James's romantic relationship with Kirkconnell didn't spur out as expected, even though she won his final rose in The Bachelor season 25.
The couple — who didn't get engaged, defying the contemporary nature of the show — continued their relationship after the filming ended in November 2020.
But as soon as the show premiered on January 4, 2021, Kirkconnell's controversial past racist stints surfaced on the interest.
Images of her taking part in an antebellum-themed “Old South” party during her college days, along with claims that she mocked her classmates for dating Black men, emerged out.
As a result, the past behavior affected her relationship with James, and the pair broke up in February 2021. Despite the split, they put their differences aside and announced their reconciliation in May 2021.
However, they kept the details of their relationship away from the limelight and worked on the issues in private.
