Matt James is revealing more about why he agreed to be on The Bachelor.
The 29-year-old said this week that he owes it to his friend and former Bachelorette contestant Tyler Cameron's late mom, Andrea, for recommending he be on the show.
"I wouldn't have gone on the show if it hadn't been for Tyler's mom," he said on the latest episode of the Almost Famous podcast with Bachelor Nation's Ben Higgins and Ashley Iaconetti.
He told the co-hosts that despite the pressure he knew he'd likely endure as the franchise's first Black Bachelor, he felt like he needed to take the plunge.
"She was so adamant about me having been a part of this experience because she saw what it did for Tyler and his relationship with Hannah [Brown]…. I felt like I owed it to her to see it through," James said.
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Andrea died in early 2020 of a brain aneurysm at age 55.
At the time, Cameron, 28, recalled his mother's unwavering support in an interview with the Palm Beach Post.
RELATED: Tyler Cameron Wishes His Late Mom Andrea a Happy Birthday: 'We Miss You'
"She was super supportive," he said, adding that when he appeared on The Bachelorette, "she was supportive for [Brown] and everyone else who was a part of that show, but she was also supportive to the random fans."
In April, Cameron opened up about how his life has changed since his mother's death in a conversation with Venus Williams on Instagram Live.
When talking about his biggest motivation, Cameron told Williams "my little brothers and my dad" were his.
"I just lost my mom not too long ago, so now my motivation is to take care of my brothers and make sure they're good," Cameron said, adding that as the oldest sibling, he feels an obligation to take care of his family.
"I'm grateful to be in the position that I am to do that now," Cameron said.
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