ABC/Craig Sjodin Matt James walks to a date on 'The Bachelor.'
Meeting your girlfriend’s family can be nerve-wracking under the best of circumstances. If you are Matt James, factor in being the Bachelor without ever appearing on the franchise previously. The result can be a bit dramatic, or at least it seems that way according to James’ hints about hometown dates during a recent interview on Bachelor Happy Hour.
STOP! Do not read further if you want to avoid spoilers on season 25 of The Bachelor.
“From a race standpoint like, thank god, I didn’t have any awkward, I didn’t have to address that,” James told the podcast’s hosts, former Bachelorettes Rachel Lindsay and Becca Kufrin. “But from a standpoint of like people’s parent’s thinking this was silly and there being some sort of like coded language when we’re all together. There was that.”
Unlike James, most leads previously appeared in the franchise and were among the contestants to take the lead home to meet their families. Though, amid the pandemic, their families will have to come to the Nemacolin Woodlands Resort to meet James.
After Lindsay explained that most families are apprehensive about the show and shocked if their loved one makes it to the top four, James chalked up his confusion at the moment to “being naive to the process.”
“It’s like going to a water park and you’re shocked that you got wet,” the North Carolina native said. “It’s like, you knew coming on here that like I would hope that you would have enough trust in the redeeming qualities in your daughter that she would make it to this point and now that we’re here, you’re confused that like she’s here.”
Reality Steve has already reported that three of James’ top four contestants are Serena Pitt, Rachael Kirkconnell and Michelle Young. Fans still need to meet Young, who arrives with a second group of contestants after the second rose ceremony. The fourth woman to make it to hometown dates is rumored to be Bri Springs.
“I was so confused because it was like, it was news to them that we’re here,” said James, who did not divulge the exact topics of his conversations. “To the point where like I almost didn’t have words for some of the conversation because I’m like, ‘Is that a trick question? Like, like, what do you mean? Like what do you mean? I’m confused.’”
Lindsay and Kufrin expressed their excitement for watching this stage of the competition. James assured them, “Hometowns are going to be great.”
Given the Pandemic, Hometown Dates Will Have to Take Place in the Production Bubble
During most seasons, the Bachelor or Bachelorette travels to the hometown of their top four contestants. In these cases, the contestants take the reins, showing the lead around their hometown, planning the date and introducing them to their family.
However, amid the pandemic, production could only occur within a “bubble.” All cast, crew and guests were required to quarantine and be tested before filming. As viewers saw on Tayshia Adams’ season, this meant the families also had to follow the same protocol: traveling, quarantining and getting tested to film on the same resort.
Reality Steve Is Still Confirming the Final Four
While Reality Steve is confident in Pitt, Kirkconnell and Young, he is still waiting on confirmation about Springs.
“I do not know who the 4th girl is, although I was told it was Bri Springs, I haven’t gotten the confirmation I needed,” he wrote on his website. “But since I’m just laying out everything for you that I was told pre-season, there you go.”
He continued, “If/When I get solid confirmation, I’ll let you know if Bri is in fact the 4th girl. Doesn’t mean she finished in 4th place. I’m just trying to give you the 4 girls that got hometown dates. Serena P., Rachael, and Michelle definitely did.”
While he does not have confirmation, Kirkconnell is rumored to have won this season.