More than a decade after their last joint TV presenting gig, Emma and Matt Willis are set to team up once again for Love is Blind UK, following in the footsteps of other famous TV husband and wife couples.
And just like Richard and Judy, Eammon and Ruth, and Rochelle and Marvin, the Willises might find that their respective careers are all the more lucrative when they team up.
The couple, who married in 2008 and have three children, Isabelle, 14, Ace, 12, and Trixie, seven, will be at the helm to guide viewers through the popular reality series, which sees couples meet for the first time “unseen” before the question is asked.
Emma, 48, began her career as a model before moving into television early on – and has remained loyal to presenting, appearing on some of TV’s biggest shows including The Voice and Big Brother.
New TV couple in the neighborhood! Emma Willis and her husband Matt are the new hosts of Love Is Blind UK after facing stiff competition from other celebrity couples.
The couple appeared in an Instagram video celebrating the news of their new gig together; this will be the first time they have co-hosted a show in over ten years
However, Matt, who is eight years younger than his wife, is still best known for his work as a pop star in pop punk trio Busted, and continues to tour with the band, with gigs in Margate and Newmarket this summer.
Matt, who was a graduate of Sylvia Young Theater School with Billie Piper, Amy Winehouse and member of rival band McFly, Tom Fletcher, decor Busted – originally named The Termites – in his Southend bedroom with James Bourne.
The pop-punk trio achieved much success before splitting in 2005, scoring four number one singles in the UK and winning two Brit Awards for Best Pop Act and Best British Breakthrough Act.
In 2023, Busted announced a 20th anniversary comeback, while also releasing a greatest hits album and another arena tour.
The lovebirds tied the knot in 2008 and tied the knot at Rushton Hall in Northamptonshire. They then renewed their vows ten years later (photo from July 8, 2018)
Although he is always touring, in recent years Matt has followed his wife into the world of television; its 2023 BBC The documentary Fighting Addiction saw him explain how alcoholism nearly derailed his 20-year relationship with Emma.
The couple met in 2004, when Busted had just released their second album and Emma was hosting on MTV, and married in 2008.
Their relationship was strong in the face of Matt’s addiction to drugs and alcohol; he revealed in his documentary that he would leave notes apologizing to his wife, just in case he didn’t wake up.
The next morning, he discovered the notes and quickly got rid of them before his wife found them. In his early 20s, the crooner said he couldn’t make it to midday without drugs and alcohol. He said on screen: “It’s not rock ‘n’ roll. It wasn’t glamorous, it was really sad.
We’ve come a long way, baby! The couple photographed in 2007, three years after their first meeting. In June last year, Matt released a BBC documentary detailing his struggles with addiction. Pictured right: Matt in 2023
Now, after years of focusing on their separate careers, the pair have joined forces professionally, and communications guru Hayley Knight, who runs Be Yellow, thinks it could be a genius move for the team husband and wife – with big financial rewards.
Knight says: “As well as boosting their profile as a couple, Love is Blind UK is also set to strengthen their bank accounts.
“Individually, they would potentially be offered around £450,000 for the series, with Emma potentially receiving more due to her higher profile.
“While it’s difficult to confirm, with their power couple and presenting skills, and the high anticipation of the already successful series, it’s likely they’ll take home a seven-figure salary for the full series. I would estimate around £1.3 million.
“And I’m sure there were strong negotiations between them during the process.”
Many fans have called for Emma Willis (pictured with husband Matt Willis) to be a permanent fixture on primetime TV show This Morning, with PR expert Hayley Knight suggesting the couple could receive more ‘a million for their joint Love is Blind run in the UK.
Willis continues to tour with the band that made him famous, with gigs planned across the UK this summer (pictured left to right: Busted members Matt Willis, Charlie Simpson and James Bourne in 2002)
So why is this appeal so strong? Knight says the fact that the couple’s relationship seems so strong makes it a natural fit.
“Matt and Emma are a fantastic choice to host Love Is Blind UK. They have great energy and love the show, and more importantly, their relationship is something that contestants and viewers can aspire to.
Matt and Emma share three children: Isabelle, 14, Ace, 12, and Trixie, seven (photo)
“It’s always a good idea for dating and romance shows to hire successful couples to present them. This creates aspiration and connection, and can also make the show more appealing and accessible to viewers. generations and “older” couples, rather than singles.
Knight adds that British TV audiences also seem to like couples who appear together.
“We love connecting with celebrity couples, which is why other couples like Ruth and Eammon, Rochelle and Marvin, and Victoria and David Beckham, do so well when it comes to presenting or have their own shows.
“Plus, when it comes to reality TV, we get insight into the couple, their relationship, and how they react to each other, and that can be just as entertaining as the show itself .We already got a glimpse of them in action in the TikTok ad, and they’re adorable!’