Inside Emma and Matt Willis' strong 17 year marriage as pair stand united through addiction battles, mental health struggles and Emma's recent heart surgery
- Have YOU got a story? Email tips@dailymail.com
They're one of TV's strongest couples and have often worked together as the hosts of Netflix's Love Is Blind UK, I'm A Celeb's spin off show Get Me Out Of Here! Now! and Channel 4 documentary series Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones.
And since tying the knot in 2008, Emma and Matt Willis have proved their relationship is just as strong off screen and have stood by each other's side through thick and thin.
Sharing three children Isabelle, 13, Ace, 11, and Trixie, seven, the couple have overcome their fair share of challenges over the course of their two decade long relationship.
From Matt's addiction battle, to mental health struggles, Emma, 49, has been the musician's rock.
And now, 41, Matt is supporting Emma as she recovers from her keyhole heart surgery after she gave a shocking health update to fans on Wednesday.
In a lengthy post, Emma thanked her husband Matt and the staff at the Royal Brompton Hospital who looked after her.'
Since tying the knot in 2008, Emma and Matt Willis have proved their relationship is just as strong off screen and they have stood by each other's side through thick and thin
The pair haven't left each other's side since they first met began dating in 2005 before tying the knot three years later (pictured in February 2005)
She penned: 'A few weeks ago, I had keyhole heart surgery, which feels very strange to write, and even stranger when I say it out loud.
'From investigations last year, to diagnosis and then surgery, they were absolutely incredible. As was @mattjwillis who never left my side.'
And the pair have been inseparable since they first met began dating in 2005 before tying the knot three years later.
Matt was just 22 when he first met Emma, who was 29, back in 2004 while she was working as a presenter for MTV and interviewed his band Busted.
Emma recounted the pair's meeting during an episode of Shopping With Keith Lemon, saying: 'It was behind the set sort of thing. He was walking past and I thought, "underneath all that makeup, he's actually quite cute."
'Then we met with a bunch of mutual friends and that was the first time we properly met outside of work. There was a bit of smooching.'
Emma revealed it was her who made the first move as she got a mutual friend to give Matt her number.
'He made me wait three days to call me back,' she added.
Matt was just 22 when he first met Emma, who was 29, back in 2004 while she was working as a presenter for MTV and interviewed his band Busted (pictured December 2006)
Yet their relationship hasn't been smooth sailing and they have had to go through some tough times amid Matt's battle with drugs (pictured May 2024)
Now Matt is supporting Emma as she recovers from her keyhole heart surgery after she gave a shocking health update to fans on Wednesday
In a lengthy post, Emma thanked her husband Matt and the staff at the Royal Brompton Hospital who looked after her'
They said 'I do' at Rushton Hall, Northamptonshire on July 5, 2008 and returned to the venue to renew their vows on their ten year anniversary in 2018.
Yet their relationship hasn't been smooth sailing and they have had to go through some tough times amid Matt's battle with drugs.
The Busted star has admitted he struggled to stay sober for most of his life after being catapulted to fame at age 19.
After the release of his documentary, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction, Matt gushed about how Emma has always stuck by him.
He confessed: 'Emma took some talking to to get involved with this because we've been quite private with our lives and never really opened up before.
'I felt like that was such a powerful part to it, it was kind of like, she went through everything with me and stuck by me through everything and a lot of people at times told her not to.
'But he saw something in me and she knew she could help and she did massively.'
Speaking about their marriage in 2023, Matt said: 'Most marriages go through rocky patches and ups and downs and luckily we've come out the other side of those and it's just made us stronger.'
After being asked what the secret behind their long-lasting union was, Emma quipped: 'We quite like each other still as well, which helps!'
She added: 'Who really knows what the key to a long marriage is other than hard work and patience... on both sides, this is not just one-sided.
Speaking about their marriage, Matt said: 'Most marriages go through rocky patches and ups and downs and luckily we've come out the other side of those and it's just made us stronger'
Matt has also shown the depth of his love for his wife in a very grand gesture as he revealed a huge tattoo tribute to her last summer
'And I suppose understanding, and communication and trying to understand the other person's point of view which is something we've always tried to do.'
Matt has also shown the depth of his love for his wife in a very grand gesture as he revealed a huge tattoo tribute to her last summer.
Getting the inking done for their 16th wedding anniversary the tattoo on the back of the musician's calf is a picture of Emma in a plunging dress and surrounded by a black background to ensure it stands out.
The father-of-three said: 'I wanted to make a big gesture and I've been planning it for years.'
Matt first showed off the tattoo on Instagram last month, with the caption: 'Happy Anniversary @emmawillisofficial … I love you more than ever. 16 years and it keeps getting better.'
Last month Matt revealed to MailOnline that him and Emma had undergone couple's therapy and it had 'transformed' their relationship.
They started marriage counselling in 2020 yet Matt admitted Emma was originally reluctant to do it, but is now glad they did because it 'transformed' their marriage.
Matt explained how they turned to therapy after feeling stuck and not being able to move past 'certain things' in their relationship.
'I don't think [therapy] is for everyone but I think you'd be surprised with how much you can benefit from it,' he told MailOnline while discussing his and Emma's new project with Disney Cruise Line.
'Emma was definitely not up for it when I mentioned it, but she's really pleased we did. It's been transformative.'
Speaking about his battle with addiction he said: 'She went through everything with me and stuck by me through everything and a lot of people at times told her not to' (pictured 2006)
Last month Matt revealed to MailOnline that him and Emma had undergone couple's therapy and it had 'transformed' their relationship (pictured 2024)
The couple posed together for Mental Health Awareness day last year as part of the Take A Moment campaign
'I think people instantly jump to the fact that you need therapy because you're in trouble, that's the pre-conceived notion,' he added. 'But we weren't in trouble, we just had certain things that we couldn't get past.'
The singer told how therapy helped him and Emma fully 'understand' one another and come to grips with the other person's point of view.
'We fully understand each other, that happened years ago, but honestly I think couple's therapy helped with that, it really did,' he went on.
'We really got to learn how to understand each other. At the end of the day, we want the best from each other.
'That's been the real turning point, actually going ''I want to really understand what you want and how to give that to you and what you want from me, and how I can do that''. But also staying true to ourselves.'
Matt praised therapists for helping couples to communicate better and revealed the one invaluable piece of advice he received from a counsellor years ago.
Matt and Emma celebrated their 10-year wedding anniversary on July 5, 2018, by renewing their vows, but the rocker confessed he isn't sure whether they will do it again at the 20-year milestone.
'For me, it feels a bit too much doing it every 10 years, but for Emma, that will be like ''oh no, we are doing it'',' he quipped.
The pair have also supported each other in their career which has intertwined in recent years after they landed their hosting role on Love Is Blind UK.
Speaking about working on the reality dating show together, Matt admitted he was initially nervous but gushed over working alongside his 'best mate' Emma and praised her talents.
'When we first [worked together] on season one of Love Is Blind, I was really nervous,' he confessed.
'I was so pleased she was there because I hadn't done presenting for over 10 years and last time I did it was with her, luckily but it wasn't really something that captured me, that was [Emma's] thing.'
'Working with [Emma] it's like a dream. It sounds really lame to say it but she's my best mate in the world and I get to work with her now,' he gushed.
'If anything, it's not stressful or weird or makes anything awkward, it makes everything better.
'Normally, we have to be separate and go to work away from each other and now, we get to do some things together and spend more time together, it's great.'
On Wednesday Emma took to Instagram as she revealed she underwent keyhole heart surgery at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London after doctors found a hole in her heart.
The singer told how therapy helped him and Emma fully 'understand' one another and come to grips with the other person's point of view (pictured in June)
Keyhole heart surgery involves making small incisions in the chest as opposed to the breastbone as in traditonal open heart surgery.
The surgeon accesses the heart through the incisions, allowing for a less invasive approach with fewer complications and a faster recovery time.
In a lengthy post, Emma thanked her husband Matt and the staff at the Royal Brompton Hospital who looked after her.
She wrote: 'A big humungous THANK YOU to the team at the Royal Brompton Hospital for their care and support.
'A few weeks ago, I had keyhole heart surgery, which feels very strange to write, and even stranger when I say it out loud. From investigations last year, to diagnosis and then surgery, they were absolutely incredible. As was @mattjwillis who never left my side.
'Turns out, I’ve been pottering around for 48 years blissfully unaware I had a hole in my heart. Isn’t it bonkers what’s happening in our bodies that we have no idea about…
'What blows my mind even more is the wonders of modern medicine, and the spectacular people that save, fix and help us every single day.
'Can you imagine what it must feel like to have a pair of hand that can do that job?! They are the real superstars… ⭐️'
