Rachael Kirkconnell denies infidelity was to blame in Matt James breakup

Rachael Kirkconnell is addressing her shocking breakup from Season 25 “Bachelor” Matt James.

In a video captured by Lion’s Share News and shared by TMZ Tuesday, Kirkconnell told the videographer she was “hanging in there” while taking an escalator to a TSA screening at LAX.

“You know, it’s nothing that you can prepare for,” she said about the split. “So you just take it one day at a time. I think things will start to come out and I’ll speak about it whenever I’m ready. But now I’m just protecting my peace.”

When asked whether there was infidelity in the relationship, the 28-year-old replied, “No, not at all.”

As for whether there would be a chance of reconciliation between her and James, Kirkconnell seemed sure in her answer. “No. Yeah, we’re out. We’re done,” she said.

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In a Jan. 16 Instagram post, James announced the end of their four-year relationship, surprising fans who thought the couple had been going strong by the looks of their social media posts. Hours earlier, James had posted a video of him and Kirkconnell eating at a pizza restaurant in London.

“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,” he captioned a photo of the two meeting in “The Bachelor’s” 2021 premiere. “Shower our friends and family with kindness and love to comfort us. And remind us that our Joy comes from you, Lord.”

Representatives for Kirkconnell and James have not responded to USA TODAY’s requests for comment, and Kirkconnell did not issue her own statement on social media.

However, fans speculate that she will share her side of the split in an interview with the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, which releases Tuesday at 9 p.m. ET.

Catch up:How Matt James revealed his breakup with Rachael Kirkconnell

Matt James, Rachael Kirkconnell broke up as ‘Bachelor’ aired in 2021

The two pursued a relationship following the filming of James’ controversial season but broke up after a photo of Kirkconnell at an Antebellum-themed party in 2018 started circulating on social media while the show was airing in early 2021.

During the live “After the Final Rose” finale segment, James – who was the franchise’s first Black male lead in 19 years – said that though he didn’t think “anybody is irredeemable,” Kirkconnell had a “lot of work” to do to educate herself on “what it means to be Black in America.” Kirkconnell, who’d previously condemned her actions as “offensive and racist,” held herself accountable, saying she didn’t want to “victimize” herself and was living in ignorance at that time.

Despite the season’s tumultuous ending − which also included host Chris Harrison leaving the franchise after he defended Kirkconnell from the so-called “woke police − they got back together following the finale.

In an interview with the Wall Street Journal published in May 2021, James confirmed he and Kirkconnell had reconciled and said, “I think it’s unfair to leave people without the ability to unlearn and be better.”

Though they had distanced themselves from the franchise in recent years, the two kept fans up-to-date on social media by posting content about their world travels and food reviews.

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