Matt Rossi Claims New Zealand Bachelorette Trip Was ‘Significantly Funded’
Jenn Tran‘s former partner Matt Rossi has revealed details about the off-camera events surrounding his unexpected appearance on season 21 of The Bachelorette.
Rossi, 28, made a shocking entrance in season 21 of The Bachelorette, aiming to rekindle his relationship with Tran, 27, with whom he had an on-again, off-again romance since 2020. During the episode, host Jesse Palmer stated, “I’ve been told [Rossi] arranged to fly all the way to New Zealand on his own expense just to speak with Jenn.”
However, on the February 4 episode of the “BachMakers” podcast, Rossi provided a different version of events regarding whether he personally paid for his trip to New Zealand, where Tran’s season was filmed.
“Let’s just say it was partially subsidized,” Rossi remarked, adding, “Heavily subsidized. They attempted to seat me in coach, but I upgraded.”
Rossi elaborated on his appearance on the show, claiming it was far more intense than it appeared on screen. Although Tran eventually eliminated Rossi, she initially welcomed him to a cocktail gathering with the other participants. This led some of her contenders, including Devin Strader, to threaten to withdraw from the competition if her ex remained.
“Honestly, I think that was one of the most frightening experiences of my life,” Rossi shared. “There were so many behind-the-scenes factors that I questioned whether it was a safe decision. I remember asking the producers, ‘Is this a safe choice?’ There was a lot of alcohol and heightened emotions.”
Rossi added, “Jenn had mentioned her toxic former partner, and then suddenly, an ex shows up without context—you instantly assume it’s me.”
He further explained, “She had been vocal about her toxic ex for a while, and it mattered greatly to Jenn. I could sense her anxiety about it. She said, ‘I don’t want people to think it was you.’ I know who the ex is, and it was essential for her to clarify the situation.”
Tran, in her own words, expressed genuine surprise at Rossi’s presence on her season of The Bachelorette. “It’s not like we were in Kansas or Connecticut. He flew all the way to New Zealand,” she disclosed on an August 2024 episode of “The Viall Files” podcast. “At first, I thought, ‘Wow, a familiar face. This is exciting. He must be here to offer me some advice or something.’ But it became clear very quickly that he wasn’t there for that.”
After Tran sent him away, Rossi took a moment to address her competitors, stating that he had come of his own accord but acknowledged, “she indicated her future lies within this room.”
Longtime Bachelor Nation star Ashley Iaconetti shared exclusively with Us Weekly in August 2024 that she was “astonished” to learn Rossi had purchased his own airline ticket from the U.S. to New Zealand. “That isn’t a cheap flight,” she joked.
“I think when your ex becomes the Bachelorette, it creates a whole new allure and curiosity about them, doesn’t it? ‘How could you let the Bachelorette slip away?’” she commented to Us at the time. “I can understand why he’d feel desperate, thinking, ‘Wow, I was such a fool. Why didn’t I secure this girl when I had the chance?’”
