The Bachelor star Matt James says he's going to focus on himself for a while and doesn't plan on dating again any time soon.
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Matt said during a Friday appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast that he's not ready to start dating again after his "heartbreaking" split from The Bachelor's Season 25 winner, Rachael Kirkconnell.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
As Matt continues to heal from the breakup, he told Bill Simmons, "I'm working on myself. I'm not going to be dating," according to People.
Prior to starring on The Bachelor, Matt worked as a real estate broker and created an organization designed to find creative ways to engage kids from undeserved communities in New York City, encouraging physical and mental wellness, while also giving them opportunities for new experiences throughout the city.
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"I'm just solely focused on getting back into that meaningful work in the community and centering myself around projects that are going to elevate all the work that I've been working on doing in the city and special interest things that I appreciate outside of reality television," Matt said.
Matt admitted he is still working through the events that transpired during and after The Bachelor, including Rachael and Chris Harrison's controversy of racial ignorance and insensitivity.
"I'm so exhausted," Matt reportedly shared on the podcast. "I need to take a step back and take in everything and process what's been going on."
However, Matt suggested it's possible he and Rachael could reconcile down the road.
"I don't think that anyone's irredeemable," Matt noted.
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Rachael was accused of bullying a girl in high school for dating a Black man -- which Rachael's mother Kim Kirkconnell insists isn't true -- and recently liking offensive photos on Instagram, such as two friends posing in front of a Confederate flag.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELORETTE' COUPLES NOW: WHOM DID 'THE BACHELORETTE' STARS AND THEIR BACHELOR PICKS ULTIMATELY END UP WITH?! (PHOTOS)
In addition to an image of Rachael dressed in Native-American costume that circulated online, photos also resurfaced of Rachael attending an antebellum-plantation themed "Old South" fraternity party at Georgia College & State University in 2018.
"I think that for Rachael, there's a lot that we didn't discuss that we probably should've talked about," Matt reportedly explained of the former couple's time on The Bachelor, which included private off-camera moments in the Fantasy Suite.
"I probably should've asked more clarifying questions. And I'm giving her that space to do that."
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Matt revealed he had found out about Rachael's offensive resurfaced photos "just like everybody else did" -- through social media -- and that it was "heartbreaking" to discover they were real.
On After the Final Rose, Matt said he had initially brushed off racism allegations against Rachael as rumors and wanted to support and protect her, but once more evidence emerged of her wrongdoing, he had to "check" himself and how he felt about continuing a relationship with her.
Matt said he ultimately ended his relationship with Rachael not long after she released a public apology on February 11 for her previous actions.
Matt claimed on After the Final Rose that Rachael initially didn't understand why her antebellum-party photos were "problematic" for him and their relationship, which led him to the conclusion Rachael simply didn't understand his life or perspective as Black man in America.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' COUPLES NOW: WHO DID 'THE BACHELOR' STARS AND THEIR BACHELORETTE PICKS ACTUALLY END UP MARRYING? (PHOTOS)
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Matt therefore reportedly said Rachael must do the work to educate herself on her own and it's not his weight to bear or responsibility to help her.
"The tough thing is having to explain to America why those pictures are problematic to me," Matt acknowledged.
"You hear people harping on forgiveness and I forgave her when she told me. That doesn't mean I'm not disappointed and that I don't want her to do better."
Shortly after confirming his breakup from Rachael on After the Final Rose, Matt was apparently subjected to harassment, verbal attacks and hate from people.
Rachael defended Matt last week against "repulsive" attacks and "racist insults" she had seen from people online, and then Matt wiped his Instagram account and deleted all of his postings on Friday.
Rachael herself even turned off comments on her latest Instagram post so people couldn't slam her or her ex-boyfriend.
Rachael asked trolls not to attack or send hate to Matt, adding that she respects his decision to end their relationship and still views him as the love of her life.
RELATED LINK: 'THE BACHELOR' FRANCHISE COUPLES NOW: WHO IS STILL TOGETHER?? (PHOTOS)
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