ABC Matt James.
Matt James is no stranger to Bachelor Nation despite appearing on the show for the first time this season. The new Bachelor actually has a bit of history with a former Bachelorette star. While most people know that James is good friends with Tyler Cameron (he was on Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette), some may have missed the hilarious TikTok where the two kissed!
It all happened back in March 2020, when quarantine first started. James and Cameron got a few people together to be part of a “quarantine crew” and they created a TikTok account to keep them busy while staying in.
In one video in particular, James and Cameron are seen standing on either side of a female friend while Dua Lipa’s “One Kiss” plays. As the guys both lean in to kiss the girl on the cheek, she backs away and James and Cameron end up lip-to-lip. You can see the video here.
Here’s what you need to know:
Tyler Cameron’s Mom Is the Person Who Nominated Matt James for ‘The Bachelor’
In a June 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight, James shared that it was actually Cameron’s mom, Andrea, who nominated him to be on The Bachelor. Since that time, however, Cameron’s mom passed away.
James spoke to ET about his decision to “follow through.”
“She would be happy to know that I followed through with it. She had nominated me and I think she saw everything that it did for Tyler and the way that he had changed as a man, and me being his roommate and being one of her sons, I think that she wanted something like that for myself. So, I wanted to see it [through] for her and just to see if I would be compatible with Clare,” he told the outlet.
James’ season of The Bachelor premiered on Monday, January 4. According to his Instagram stories, he watched the first episode with his mom, Patty James, and his BFF Cameron.
Matt James & Tyler Cameron Met in College & Shared an Apartment in NYC
James first met Cameron in college. Both guys attended Wake Forest University where they played football together. Their friendship has only grown since then and the guys have had some pretty great experiences together — far beyond their TikTok smooch.
Not only have James and Cameron been roommates in New York City, but the two co-founded a nonprofit called ABC Food Tours. The organization was created “to empower students by providing experiences across diverse cultures and career opportunities through food/fitness, education, and skills-based training. ABC Food Tours inspires students across New York City to create meaningful, equitable connections that will break the oppressive cycle of poverty.”
Perhaps unsurprisingly, James has had the full support of Cameron on his journey to find love. Cameron has taken to his Instagram stories a few times to show James love (no kissing involved). No matter who James ends up with after The Bachelor finale, fans can be sure that Cameron will be around for all that’s to come.
READ NEXT: ‘Bachelor’ Runner-Up Shares the DM That Changed Everything