One month after Matt James announced their split on Instagram, his ex Rachael Kirkconnell is skiing, painting and meme-ing with James’ best friend Tyler Cameron—while Cameron’s girlfriend tags along for the punchline.
Tyler Cameron and Rachael Kirkconnell just weaponized winter vacation content to roast the idea of “taking sides” after a public split. In a 15-second Instagram Reels clip teasing Cameron’s Under Construction with Tyler Cameron and Tate Madden podcast, Kirkconnell opens a hotel-room door in a robe while on-screen text jokes she “won custody” of the 33-year-old Bachelorette runner-up.
The punch lands harder because everyone knows the backstory: Kirkconnell spent nearly five years dating Cameron’s best friend, Matt James, after winning his Bachelor season that began filming in September 2020. James announced the couple’s final breakup in January 2025 with a since-deleted Instagram prayer request, blindsiding Kirkconnell mid-flight.
Why “Custody” Hits Different in Bachelor Lore
The gag works on three levels:
- Friend-code optics: Cameron and James have been inseparable since their 2021 Bachelorette stint; fans instantly read any Kirkconnell-Cameron hangout as a loyalty test.
- Post-breakup optics: Kirkconnell told Alex Cooper’s Call Her Daddy she was “in total shock,” so appearing to “keep” the bestie flips the narrative from dumped to totally unbothered.
- Third-wheel optics: Cameron’s current girlfriend Tate Madden is literally in every frame, proving the joke is collective, not romantic.
Translation: no sides were taken—only ski passes.
The Anatomy of a Snow-Bunny Power Move
The reel stitches together painting sessions, ice-skating wipeouts and synchronized skiing, soundtracked by Cameron yelling “We’re all waiting for you!” By packaging the getaway as podcast content, the trio monetizes the gossip they’re simultaneously mocking.
Comment sections exploded:
- “You got Tyler in the divorce?”
- “Need a PhD in Bachelor history to understand the lore.”
- “‘WON CUSTODY OF TYLER’ is CRAZY 💀💀💀.”
Kirkconnell previously tested the waters with a January TikTok showing the pair shredding slopes while lip-syncing “I’m supposed to be at brunch.” The caption: “send prayers y’all tyler is trying to kill me.” Each post racks up half-a-million views, confirming the franchise audience hasn’t moved on—and doesn’t want to.
Where Matt James Fits in 2026
James, now 34, has stayed off the mountain and largely off social media since his breakup post. During a June 2025 interview on The Viall Files, Cameron admitted he thought James’ public prayer message was “weird” and added the exes “needed to go their separate ways.” That soundbite—paired with the new snow footage—fuels speculation that the best-friend dynamic is also on thin ice.
What Happens Next: Franchise Fallout & Business Winners
Expect three immediate ripple effects:
- Podcast numbers: Cameron’s YouTube views will spike every time Kirkconnell guests; advertisers love messy engagement.
- Instagram brand deals: Winter-gear labels and dating apps will court both Cameron and Kirkconnell for “cozy but single” content.
- Bachelor reunion pressure: Producers hoping to mine reconciliation arcs may dangle a Winter Games or Paradise invitation—this time with Madden, Cameron and Kirkconnell packaged as a “modern blended friend-group.”
For fans, the takeaway is simple: the snow-day reel doesn’t reveal a new couple; it reveals a new power structure in which the “ex” controls the narrative—and the best friend’s content calendar.
Keep your feed set to onlytrustedinfo.com for the fastest, most authoritative take every time Bachelor Nation breaks its own fourth wall.
