Zach Shallcross’ search for love, like that of many other Bachelors before him, will always be influenced by Rachel Recchia, the co-star of season 19 of The Bachelor.
The 2022 season saw Zach and Rachel fall in love, and viewers witnessed the pilot as she chose between Tino Franco and Aven Jones for their overnight date. The Austin resident ended things with Rachel after his fantasy suite, telling host Jesse Palmer that he thought she was “very inauthentic” when they weren’t together.
“It felt so frigid when she responded. At the time, Zach said on the program, “I felt maybe I meant more. “She made me feel unique, which is one of the reasons I fell in love with her. I felt concerned for her, but I’m not sure if any of that was sincere or if it was all an act.
ABC announced Zach as the season 27 bachelor in September 2022. He admitted to Us Weekly during the promotion for the January 2023 premiere that there had been “a lack of contact” with Rachel.
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“There were a lot of unanswered questions and educated guesses. And when it got to the Rachel episode of last season, a lot of things happened and a lot of significant surprises and questions were answered, which caused astonishment, said Zach. And I take great pride in the fact that I maintained open lines of communication throughout [my tenure as the Bachelor].
So on the first night, I even said to all the women, “Good or terrible, please tell me how you’re feeling.” I will. I am aware of what I want from this relationship and what healthy communication entails. And with Rachel and I last season, something was lacking.
The network’s decision to give Zach another chance at love has received backing from Rachel, who ended her engagement to Tino throughout the course of the season when he admitted to kissing another woman.
In September 2022, Rachel told The Hollywood Reporter, “I haven’t spoken to him, but I honestly think he is a terrific selection for The Bachelor, and I think he’s going to do a really great job. “Both Gabby [Windey] and I are backing him as the lead. We are aware that it is a really challenging situation, yet it can be incredibly rewarding if you do what seems right.
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Zach, on the other side, said to Us that after giving Rachel the roses, he “1,000%” feels more sympathy for her. “What the experience will be like in reality is never completely predictable. Oh my my, you can do and say some of the craziest things that you would never ordinarily do.
They put you through the wringer and it’s a fantastic experience. “But you were only in this difficult, world that is moving a million miles per hour. It’s entertaining but challenging. In September 2022, Rachel said to THR, “There are things that you talk about in fantasy suites that are things that aren’t discussed on camera.”
“Zach and I both recognized that we just didn’t agree on certain things once we went behind closed doors, even just regardless of [the] talk. That chemistry, which we could have believed to be present, wasn’t. There were only a few things that truly came tumbling down, but ultimately, there are only private dialogues, and that is our chance to have them.
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Rachel’s Dig About Zach’s Age
Zach claims that Rachel admitted she had “concerns with the age part” of their relationship during their overnight date. The flight instructor was 26 years old and Zach was 25 at the time.
“She was four months my senior. At the time we had the talk, I was 25 years old. So what I have to say is that I’m 26 now, so I’m ready [for marriage],” Zach jokingly remarked in response to her remark on The Jennifer Hudson Show in September 2022.
Rachel’s Heart Was with Someone Else
Rachel allegedly treated Zach “like a stranger” and asked him “interview questions” in the fantasy suites, according to what Zach told Ashley Iaconetti. Every question was answered poorly, and everything was almost like a rapid-fire [interview]. In January 2023, he said on the “Almost Famous” podcast, “And I was simply never good enough.
We were sitting next to each other as the night came to an end before we went to bed, thinking, “This can’t be true. This cannot be how we interact or how we view one another. Does she even care for me—like, in the same way, that I do—or even at all? After the show, Zach said that Rachel told him her “heart” was with “someone else at that point”—presumably Tino.
And she apologized for not being able to express that to me in a proper manner. Simply put, it wasn’t communicated to me in the healthiest manner. And it gave me the impression that I’m being taken by surprise. It was difficult, but, you know, [I] only wish the best for her.
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Was Rachel Acting?
“If this is you, then who was I traveling with the entire time?” was the thought that caused my thoughts to wander. When Ashley inquired as to whether or not Rachel was “acting” during the series, Zach said. “People acting up for the camera is my biggest fear for this season. Do you want to become famous or are you just here for Instagram followers and other things?
Or do you truly consider the possibility of finding love attractive and are you, say, open to that? And I discussed that thereafter as I went through it with Rachel. Wait, which one was it? I thought. And I continued that for this season. I’m simply saying, “Hey, let me know who you are or it’s going to come out. We’re communicating everything, good or bad.” “
