Rachael Kirkconnell's feelings following her split from Matt James proves The Bachelor producers don't care about finding love for the leads. In 2021, Matt's season of the show aired, revealing that while he wanted to be in a relationship with his final pick, Rachael, they would not get engaged. They broke up before the finale aired because of Rachael's racially insensitive past, but they got back together shortly after.
The couple spent four years together, but in January 2025, Matt blindsided Rachael by breaking up with her. She went on the Call Her Daddy podcast to talk about the split, where she revealed that The Bachelor producers made her feel like a failure because she and Matt didn't get engaged. Rachael explained that when Matt said he couldn't propose, she wasn't disappointed, but the people behind the show made her feel differently.
Producers Weren't Happy Rachael & Matt Didn't Get Engaged
They Didn't Get The Ending They Wanted
It shouldn't come as a surprise that producers were disappointed by Matt's decision not to propose. The premise of The Bachelor relies on contestants rushing into these relationships, making the stakes much higher. Because Matt and Rachael decided to do things their way, the producers supposedly made the couple feel awful, which led to them disconnecting from the franchise.
Matt broke many barriers as the first Black Bachelor, but his season has always been criticized for its many failures. From the accusations of racism outside the show to the lack of an engagement, Matt's season was one of the most controversial. Still, the producers seemed more focused on how finished without an engagement instead of addressing Rachael's upsetting past.
Most Bachelor Franchise Engagements End Shortly After The Finale
The Proposals Aren't Taken Seriously
Despite calling it quits last month, Matt and Rachael were in a relationship for four years, which is one of the longest in the franchise. Rachael ended up admitting on Call Her Daddy that Matt not wanting to propose in recent months was a big reason for the breakup. Getting to know one another for those four years instead of rushing into an engagement was the right move for them, and now, it's easier to go their separate ways.
The Bachelor producers still urge their leads to propose at the end, even though the lead only dates contestants for a few weeks. A lot of viewers don't take the show seriously anymore since so many couples have called off engagements so quickly, including Jenn Tran and Devin Strader, Hannah Brown and Jed Wyatt, and Arie Luyendyk Jr. and Becca Kufrin, all with engagements lasting less than three months. Leaving the show as boyfriend and girlfriend proved a better strategy than getting engaged to appease producers.
Do Producers Pressure The Leads To Get Engaged?
They Need Their Fairytale Ending
Even though The Bachelor centers around finding love, the show is about so much more than that. While the producers would like a genuine love story to unfold, they're more concerned with creating good TV, which is why they have such a strict timeline. While the lead having to pick a girlfriend at the end of the show would be more logical, it wouldn't be such a high-pressure situation, which is what the producers want.
The people behind the show are under pressure to create ideal couples and keep viewers happy, which can lead to pressure on contestants to get engaged. This pressure can sometimes lead producers to coach contestants on what to say and do, even having them keep certain contestants around for more tension. The Bachelor might pose as a show focused on creating real connections, but in reality, they're urging contestants to make decisions that are better for the show than they are for themselves.
