Matt James has wiped his Instagram profile clean after breaking up with Rachael Kirkconnell on The Bachelor, marking the start of a new chapter in his life.
This week, the 29-year-old reality star has been rehashing history after Bachelor Nation was finally able to see how things unfolded in the series finale. But a source exclusively tells E! News, "Matt wants a fresh start now that his Bachelor season has ended."
"He is ready for new beginnings and that is one of the reasons he cleared his IG page," the insider explains. "He wants to step back and refocus his priorities. The show was very toxic and taxing on his mental health and he is glad it's over."
And though Matt had some understanding of The Bachelor franchise thanks to his friend Tyler Cameron, who appeared on Hannah Brown's season of The Bachelorette, the source shares the show's first Black lead "had no idea how hard the process would be."
When Matt first joined the show, he seemed optimistic he would find love with one of the many contestants, but the insider says he and the recipient of the final rose "are not in touch."
The insider adds, "It ended badly and there is no chance they will ever get back together. Matt truly loved Rachael and it was devastating that he had to end the relationship."
He admitted as much on The Bill Simmons Podcast this Friday, March 19, telling the host, "I'm not going to be dating."
Instead, the source reveals, "He's trying to focus on his work and wants to start giving back to the community again. He's focusing on his mental health right now and really taking this time to clear his head."
And his best friend is right beside him as he navigates this journey. "Tyler has always been there for him and Matt knows he can always count on him for support," the insider shares, adding, "They both know they would be lost without each other."
Not to forget his brother, John the Scorpio, who gave Rachel Lindsay and Van Lathan an update on the Higher Learning podcast. John assured fans, "He's in a good spot. He's good. People don't need to worry about Matt."
E! News reached out to Matt's reps for comment.