“The Bachelor” stars Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell broke up.
James, 33, confirmed his split from his girlfriend of four years on Instagram Thursday morning.
“Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken heart. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding,” James wrote, alongside a photo of the pair meeting on his controversial season of “The Bachelor.”
“Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us,” he continued. “And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔.”
He posted a video of the pair eating pizza in London the day before he confirmed their split.
Kirkconnell has yet to confirm the split on her end.
Her last post on her Instagram feed about James was on December 5, when she wished him a happy birthday with a sweet video montage of the pair.
“happiest of birthdays to my best friend, my teammate, my sous chef, the man that has my whole heart,” Kirkconnell wrote. “you fill it (and my tummy) with so much love and laughter and i’m so thankful i get to dance through this life with you. thank you for your never ending love and support and smooches and snuggles. to many more adventures, happy birthday my pumpkin ♡.”
The former couple fell in love on “The Bachelor” Season 25 which aired in early 2021. They didn’t get engaged during the finale, but they remained a couple over the next four years.
While the season was airing, Kirkconnell found herself at the center of a big controversy. Photos of her attending an Antebellum-themed party in college circulated online, leading to major outrage from fans.
James — who was the first Black Bachelor — briefly broke up with Kirkconnell amid the fallout, but they got back together after the finale following Kirkconnell’s public apology.
Longtime host Chris Harrison defended Kirkconnell’s actions while giving an interview with Rachel Lindsay, who was the franchise’s first black Bachelorette in 2017. Harrison stepped down from his post and later exited the franchise for good. He’s been replaced by Jesse Palmer.
In the years after the scandal, James and Kirkconnell appeared to be in a great place as a couple.
“I’ve learned a lot. And at the end of day, everything that we’ve been through has prepared us for the future,” James told People in 2022.
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