Rachael Kirkconnell has yet to release a statement on her split from Matt James, but she has been shedding some light on the breakup by interacting with fan comments on Instagram, including one that speculated she was "completely blindsided" by his announcement.

Days ahead of The Bachelor Season 29 premiere on the 2025 TV schedule, rumors are flying on social media after Matt James sent up a prayer to mend his and Rachael Kirkconnell’s broken hearts in a somber breakup post that included an image from The Bachelor. He wrote:

Matt James, who was the franchise's first Black "Bachelor," took to social media on Thursday to announce that he and 28-year-old Rachael Kirkconnell, broke up — again. "Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts,