Why did Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James break up? "The Bachelor" winner opens up about her former partner's cheating scandal 

Rachael Kirkconnell's tell-all interview with the Call Her Daddy podcast has fans wondering about her recent breakup with Matt James, whom she dated for almost half a decade.

"The pair were together for four years, and during the January segment, she reflected on the series of events that culminated in their breakup, including trust issues and doubts about their compatibility on James' part. As reported by Us Weekly, the latter expressed woes in the past about her having the potential to be his wife."

Rachael Kirkconnell also reflected on the issues embedded in their relationship dynamics, some of which stemmed from the limelight during their time on The Bachelor, as well as feelings of insecurity about James' popularity.

As reported by Today, the Bachelor winner said during the January 28 episode of the podcast that the breakup came as a shock to her, and so was her former beau's decision to post about it on Instagram on January 16, hours after they parted ways.

"He’s not a cheater," she said at the time. "He said that he didn't want to live together until we were married. He's a very religious man so I was like, 'That's OK. I can do that.' But at the same time I'm a little confused because we're still you know traveling together, staying in the same hotel and it was like we were living together," she added.

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Rachael Kirkconnell sheds light on her estranged beau's decision to blindside her with a breakup: Read more

During the same segment, Rachael Kirkconnell said in hindsight, she felt like she was "making excuses" for James.

"I also think it was me trying to justify it just because I didn't want to worry like, 'Well, is this fear of taking the next steps?'" she said.

Nonetheless, she revealed that they were regularly talking about starting a family and choosing engagement rings.

"(Talking about rings) was a big deal, I would say. That's when I was like, 'Wow, OK, he really is on board with this.' That was such a green flag to me," she said. "I asked myself, 'Is it me or is it him? Is it something that he needs to figure out? Is there something that scares him? Is there something that he went through growing up that he has this trauma now, or am I just not his perfect person?" she added.

James announced his breakup on January 16 on Instagram, in a post with a photo of himself and Rachael Kirkconnell from their Bachelor days and a caption that reads as follows:

“Father God, give Rachael and I strength to mend our broken hearts. Give us a peace about this decision to end our relationship that transcends worldly understanding. Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord 💔."

The pair had broken up once before in 2021, though they reconciled shortly after the Bachelor finale. During the podcast segment, Rachael Kirkconnell added:

“He said that at the end of the day there were just qualities about me that he worries about having in a wife. At the end of the day, there are things that we aren’t compatible with and the whole accountability and saying sorry and all that was really the main thing. It was just one of those things where he, I think, just had this realization that ‘I should want to propose to you by this time. Like, at this point in our relationship, I should be wanting those things and I should be ready for that. But I’m not still, I still don’t feel like we’re ready or I don’t feel like I’m ready. I don’t know if I ever see myself proposing to you. I can’t actually see myself married to you.'”

Rachael Kirkconnell also recalled telling him that four years later, he should have known if he was sure about her or not, and if he didn't, then "that’s not a good thing." Adding that the two knew each other better than anyone else, she said that James “didn’t think” she was his “perfect person.”

“He just didn’t want me to end up resenting him by wasting more of my time if it wouldn’t happen,” Kirkconnell added. “He just said, you know, ‘You’re beautiful, smart and funny and you’ll find, you’ll find someone, you’ll find a guy that will love you for you.’ He just didn’t think that it was him. It was just a lot to hear at once because a few days before, you know, I’m hearing the opposite.”

As for what she thinks about the way her estranged partner announced their breakup, Rachael Kirkconnell said:

"It almost seemed like saying it like a prayer was the easier way to say it than to say something real ... just something authentic to our actual relationship. But it's very him. I guess it didn't surprise me that he said it like that. I was just surprised that he said it at all, that he posted that."

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At the time of writing, Rachael Kirkconnell's relationship status remains unclear, though it seems unlikely that she's seeing anyone else.