The Bachelor Matt James Broke Up With Rachael, But Doesn't Want Her Canceled

Rachael Kirkconnell may have won The Bachelor, but she was not able to hold onto Matt James after the final rose, due to the photos that surfaced of her happy attendance at an antebellum South celebration party, and how her ignorance affected him. Matt explains his response in this clip. 

"The most disappointing thing for me was having to explain to you why what I saw was problematic and why I was so upset," he says to her. "When I questioned our relationship, it was in the context of you not fully understanding my blackness, and what it means to be a black man in America, and what it would mean for our kids when I saw those things that were floating around the internet, and it broke my heart, because this is the last conversation I thought we'd be having. I didn't sign up to have this conversation, and I knew that I had to take a step back from you, to put in that work that you outlined that you needed to do, and that's something you've gotta do on your own, and that's why we can't be in a relationship." 

Rachael tearfully claims that she still thinks he is the only one for her, but Matt said "Seeing you like this hurts, but... I don't want to be emotionally responsible for those tears, because the work and reconciliation that needs to be done is work that I can't do for you, and I know that you're capable of doing it, and the last thing I want is for people to be calling to have you canceled, or people to be calling you out for things. I really want them to call you in, and I want you to do this work because that's the best thing that could come out of this." 

People are talking about this week's Bachelor in our forums. Join the conversation. 

Andy Hunsaker has a head full of sitcom gags and nerd-genre lore, and can be followed @AndyHunsaker if you're into that sort of thing.