Clayton Echard opened up about his controversial appearance on Netflix’s Perfect Match during his Aug. 7 visit to The Viall Files podcast.
The former Bachelor lead discussed his decision to pursue ex Rachel Recchia on the dating show. He also explained why he’s unhappy with how producers edited his storyline.
“Unfortunately, I’m not too happy with the edit. I’m not going to sit here and dodge responsibility, but I just thought it went differently. I thought it could have been portrayed differently.”
Echard, 32, told host Nick Viall that he enjoyed filming the show but felt differently after watching it back.
He acknowledged that editing always involves missing context. Producers have limited time to tell complete stories across episodes.
The Unexpected Reunion
Clayton initially matched with Siesta Key star Juliette Porter when the show began. Everything changed when Rachel walked into the villa during the second episode.
“When she walked in, it was a rush of emotions. All the feelings that you once had, they come back up.”
The reality star admitted he didn’t expect to see his ex on the show.
Rachel was a finalist on Clayton’s 2022 Bachelor season. He ended their relationship right before the finale because he still had feelings for Susie Evans, who he’d previously eliminated. Clayton and Susie rekindled but broke up in September 2022.
Clayton said seeing Rachel again made him wonder if the timing might finally be right for them.
Why It Didn’t Work Again
After matching with Rachel, Clayton quickly realized they weren’t compatible. Their conversations and his intuition led him to that conclusion.
“I know what it is I’m looking for, and things have changed. We’ve changed.”
He told Nick there were other factors in his decision that he won’t discuss publicly.
“I don’t think she would receive them well. I think she would feel, like, they were an attack if I were to say it coming from me.”
Clayton believes Rachel will understand his reasoning over time.
Editing Concerns
The Bachelor alum claimed editing on both shows misrepresented his connections. He felt his bond with Susie was stronger than his relationship with Rachel, despite how it appeared on television.
“The edit made it seem like Rachel and I had a stronger connection when I felt that my lived experience, I had a stronger connection with Susie.”
He said viewer opinions started affecting his judgment. Clayton wondered if he lacked emotional intelligence and should give the relationship another chance.
Rachel’s Perspective
Rachel Recchia, 29, told PEOPLE she wasn’t sure about giving Clayton another opportunity from the start.
“I was doubting myself the whole time, but I think I never really got a full answer leaving The Bachelor. And there’s always been this ‘what if?'”
She said the experience finally gave her closure, regardless of the outcome.
Clayton emphasized he never intended to hurt Rachel. He told PEOPLE that dating shows inevitably involve emotions, making it difficult for everyone to emerge unscathed.
After ending things with Rachel, Clayton left the villa. He didn’t see potential matches worth exploring. Rachel continued on the show and matched with Love Island USA alum Scott van-der-Sluis.
Perfect Match season 3’s first six episodes are streaming on Netflix. New episodes drop weekly through the Aug. 15 finale.
