Tino Calls Cheating on Bachelorette Rachel Biggest Mistake of His Life

Tino Franco is taking accountability.

One month after Bachelorette fans watched him and Rachel Recchia get engaged, only to break up after he kissed another woman, the season 19 finalist is speaking out about the events leading up to their split, calling the kiss the “biggest mistake of my life.”

“I’m definitely not on Team Cheater,” he said on the Oct. 20 episode of The Viall Files podcast. “Like, I do not stand by what I did at all. It was not cool. It wasn’t fair to Rachel, and it haunts me daily still. It’s something I’m ashamed of and certainly wish I could have done it differently like a million times over.” 

Looking back at life after the proposal, Tino told host Nick Viall that his relationship with Rachel was at an “all-time high,” noting that while the long-distance was difficult she made him feel secure. However, Tino admitted that watching the show back and dealing with the public attention took a toll on him, adding that things were “getting a little distant” between them. And while Tino said he wanted to get back to the place he and Rachel were at before, he now wishes he had just given her some “breathing room” and been a more supportive partner.