Emma Willis and her husband Matt Willis have recently opened up about their personal struggles with addiction and the challenges they have faced over their 21-year relationship. Their candid reflections featured prominently in the 2023 BBC documentary, "Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction," which traces Matt Willis’s battle with drug and alcohol dependency that led him to enter rehabilitation four times.

Emma Willis, a television presenter and former model, first met Matt Willis in 2004 during an MTV interview. In the documentary, she reads from a diary she kept in the period leading up to their 2008 wedding. The diary reveals the extent of Matt Willis’s substance use at the time, describing how he consumed large amounts of alcohol and drugs while trying to conceal his behavior. Emma recounts the fear and helplessness she felt, often driving around to search for him at various pubs, many of which were places she did not know about. “There were so many ways he hid things. I was so scared he would die,” she says tearfully during the film.

Emma noted that participating in the documentary was initially intimidating. “I thought we’d got through it and moved on, but I certainly hadn’t,” she said, reflecting on the experience as an eye-opening and healing process that ultimately introduced her to therapy, which she described as “brilliant.” Despite the struggles, Matt’s most recent relapse occurred about ten years ago during a reunion tour with the band Busted. Since then, the couple has managed to maintain a strong relationship.

In March, the couple celebrated Emma Willis’s 50th birthday with a party in central London, which she described as “really special, like looking at a room of my own life.” The event featured various entertainers, including a brass band, a karaoke band, a drag compere, and even a tattooist offering complimentary tattoos. Emma later returned to get her first tattoo, a discreet cursive inscription reading “frog upon a lake,” which she said is a family in-joke.

Emma also discussed her experiences with aging, particularly the impact of perimenopause during her late forties. She noted it took her some time to find balance and understand the changes she was experiencing but said that getting older does not bother her. “I think people start to take you more seriously,” she explained. Reflecting on her past modeling career, she acknowledged that stereotypes about models being valued primarily for their appearance may have affected how people perceived her. However, she said she is now more comfortable in her own skin and less concerned with minor issues.

When asked about her new role as a presenter on the BBC’s "Strictly Come Dancing," Emma commented on the positive reception of the show welcoming a middle-aged woman host. She said it was encouraging that no one questioned her suitability because of age and emphasized the importance of representation, saying, “Women don’t disappear. We want to see ourselves.” With a lighthearted tone, she suggested she might continue on the show for decades, joking about competing into her seventies if she can maintain the fitness and agility exemplified by former contestant Angela Rippon.

"Strictly Come Dancing" returns to the BBC on Saturday.