Rachael Kirkconnell ‘Nonetheless in Whole Shock’ 2 Weeks After Seeing Matt James’ Breakup Announcement on an Airplane

Rachael Kirkconnell isn’t holding again as she clears the air on her cut up from Matt James.

Practically two weeks after James, 33, introduced the couple’s breakup after 4 years collectively in a cryptic Instagram publish, Kirkconnell, 28, opened up about how she’s dealing with the cut up on Name Her Daddy. She informed host Alex Cooper that she was on a flight when she came upon the information.

“Actually the aircraft is taking off and I see his publish, and that’s it,” Kirkconnell informed Cooper. “I don’t have any service or something for the following 12 hours, so I’m freaking out as a result of, you understand, simply acquired damaged up with, and now, a number of hours later, it’s for the entire world to see and I’m nonetheless making an attempt to course of it.”

“I’m nonetheless in whole shock,” she confessed. “I feel that’s why I didn’t say something. Nonetheless haven’t made a press release or something as a result of I’m processing this similar to everybody else is.”

Additionally through the podcast, Kirkconnell shared that earlier than the breakup, she believed that they have been “on the identical web page, privately and publicly.”

“We talked about rings, he informed me a number of months in the past to start out saving some issues, selecting issues out,” she stated.

Kirkconnell’s look on the podcast got here simply hours after TMZ launched footage of her first public outing because the cut up. As she answered questions from LAX earlier than boarding a flight, she informed the outlet she was “hanging in there” earlier than elaborating on the breakup.

“Issues will begin to come out and I am going to talk about it at any time when I am prepared, however for now, I am simply defending my peace,” she stated, earlier than confirming there was “no” infidelity concerned within the cut up — and that there is “no” likelihood they’d get again collectively.

“No. Yeah, we’re out,” Kirkconnell confirmed.

Previous to talking out on Name Her Daddy, Kirkconnell hinted that the breakup announcement got here as a shock to her whereas interacting with some feedback on a candy tribute for James’ thirty third birthday on Instagram.

Along with liking supportive fan feedback, the truth star additionally preferred a remark speculating that she wasn’t prepared for the announcement to be made public.

“The extra I am desirous about it the extra I feel he fully blindsided her with this,” the fan wrote. “Give her some grace and let her reply in her personal time.”

James and Kirkconnell dated for 4 years previous to their stunning breakup. They left his season of The Bachelor as a pair in 2020, however when images of her attending an antebellum plantation-themed social gathering surfaced on-line, controversy arose and the pair went their separate methods.

They rekindled their relationship weeks later, although, and had been seemingly on the verge of a possible engagement.

Kirkconnell stated whereas on Name Her Daddy that amid their cut up, James informed her, “There have been simply qualities about me that he worries about having in a spouse. Like on the finish of the day, there are issues that we aren’t appropriate with. And the entire accountability and saying sorry and all that was actually the principle factor. ”

In February 2024, James informed PEOPLE the couple have been aligned about their plans to get married. “We would not be collectively if that wasn’t the identical purpose,” he stated. “I am undoubtedly excited for what the longer term seems to be like with us.”

He additionally stated that when it got here time to suggest, it might “be one thing particular as a result of Rachael’s very particular.”

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James’ pal T.J. Holmes additionally revealed on a current episode of the Amy & T.J. Podcast that he and his girlfriend Amy Robach had personal conversations about marriage being within the playing cards for the previous couple.

“[We’re] strolling a nice line right here as a result of there’s, clearly, some stuff that we’re aware about behind the scenes and from a private standpoint with Matt through the years now,” he shared. “So I do wanna ensure that we’re respectful of that relationship. However I can say that stuff he is placing out publicly can also be what he was saying privately. [I’ve] been speaking lots with him about marriage and future and Rachael and the place they have been going, what they have been gonna be.”