Actions have consequences. Bachelor star Matt James is learning that lesson now. He ended his relationship with Rachael Kirkconnell nearly two months ago, but still faces major backlash for the split.
Bachelor Matt James Ended Relationship With Rachael Kirkconnell In Controversial Way
Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell’s relationship was bumpy from the start. They met on Season 25 of The Bachelor. She was the clear frontrunner but her past came back to haunt her while the show was still airing. Photos were posted online of Rachael attending a controversial plantation party while she was in college.
Filming was over long before the show aired on TV. By the time the photos went viral, Matt James had already fallen in love with Rachael. He didn’t propose during the season finale, but they left the show as a couple.
However, public pressure caused them to briefly break up. They reunited a few months later and were together for four years. Matt James kept teasing that he was getting ready to propose, but never did.
The couple seemed stronger than ever. Fans were shocked when Matt James posted on Instagram in January to announce the relationship was over. He and Rachael were on a trip to Japan at the time. She was at the airport ready to fly home after the split when he unexpectedly went public with the news.
Proof He’s Still Facing Backlash For Split
Rachael Kirkconnell revealed that she was basically blindsided by her ex posting their breakup online. Once Rachael shared her side of the split, most fans were firmly on her side. She’s been living her best life since the breakup.
During their time together, Matt and Rachael became foodie social media influencers. They documented on Instagram trying new foods in various locations. But those days are done. Matt James has continued to post food-related content, but it’s just not hitting the way it used to. Why?
One Bachelor Nation fan took to social media to discuss the backlash Matt James is still facing. The fan noted that the reality star lost a ton of Instagram followers after breaking up with Rachael. According to the fan’s figures, Matt James went from an estimated 1.1M followers to 892K since January.
You may wonder why it matters. But content creators rely on views and clicks to make a profit from social media influencing. If Matt James has lost that many followers, he’s likely also lost a good chunk of money.
So why is he losing followers? One Bachelor Nation fan suggested, “Could be bots but I also know that his breakup with Rachael made him very disliked. One of the biggest reasons behind that is because he strung her along all for nothing.”
Another added, “His most popular content was always couple’s content she was in. It’s not surprising to me that he continues to lose followers now that his content doesn’t include her anymore.”
But a third fan suggested another reason for the drop in followers. “His content has decreased significantly which could be a big reason for the drop too,” they said about Matt’s social media posts.
Do you think Matt James will ever be forgiven by fans for breaking up with Rachael Kirkconnell?
Jennifer Havener grew up in a small town in Upstate New York. She earned her B.A in Writing & Literature from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado. She always knew watching reality TV shows and soap operas, particularly ‘Days of Our Lives’, would come in handy someday. When she’s not writing, she’s playing with her dogs, Lola and Ruger