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“Bachelor” stars Matt James and Rachael Kirkconnell made their first red carpet appearance as a couple at the 2021 ESPY Awards.
The couple attended the Athletic Awards in New York on Saturday, held at Rooftop at Pier 17 – an outdoor venue in the Seaport District.
James, 29, wore a rust-and-black plaid suit while Kirkconnell, 24, wore a simple black dress.
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The couple made headlines earlier this year with James making history as the leading African American male role in “The Bachelor’s” and the Kirkconnell racism scandal, where Reddit photos surfaced of she attending an “Old South” sorority in a pre-war 2018 Native American costume she wore to a party in 2020.
Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James attend the 2021 ESPY Awards in New York City on July 10, 2021. (Michael Loccisano / Getty Images)
Details of Kirkconnell’s racial callousness were revealed in late February when it became apparent that she would be a Season 25 finalist.
Former “Bachelor” host Chris Harrison notably stepped away from the dating show after receiving an online and public reaction for saying Kirkconnell should be offered “a little grace” and “compassion “in an interview with Season 13” Bachelorette “Rachel Lindsay, who made history as the first African-American woman in the ABC franchise.
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Critics have argued that Harrison’s suggestion was dismissive of people who found Kirkconnell’s actions racist, for which he apologized before stepping away from the show. Harrison reportedly received an exit payment of $ 10 million despite his attempt to get $ 25 million, according to the New York Post.
James, for his part, called the Kirkconnell scandal “incredibly disappointing” in an Instagram post while condemning Harrison’s interview with Lindsay.
Kirkconnell then issued two public apologies via social media and a statement condemning the hate messages sent to Lindsay after Harrison left. About a month later, “Bachelor” fans learned that Kirkconnell had been chosen as the winner of Season 25.
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Rachael Kirkconnell and Matt James revealed they split when they appeared in “After the Final Rose” in March 2021 with special host Emmanuel Acho, who is a retired NFL player and bestselling author. from “Uncomfortable Conversations with a Black Man”.
(ABC / Craig Sjodin)
Unlike the other couples on “The Bachelor,” James and Kirkconnell did not get engaged but instead chose to date.
James later revealed that he and Kirkconnell broke up when they appeared on the “After the Final Rose” special in March.
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While James and Kirkconnell’s recent night out might come as a shock to “Bachelor” fans who haven’t watched closely, the couple reunited a few weeks ago.
In an interview with The Pomp Podcast in May, James announced that he and Kirkconnell started dating again after she presented him with an “ultimatum” he “needed” to fully commit.
The reality TV lovebirds have also posted photos of themselves together on their own Instagram accounts, including their ESPY Awards date.
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Representatives for James and ABC did not immediately respond to Fox News’ request for comment on the couple’s red carpet appearance.
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