Jesse Palmer has nothing but praise for Bachelorette Jenn Tran’s ex Matt Rossi.
When asked for his reaction to Matt addressing the season 21 contestants before departing from the show, Palmer, 45, told Entertainment Weekly that he “thought it was very brave.”
“I think Matt showed a lot about his character in that moment,” Palmer continued in the interview published on Tuesday, August 6. “Speaking to the men was an ultimate sign of respect towards them and their journey with Jenn. I commend Matt for what he did.”
After learning that Matt flew to New Zealand to profess his love to Jenn, 26, the remaining suitors weren’t happy.
During the Monday, August 5, episode, several contestants — including Devin Strader — threatened to quit the show if Jenn let her ex stay.
Matt joined the cocktail party to talk to Jenn and she seemed torn about letting him stay, telling him, “This is hard for me, because you know how much I care about you.”
While noting that she and Matt “had a lot of great times together,” Jenn added that they are “just compatible in a lot of different ways.” (Matt and Jenn dated on and off after their initial relationship began in 2020.)
“At the same time, I’ve been dating these 11 guys, I feel torn,” she said in a confessional. “I’m fighting between this past versus this newness. I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I have to make a decision.”
Ultimately, Jenn sent him packing — but before he hopped into the exit car, Matt took a moment to say his goodbyes to the men.
“I just wanted to take a second to let you guys know I did come here completely on my own volition, but she let me know her future’s in this room,” Matt said. “She feels confident that you guys can offer something I can’t, and I’m just here to apologize, I’m not here to take anything away from your experience. I wish you all the best. I wish her the best.”
Jenn may have not found The One in Matt, but she still has several connections left. While Jenn has kept the outcome of her season underwraps, she exclusively teased to Us Weekly that she’s “very happy” with how it ends.
“I can say that I definitely opened my heart up to a lot of different connections and explored a lot of these [men],” she said in July. “The way that things panned out throughout the journey and the way that things ended, I’m very happy about [it].”
The Bachelorette airs Mondays at 8 p.m. ET.
