Matt Willis and wife Emma made a “transformative decision” after revealing friends only thought their marriage would “last six months”.
Busted bassist Matt, 41, has spoken candidly about his battles with addiction, admitting he started smoking cannabis in his teenage years. During the height of his fame, the star checked into the Priory in London as he battled alcohol addiction.
In the lead up to his 2008 marriage to former Big Brother presenter Emma Willis, Matt says he managed to go sober. But he relapsed when youngest daughter Trixie was just 10 months old in 2017.
On the Mid Point podcast with Gabby Logan, Matt revealed the couple decided to go into counselling together prior to the release of his Fighting Addiction documentary. While he says their marriage was “okay” at the time, he admits they struggled discussing some topics.
He explained: “One of the best things we ever did was go to couple’s counselling, it was transformative for us.
“Things were okay but there were certain things that were not said or talked about, and whenever we did, we went round circles with it, it was the same thing over and over again. So having a third party to mediate those sorts of conversations was incredible.”
Matt confesses the year before his marriage was “touch-and-go” for the couple thinking there were times when Emma “wouldn’t forgive” him. Gabby added: “You did say that most people at the wedding probably thought you had about six months.”
To which Matt replied: “Absolutely. They probably did but that’s the thing, I’m crazy about her and I’d do anything for her.”
He credits talking to his wife as a major part of the recovery process that helped them stay together ever since. The couple recently celebrated their 16th wedding anniversary.
Emma, 48, marked the occasion with a touching tribute on social media. She wrote: “Happy anniversary @mattjwillis 16 years since we said I do. Love you forever bab.”
The couple marked another occasion in 2024 as they worked together for the first time on Love Is Blind UK. The Netflix hit sees singletons dating in pods, separated by frosted glass, as they fall in love sight unseen before eventually walking down the aisle and saying “I do” - or “I do not”.
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