"I've hurt you enough" - Perfect Match star Clayton apologizes to Rachel before leaving the show

Perfect Match season 3 debuted with its first six episodes on August 1, 2025. In episode 5, titled The Ex-Factor, The Bachelor's Clayton chose to exit the show, realizing he had nothing more to explore. However, before he left, he sat down with Rachel, his match and contestant from his season of The Bachelor, to apologize for his past behavior and for upsetting her on the Netflix series, as well.

"I've hurt you enough. And I'm just honestly just p*ssed off about it. 'Cause, like-- I've just hurt you enough and I can't do it anymore, and you deserve to really pour your all into this experience," he stated.

For the uninitiated, Rachel was one of the two finalists on Clayton's season of The Bachelor. He told both Rachel and fellow finalist Gabby Windey that he was in love with them and had been intimate with both of them. However, left them both to pursue his connection with eliminated contestant, Susie Evans.

Despite their fallout, when Rachel arrived in episode three, Clayton asked her to match with him, convinced they had met again for a reason. Rachel felt apprehensive but eventually agreed to become his partner. However, after going on a date with Sandy later in the series, the Perfect Match star realized that his connection with Rachel would not work out.

Rachel felt blindsided. Consequently, in episode 6, Clayton took accountability for his actions and left.

---

Perfect Match contestant Clayton wishes Rachel well and hopes she finds happiness

When Clayton said that he wanted to continue solo since his "intuition" told him things between him and Rachel would not work out, the latter became hysterical. She was upset that she had allowed Clayton to hurt her once again. However, Clayton clarified that he had not intended to hurt her again.

Consequently, the following day, when he had the chance, he set Rachel up on a date with Love Island's Scott. Realizing that he had no more connections left in the villa, Clayton decided to take his leave. However, before doing so, he came clean to Rachel, owning up to his past mistakes and behaviour on Perfect Match.

"I don't have the best reputation, and I'm wanting to avoid being the bad guy, but I don't know if that's doable after everything that I put her through," Clayton said in a confessional.

He started by saying sorry and adding that he was upset with how he conducted himself around her. Clayton confessed that his intuition was wrong when it guided him to give his relationship with Rachel another shot. He took responsibility for hurting her, clarifying that she had never in the wrong.

The Perfect Match contestant regretted putting Rachel in a difficult spot once again by overlooking the complexity of their past.

"As far as protecting somebody, you know I'm extra cautious with you, and I just wish I would've went about it better. I'm sorry," he stated.

Rachel chimed in, noting how difficult it was for her to let her guard down. However, at the same time, she wanted Clayton to know that she did it because she, too, wanted to see what could have happened between the two of them.

Unfortunately, when her "biggest fears" manifested themselves, she got triggered and became emotional. Rachel stated that she felt "humiliated" because she was "so scared to take that risk." Upon hearing that, Clayton mentioned:

"I genuinely was so happy to see you walk through this door because there's just very few people that understand what I've been through. And the last thing I want is for you to come in here and travel all this way just to say, 'Wow, my experience was soured by somebody from my past.'"

With that said, the Perfect Match contender admitted that he was still a "work in progress," and that Rachel deserved to be happy. Consequently, he wished her well and took his leave.

The conversation gave both contestants the closure they needed. While Rachel said that she could finally leave the matter in the past, Clayton was happy that he could learn something about himself.

---

Perfect Match season 3 is streaming now exclusively on Netflix.

Edited by Raina Saha