T.J. Holmes Reveals a Former Bachelor Didn't Let Him 'Crawl Under a Rock' amid Backlash at Amy Robach Relationship

Sharing how the Bachelor was one of the few who "wouldn't give up on me," Holmes said the two are now bonded for life

T.J. Holmes is opening up about the unexpected shoulder he leaned on amid the backlash from his relationship with Amy Robach.

On Thursday's episode of the Amy & T.J. Podcast, Holmes shared how Matt James became an invaluable resource when it came to dealing with the fallout from his new relationship. The former GMA3: What You Need to Know co-anchor said Robach was a "witness" to how his bond with former Bachelor leading man had saved him from going down a dangerous path.

"She was also a witness to every time I picked up the phone and said, 'Hey, just heard from Matt. Lemme let you read this' or 'Hey, I got lunch,'" he said, before sharing how James, 32, was the first person outside of Robach, 51, to "set foot out with publicly."

"We had Mexican a couple times at the spot and drive back to, we went for a run," recalled Holmes, 46. He told James he now views him as a friend for life and will "inundate" him with texts if he doesn't hear from him.

"You were one of those who wouldn't give up on me, who wouldn't let me crawl under a rock. And, bro, while you know this, that handful of guys that meant everything to me," he affirmed.

Related: T.J. Holmes and Amy Robach Reveal They Had a 'Disagreement' That Nearly Ended Their Relationship

Robach returned Holmes' sentiments and doubled down on how the Bachelor Nation alum's support meant a lot to her partner.

"Matt, you may not realize, and it sounds like you don't, just how much you meant to T.J. during this past year. It was a huge source of comfort to know that someone cared and someone got it," she said, noting how James' background in television gave him empathy about the effects of public scrutiny.

"And it's actually amplified in a lot of ways," said Robach, "because everyone going through something private, whether it be a divorce or any sort of breakup or any sort of controversy is painful enough. But to have it amplified and the pressure of that is even more so."

Related: Amy Robach Says Marrying T.J. Holmes Is ‘On the Table’: ‘We Did Not Enter This Relationship for Fun’

Robach and Holmes’ relationship became public knowledge in November 2022 after they were photographed getting cozy together at a New York City bar. Holmes and his estranged wife Marilee Fiebig settled their divorce a few weeks later, while Robach also finalized her divorce from actor Andrew Shue in March, per Page Six.

Over time, the pair have become more comfortable showcasing their relationship, with many romantic outings both at home and abroad.

Hours after the podcast dropped on Thursday, Robach shared photos from her 51st birthday celebrations with Holmes in New Orleans. Last month, the pair made their red carpet-debut as a couple at iHeartRadio's Jingle Ball 2023.

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

iHeartRadio's Amy and T.J. is available wherever podcasts are streamed.

For more People news, make sure to sign up for our newsletter!

Read the original article on People.