Matt Willis and Emma Willis have long been known as one of TV’s favourite power couples, regularly sharing the secret to their successful, happy marriage. But Matt’s latest hobby has thrown a wrench in their relationship—his new addiction to golf.
“I’m obsessed. It’s slowly ruining my life,” Matt, 42, admits, with a grin. “But in the greatest possible way!” Sitting beside him, Emma, 49, rolls her eyes, then deadpans, “For him!”
However, Matt is clearly smitten by his new passion. “I love it,” he says enthusiastically, his eyes lighting up. “I’ve got rules about it. I didn’t get told to make these rules, I made them on my own. I don’t play when it interferes with family time. I go when the kids are at school. I try not to make somebody a golf widow.”
But for Emma, who shares three children with Matt—Isabelle, 16, Ace, 13, and nine-year-old Trixie—it’s the constant talk about golf that is starting to wear her down. “I’m only making digs about it because I don’t hear anything else now other than golf,” she says. “I walk in the living room and it’s on the f**king telly. The kids walk in, sigh, and then they walk back out again.”
And when Matt protests that he’s “never had a hobby,” Emma can’t resist responding, “You did, but they weren’t very good for you!” referring to his past struggles with alcohol and drugs.
Despite the tension over golf, humor remains a cornerstone of their marriage. Matt bursts into laughter as he recalls how he thought Emma would share his new hobby. “I thought it was too selfish to have a hobby, so I bought us 10 golf lessons for Christmas,” he says. “She wasn’t very interested, so after a while, I was like, ‘Do you mind if I go?’”
Emma, never one to shy away from a witty remark, responds, “If I had any time for a hobby, I’d probably have one. But job, husband, three kids… very little time for hobbies!”
Matt is determined to rectify that imbalance. “You can do anything you want,” he says, turning to Emma, “as long as it’s not involving naked men.” Soon, they’re giggling again, imagining Emma starting a Chippendales Agency, before Matt vetoes the idea on a technicality: “It would actually be a job, not a hobby.”
Their banter highlights the importance of humor in their relationship, but Emma admits they’re not perfect. “Love, time, commitment, compromise, f**k knows,” she says, pondering the ingredients for a lasting marriage. “I mean, hopefully, we’ll still be going in another 20, 30, or 40 years, and then we’ll be in a box together!”
The couple’s journey started back in 2004 when Matt was part of boyband Busted and Emma was a TV presenter on MTV. After he got her number, Matt was eager to call, but his friends advised him to play it cool. “I was told to wait three days, don’t seem too keen. So I waited three days, dying to call,” Matt recalls with a smile. “It worked though, didn’t it?”
Their relationship grew stronger, and in 2008, they married in a star-studded ceremony at Rushton Hall in Northamptonshire, attended by celebrities like David Gest, Stephen Mulhern, and Holly Willoughby. “I was like, ‘I never want this to end, how do I make this not end? I need to marry her,’” Matt says of the day he knew Emma was the one.
Now, after more than two decades together, they remain deeply committed to each other, balancing their career ambitions and family life. As they return to the spotlight for the second season of Love Is Blind UK, Matt and Emma’s bond continues to strengthen, with both of them focusing on raising their children and nurturing their relationship.
For Matt, the key to their successful marriage is openness and honesty, something that has helped them navigate tough times. “We like to keep our eye across everything,” says Emma. “So we don’t drop the ball, we make sure we have time for each other and prioritize that.”
As their family grows, Matt reflects on the impact of their children. “Having children for us was such a massive thing,” he says. “It changed everything. It takes it to a whole new level. It’s bonkers, but I love it.”
Their family has also faced health challenges. Earlier this year, Matt feared for their future when Emma had to undergo keyhole heart surgery after being diagnosed with a hole in her heart. “She’s not very good at sitting still,” Matt jokes, sharing how he took charge during her recovery. “I’m all good now,” Emma adds with a smile.
For now, their lives are filled with work and family, but Emma has already started planning for the future. “I would like to drive around the world in one of those flipped Transit vans,” she says with excitement. “I get fed them all the time on my Instagram.”
And as the couple prepares for the next phase of their lives, whether that’s raising their children or traveling the world, they know the secret to their enduring happiness: love, humor, and the ability to prioritize each other.
