With Her

Andrea Francese — Thu, 23 Jan 2025 17:00:02 +0000

Joan Vassos has been open and honest about her search for love following the death of her husband, John Vassos. The mother of four started out as a contestant on The Golden Bachelor before ultimately finding love on The Golden Bachelorette. Vassos is currently happily engaged to Chock Chapple and is shutting down theories that Gerry Turner showed up on her season to make a bid for her.

Gerry Turner and Joan Vassos | John Fleenor/ABC via Getty Images

Joan Vassos isn’t entertaining talk about Gerry Turner

Joan Vassos is happy to chat about most aspects of her life. Since her debut on The Golden Bachelor, she’s been an open book on social media. Still, she doesn’t want to talk much about Gerry Turner.

During a recent appearance on Two Jersey Js, Vassos was asked whether she believed Gerry Turner wished to rekindle their connection following his divorce from Theresa Nist. Vassos seemed pretty uncomfortable with the question and quickly stated she wouldn’t comment.

Turner and Vassos met during season 1 of The Golden Bachelor in 2023. The duo had several great dates before Vassos self-eliminated from the competition to attend to a family emergency. Months later, Vassos discussed feeling connected to Turner who left his season engaged to Theresa Nist. Vassos eventually signed on to be the first-ever Golden Bachelorette.

During Vassos’ season of The Golden Bachelorette, Turner showed up to ask Vasoss if she had ever wondered if her next great love wasn’t one of the show’s contestants. For many viewers, the moment read as a bid for Vassos’ affection. She didn’t offer it, and Turner left without commenting on the potential rejection.

Gerry Turner and Joan Vassos have both moved on

Chock Chapple and Joan Vassos in ‘The Golden Bachelorette’ | Disney/Gilles Mingasson

If Turner was attempting to rekindle a long-forgotten spark with Joan Vassos, he didn’t succeed. That doesn’t mean there are any hard feelings, though. Vassos insists that she and Turner are “really good friends.” Both appear to have moved on quite happily, too.

While Turner’s marriage to Theresa Nist didn’t work out, he hasn’t given up on love. Despite a cancer diagnosis that he insists changed his priorities, finding a life partner is still important to him. During a chat with People in December 2024, Turner admitted he was dating someone. While he insisted it hadn’t progressed to a committed relationship just yet, he seemed to think, at the time, that it was leaning that way. He hasn’t updated fans further on the relationship.

Vassos, of course, moved on with Chock Chapple. The mother of four picked Chapple over Emergency room doc Guy Gansert in the final moments of The Golden Bachelorette. Since then, the couple has been spending a ton of time together and even began their search for a New York City love nest. A wedding will happen in the future, too. ABC has not yet named the next Golden Bachelor, but perhaps Gansert will get another shot at finding love on TV.

Why Did Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell Break Up? The Theories

Andrea Francese — Mon, 20 Jan 2025 14:26:02 +0000

The Bachelor couple Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell have announced their breakup. The split shocked Bachelor Nation fans for multiple reasons. The couple not only appeared solid and happy while traveling together, but James was posting couples content just hours before announcing the split in an overly saccharine Instagram post.

The split was so unexpected that some fans believed the reality TV star may have been hacked. After all, James and Kirkconnell appeared to be a good match despite Kirkconnell’s issues early on. The breakup, however, has been confirmed. Now, everyone wants to know what exactly happened. Several theories have emerged.

Rachel Kirkconnell and Matt James | Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images for Idol Roc Entertainment

Matt James’ lack of commitment led to his split from Rachael Kirkconnell

Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James’ breakup has shocked some followers and fans, but there were signs this was coming. After all, the couple has been together for years, but James appeared no closer to locking down the relationship than he was when they met on the set of The Bachelor.

The couple shook off tradition and opted not to leave the series engaged. Instead, they decided to date in the real world before committing. While the couple briefly split after photos of Kirkconnell at an Antebelum-themed party surfaced, they chose to work on their relationship. That was more than four years ago, and their relationship status had not changed.

A source at the U.S. Sun argued that was the exact problem. According to the outlet, Kirkconnell pulled the plug on the romance because James refused to get married. The publication allegedly spoke to an insider who said Kirkconnell was “blindsided” by the split after she gave James an ultimatum about moving their relationship forward. The source told the outlet that Kirkconnell had grown tired of waiting and felt she was being strung along, but there is no confirmation that Kirkconnell ended the romance.

Rachael Kirkconnell hints at possible cheating

Matt James and Rachel Kirkconnell | Bryan Bedder/Getty Images for Spritz Society

Fans started to speculate about Matt James’ inability to commit in the hours after the split, while others theorized he had a wandering eye. Theories about the breakup have been rampant. Still, Rachael Kirkconnell has been mostly quiet about what happened between her and James.

That doesn’t mean she isn’t offering hints about the separation, though. In a shocking update, Kirkconnell gave credence to theories that James might have cheated on her.

Kirkconnell took to TiKTok to repost a video about cheating after James’ breakup post. While the repost was about helping a “friend” after their partner cheated, there’s no denying the post’s odd timing. The post may hint that James was caught cheating, which would explain the quick change in their relationship status. James has not responded to the allegations.