Matt Willis says Emma Willis neglected herself because she was focused on him
Busted star Matt Willis said his wife, TV presenter Emma Willis, was so “focused” on keeping him sober that she “neglected her nurturing.”
The musician rose to fame in the early 2000s alongside fellow bandmates James Bourne and Charlie Simpson.
At 40, Willis has been sober for more than five years. He is the subject of a new BBC One documentary entitled Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction.
In the documentary, which will air Wednesday night (May 17), Willis talks about his battle with addiction. Also on the show is Emma.
parts of it fight addiction Learn how Willis’ drug addiction, so severe that he used 6 grams of cocaine once a day, affected his family. He and Emma have three children together: Isabelle (14), Ace (10) and Trixie (six).
In the documentary, Willis said that thinking about how his addiction had affected Emma “torn him to pieces” at times.
He said, “She was so focused on keeping me clean that she neglected her care and so did I.”
Speaking about his children, Willis explained that he was nervous about showing the documentary to his eldest child, Isabelle.
Matt Willis and Emma Willis attend a performance of The Muppet Christmas Carol in Concert at the Royal Albert Hall on December 11, 2021
(Getty Images)
“It’s going to be really hard to see her father like that and see what her mother was struggling with,” Willis said, adding that he wants to show Isabelle the documentary to “be honest.”
He said: “But I don’t think anything should be swept under the rug. We have to be as honest and open as possible.”
In the documentary, Emma recalls nights she would drive to local bars to find Willis after he failed to return home.
Enjoy unlimited access to 70 million ad-free songs and podcasts with Amazon Music Sign up now for a 30-day free trial
The TV presenter said her anxiety increased at times living with Willis, adding that she feared he might die. “It’s not easy,” she said. “It was incredibly difficult back then.”
The couple met in 2004 when Emma Busted – famous for hits like “What I Go To School For” and “Year 3000” – was interviewing for MTV.
Emma said she noticed Willis’s alcohol and drug issues before they married in 2008, and revealed the musician was in rehab just five weeks before their wedding anniversary.
Willis has been in rehab four times and told cameras he’s particularly struggled with substance abuse on tour. “The fun was long over,” he said.
Busted are set to return to the tour in September, but Willis said he’s confident he’ll remain flawless on the road. “I’ve been very honest with the band and everyone knows what I’m dealing with. Everyone wants to help,” he said.
If you are affected by this article, you can contact the following organizations for assistance: actiononaddiction.org.uk, mind.org.uk, nhs.uk/livewell/mentalhealth, mentalhealth.org.uk.
If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs, you can get confidential 24/7 help and support from Frank just by calling 0300 123 6600SMS 82111, send an email or visit their website Here.
In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.
