Matt James, the current star of “The Bachelor”, has spoken out during the show’s ongoing scandal.
The program drew negative attention after photos surfaced of contestant Rachael Kirkconnell who previously attended an “Old South” theme at a plantation in 2018.
Then-host Chris Harrison interviewed former “Bachelorette” star Rachel Lindsay, who made history as the first Black Bachelorette, eventually defending Kirkonnell in the interview.
It sparked backlash, and the backlash sparked a public apology from the 49-year-old star, followed by a decision to step aside for a moment of personal reflection.
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Now James has taken to Instagram to address the matter.
‘The Bachelor’ star James spoke of the ‘heartbreaking’ scandal surrounding the show. (ABC / Billy Kidd)
In his lengthy statement, James – who is the bachelor’s first black lead actor – said that “the past few weeks have been some of the most challenging of my life” and that he felt the need to address the issue now, despite his season. with several episodes yet to be aired.
He called Kirkconnell’s photos “incredibly disappointing”.
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“The reality is that I’m learning about these situations in real time, and it was devastating and heartbreaking to put it bluntly,” said James, 29,. Chris’s failure to take on and understand the emotional work of my friend Rachel Lindsay in explaining gracefully and patiently that the racist history of the Antebellum South, a painful history every American should understand well, is disturbing painful to watch. “
The shootings for the season are already wrapped up, meaning James has presumably selected a winner and Harrison no longer sees daily.
‘Bachelor’ presenter Chris Harrison (right) interviewed former ‘Bachelorette’ Rachel Lindsay (left) who was heavily criticized for his comments about a contestant attending a pre-war ‘Old South’ theme party on a plantation in 2018.
(ABC)
“As black people and allies immediately knew and understood, it was a clear reflection of a much bigger problem that the Bachelor franchise has not sufficiently addressed for years,” he added. “This moment has sparked critical discussion and coverage, raised important questions and resulted in inspiring expressions of solidarity from The Bachelor nation.”
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James explained that he had chosen to re-evaluate and process his time on the show and that of other people of color – especially black contestants.
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“I will continue to process this experience, and you will hear more from me eventually,” he concluded. “My biggest prayer is that this is a tipping point resulting in real and institutional change for the better.”
Kirkconnell has also apologized for her past actions that she called “ racist and offensive. ”
Representatives for the show and Harrison did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment.
Fox News’s Jessica Napoli contributed to this report