Bachelor Matt James’ Season Scandals: A Breakdown of the Drama

Bachelor star Matt James’ contestants are not only fueling drama during season 25 with accusations and rumors about each other, but the ladies are also stirring up trouble off-camera.

It was clear Bachelor Nation was in for some drama during season 25 after a whopping 43 contestants were initially announced, despite only 32 women stepping out of the limo on night one. ABC executive Robert Mills told Variety the extra people were brought in because of health and safety concerns amid the coronavirus pandemic.

“We brought all these women out just in case any of them tested positive,” the reality exec explained. “You just never know, so we always have alternates. Maybe next time, we don’t have to bring in as many people.”

The producers put the extra women to good use and had five new contestants — Brittany Galvin, Catalina Morales, Kim Li, Michelle Young and Ryan Claytor — join the cast during week 4. Although Matt seemed to already have a connection with many women in the house, he hit it off with Brittany and Michelle right off the bat. Unfortunately, their presence was extremely tense and led to awkward encounters.

Anna Redman said she “heard” rumors that Brittany is an “escort” and “entertains men for money” around Chicago, where they both reside. Brittany denied the accusations, but that didn’t stop it from spreading through the house like wildfire.

Victoria Larson and Kit Keenan also ganged up on some other ladies, like Sarah Trott. All the cast fighting eventually led Katie Thurston to pull Matt aside and ask him to address the bullying in the house.

Of course, not all the drama happened on our screens. Rachael Kirkconnell came under fire for past racist behavior, for which she later apologized. However, in the midst of her scandal, Chris Harrison received backlash for his tone-deaf comments about the situation during an interview with Rachel Lindsay on Extra. He revealed on February 13 that he is temporarily stepping down as host of the franchise.

Many other contestants also found themselves surrounded in controversy. Victoria’s mugshot from a 2012 shoplifting arrest in Florida began circulating in January 2021. Sarah’s love life also became a point of conversation when photos surfaced that showed her out with musician G-Eazy in Los Angeles.

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At the end of the day, Matt is looking for love. He said during an interview on Good Morning America in June he wants his future wife to have the same “qualities” his “mom embodies,” including being “selfless, honest, caring [and] compassionate.”

“Those are qualities found in women all shape, sizes and races, and it’s not a Black or white thing,” Matt continued. “So, I’m hoping that when that limo pulls up there is a lot of diversity, and I see every type of woman coming out of that limo.”

Before he gives away his final rose, Matt’s season will have a lot more drama. Keep scrolling to see it all!

Rachael’s Social Media Scandal

Rachael came under fire when a TikTok user accused the contestant of mistreating her during high school for “liking Black guys.” Another video began circulating alleging Rachael “liked” racist social media posts, some of which featured the Confederate flag. Then, photos surfaced of the Georgia native attending an “Old South” antebellum-themed party in 2018.

“While there have been rumors circulation, there have also been truths that have come to light that I need to address. I hear you, and I’m here to say I was wrong,” Rachael wrote in an apology via Instagram on February 11. “At one point, I didn’t recognize how offensive and racist my actions were, but that doesn’t excuse them. My age or when it happened does not excuse anything. They are not acceptable or OK in any sense. I was ignorant, but my ignorance was racist.”

“I am sorry to the communities and individuals that my actions harmed and offended,” she continued. “I am ashamed about my lack of education, but it is no one’s responsibility to educate me. I am learning and will continue to learn how to be antiracist, because it’s important to speak up in the moment and not after you’re called out. If you are a person who doesn’t understand the offense in question, I urge you to learn from my mistakes and encourage you to use them as a teachable moment.”

Katie Calls On Matt to Address Drama

Katie has been a fan-favorite all season thanks to the mature way she’s handled things with the other contestants. When things began getting out of control with the new women in the house, the contestant tried to encourage the other ladies to be nicer. When she was met with eye rolls, she pulled Matt aside and suggested he address the women.
“There’s some pretty bad rumors starting about the new girls that literally could ruin their lives,” she privately told the leading man. “I’m not even exaggerating.”

The New Girls Are Bullied

When the five new ladies arrived, the other contestants did not hide their annoyance. “So, you quarantined and then just stayed in your room as a back-up, and now you’re coming in as, like, a back-up because some girls left?” Victoria said to Brittany, the first new woman to walk in.
Fortunately, the newcomer was not discouraged by the shade. “No, they just wanted to save the best for last,” she quipped.

Victoria Is Body-Shamed by Matt’s Friend

Matt posted a series of videos on his Instagram Story of him and a group of friends, including Bachelorette alum Tyler Cameron, playing golf. In one of the videos, a guy named Jerry could be heard making body-shaming comments about the contestant while the other guys seemingly laughed along.
“Cute … I love my body,” Victoria responded to the video on Bachelor Nation Scoop’s Instagram.

Victoria Vs. Katie

Victoria pulled Katie aside to ask for an apology after Katie told her and some other ladies to stop talking about Sarah after she left the show.
According to the California native, Katie was being “toxic,” “rude” and did not allow her to “express herself.” Katie refused to apologize, and they were left at a very awkward standstill.

Sarah Calls Out Victoria

After Sarah self-eliminated during the January 18’s episode, she took to Instagram to subtly call out Victoria for her rude behavior.
“Real queens fix each other’s crowns,” a quote Sarah posted on her Instagram read.
“We see the quote ‘women supporting women’ all the time on the internet but what does that really mean? To me, it means sharing encouragement instead of judgment,” the former broadcast journalist captioned the quote on her feed. “Refraining from negative comments even when it’s sometimes easier to say something mean instead of something nice … It means valuing community over competition.”

Kit Keenan Apologizes for Sarah Situation

Although Sarah was struggling with the format of the show and sharing Matt with the other contestants, she was also deeply saddened to be away from her father, who is battling ALS. Some of the contestants, specifically Kit, Victoria and Serena Chew, were particularly rude to her when they did not know the whole story.
“I believe what unfolded last night was an outcome of a lack of communication,” Kit wrote via her Instagram Story after the episode aired. “I had no idea what was going on with Sarah’s family or in her personal life. Rather than hearing her out, I spoke quickly out of frustration and that was unacceptable.”
While the sentiment was nice, some pointed out her apology was extremely similar to the one Serena C. released at the same time.

Victoria’s Mugshot

Victoria was arrested in 2012 for shoplifting $250 worth of items from a Publix grocery store.
She remained in custody at the Leon County Jail for two days before being released after posting $500 in bond. In August 2012, she was charged in court for petit theft, for which she accepted a plea, according to The Sun.