As one half of the most non-celebby celeb couple in the UK, Matt Willis is one of those showbiz types who we'd want to go out for a coffee with. His wife Emma, who's best known as the former host of Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother between 2013 and 2019 seems just as down to earth. If you don't already feel as though they're your mates, here's everything you need to know about them.
Who is Matt Willis?
You’ll most likely remember Matt from his tie-wearing, nose-piercing sporting Busted days from the early 00s. Matt and his bandmates Charlie Simpson and James Bourne were responsible for such mega tunes as Glad I Crashed The Wedding, Year 3000 and What I Go To School For and we absolutely stanned them when we were younger.
Matt and James were also behind the formation of McFly (they were old friends before the latter got famous) and in 2014 the two bands united (minus Charlie) as McBusted for a tour and album.
When did Matt Willis and Emma Willis get married?
Matt and Emma first tied the knot in 2008 at Ruston Hill in Northampton and for their 10th wedding anniversary decided to renew their wedding vows at the same venue.
They were wed by none other than Emma’s Heart Radio co-host Stephen Mulhern and Emma wore the same dress she did on her original wedding day, designed by Michael Lo Sordo.
Do Matt Willis and Emma Willis have kids?
Matt and Emma are proud parents to Isabelle, who’s just turned 12, their son Ace, nine, and five-year-old Trixie. Like lots of other celeb couples, they've chosen to keep their kids' faces of social media but sometimes we're treated to the backs of their heads.
CHECK OUT: Emma and Matt Willis' relationship timeline
Emma and Matt Willis' relationship timeline slider
1 of 12Emma and Matt start dating
The couple met in 2004 while Matt was in Busted, and Emma was a presenter on MTV. A year later, in 2005, the pair started dating.
2 of 12Emma and Matt get enagaged
Two years after dating - in March 2007 - Matt proposed to Emma while they were away in Venice.
3 of 12Emma and Matt's first presenting job together
The same year as their engagement, the couple had presented MTV's Spanking New Music Tour 2007 together. This was the first job they did together.
4 of 12I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp
In both 2007 and 2008, Emma and Matt presented on I'm a Celebrity: Extra Camp, alongside TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith. This came a year after Matt was crowned King of the Jungle.
5 of 12Emma and Matt present at the BRITs
In February 2008, they presented coverage of the BRITs for ITV2 together.
6 of 12The couple present coverage of the BAFTAs
Shortly after the BRITs, Emma and Matt both went on to present red carpet coverage of the BAFTA Awards for E! Entertainment Network. This was alongside TV and radio personality, Ryan Seacrest.
7 of 12Emma and Matt get married
In July 2008, the couple got married after being engaged for just over a year. Their wedding was at Ruston Hall in Northamptonshire.
8 of 12The pair become parents
By June 2009, Emma and Matt had their first child together - their first daughter, Isabelle Catherine Willis.
9 of 12Emma and Matt have a son
In March 2011, the couple welcomed their second child, and first son, Ace Billy Willis.
10 of 12They have their third child
Emma and Matt had their third child in May 2016 - Trixie-Grace Willis.
11 of 12Emma and Matt renew their vows
To celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary, the pair decided to renew their wedding vows in 2018. They returned to Ruston Hall and got their close friend, Stephen Mulhern, to wed them. Matt Willis took to Instagram to show his love for Emma in a post, "I actually managed to hang on to her for 10 years... I'm still not sure how? I know I'm punching before you all comment that! "I am the luckiest guy in the world. I get to spend the rest of my life with this kind beautiful powerful woman. She is the most amazing wife and mother and I could not be more proud to be her husband. Thank you for the best years of my life... ❤ufe0f❤ufe0f."Btw, I took 20 of these photos before I got one where she was not blinking because of the flash. ud83eudd26ud83cudffb♂ufe0f"
12 of 12Emma joins Matt on his podcast
In 2020, Matt Willis started a podcast with comedian, Matt Richardson - When No One Is Watching. They had other guests such as Tom Fletcher, Iain Sterling, Rylan and Vicky Pattison. On their 10th episode, they had Emma on as a guest to confess what she gets up to when no one is watching. "This week we have only gone and talked to my wife @emmawillisofficial about everything she gets up too when no one (me) is watching... "It was by far the weirdest one for me to do. But was mega fun, and a learning opportunity for us," he wrote on the 'gram.
WATCH: Busted - 'Our music’s more groovy now than jumpy'
Where did Matt Willis and Emma Willis meet?
The genetically blessed couple met in 2004, while Emma, at the start of presenting heyday, interviewed Busted for MTV. Two years later, Matt got down on one knee while they were away in Venice on holiday. Romantic, or what?
Has Matt Willis been on Celebrity Big Brother?
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Matt Willis opens up about wedding shame: ‘I looked like a fat mess’
No, but we understand the confusion – in 2013, Emma took over hosting the main Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother shows from the TV legend that is Davina McCall (after a brief stint with series two winner Brian Dowling at the helm), and remained in the role until it’s eventual and untimely retirement in 2018 (RIP).
Speaking of whether she and Matt would even enter the house themselves, Emma said in 2015, “We’d be fine as a couple but I think we’d be boring TV. We’d be terrified, so we’d just sit in a corner going ‘Oh my God, what are we doing?’
“Matt would go out of his brain with boredom because he always has to have something to do.”
Emma Willis husband Matt addictions
Emma and Matt have been open about his addiction demons after he spent time at celebrity rehab facility The Priory for alcohol addiction in 2005, and then later in 2006 for a cannabis habit.
Speaking to mutual pal Ferne Cotton in 2014, Emma said, “He went to rehab when I’d known him for three months. We hadn’t known each other for very long and I was kind of in this whirlwind with him. You don’t think about it, then more time goes along and he went in again. This isn’t a kid that needs a couple of weeks’ break, it’s someone who genuinely has a problem.
“I’m not going to leave him because he has a problem. You stick together and get through it.”
After he got clean, she said, “He’s very boring. I’ll take boring over the alternative. I’ll take the tattoos and the motorbikes over all the other stuff.”
Matt Willis weight loss
“I got married and I hated myself in the wedding pictures. I looked like a fat mess.
“I realised, ‘Oh it’s probably because I’m eating fried chicken and drinking things with loads of sugar in’,” he said, admitting that he'd turned to junk food after giving up drugs and alcohol.
“Once I started taking care of nutrition, it all clicked. I’ve got a bad relationship with food. I’m very obsessive about it.”
Emma Willis husband Matt Strictly Come Dancing
Speaking to The Mirror in 2016 after both she and Matt were rumoured to be starring on Strictly, Emma said, “I’m a jealous person. If my husband is around a younger, good-looking woman, I’m like, ‘Stop looking at them!’
“Matt could do Strictly, because he’s an amazing dancer. Every now and then he will bust out a pirouette in the middle of the living room and our daughter will be like, ‘Wow, Daddy!’
“But I don’t want him grinding against hot women. I do get jealous, but I think that’s normal.”
Matt Willis acting career
Despite being best known as a musician, Matt does have some acting credits to his name, playing Anthony Costalino in 2019 comedy film Madness in the Method and recently filming WW2 biopic Wolves of War (currently in post-production).
Sharing a still from set earlier this year, Matt wrote, "Making movies is the most awesome thing ever. Had the best week. Enjoying a day off with the family then we are back to WW2. I love being part of this film. Can’t wait for you all to see what we are up too… @gilesalderson @picperfmovies @lucindarthakrar @stuart_white_dop #wolvesofwar".