There's no doubt, Matt James' After the Final Rose special was the most uncomfortable finale in Bachelor history. But it turns out, there was one awkward conversation we didn't get to see. On Tuesday, March 16, host Emmanuel Acho, who subbed in for Chris Harrison, revealed what Michelle Young and Rachael Kirkconnell talked about on ATFR, and it sounds just as uncomfortable as the rest of the episode.
Before After the Final Rose aired on Monday, ABC released photos of Rachael and Michelle sitting down for what looked like a pretty interesting chat, but it never aired. We at The Dipp called on Bachelor to release the tapes — it's truly the least they could do after this hell season. But, as they have yet to respond to our direct request, this Instagram video from Acho will have to do.
Calling the interview his "favorite conversation" of the night, here's what Acho revealed about the conversation:
- The conversation between the final two was not planned. After seeing how "broken" up Michelle was over the fallout from Rachael's antebellum-themed party photo scandal, Acho asked producers if they could give the two finalists a chance to sit down together for an unplanned joint interview.
- Michelle revealed that she had reached out to Rachael following the resurfacing of those photos, but never heard back.
- Acho assured fans that, unlike with Rachael's confrontation with Matt, it ended in a reconciliation. "Michelle walks out, they sit down on the couch together, and after Michelle pours her heart out and Rachael pours her heart out, the two shared an embrace," he said.
After the Bachelor finale aired, Rachael addressed the other contestants with an Instagram post, writing that, for all the drama and heartbreak, "one of of the biggest disappointments has been the overshadowing of these beautiful women and their stories." And, for what it's worth, many of the women from this season seem ready to put the controversy behind them. Serena Pitt, Pieper James, MJ Snyder, Jessenia Cruz, Abigail Heringer, and Mari Pepin all voiced their support in the comments. Rachael and Matt may be over for good, but it looks like she still managed to keep some Bachelor connections.