Busted bassist Matt Willis has candidly shared intimate details about his early relationship with wife Emma Willis, admitting to feelings of inadequacy that deeply affected him. The musician, who married the former Big Brother presenter in 2008, revealed on his podcast that he struggled to meet what he perceived as her high standards.
Early Marriage Insecurities
During a recent episode of his On the Mend podcast featuring guest Spencer Matthews, Matt Willis opened up about emotional challenges during the initial phase of his relationship with Emma. The couple, who now share three children - Isabelle, Ace, and Trixie - have been together for nearly two decades, but Matt confessed to early insecurities that left him feeling hurt.
"It Really Affected Me"
Matt explained: "There shouldn't be competition in a marriage, and there isn't competition in my marriage now, but in the beginning part of my relationship, I became very aware that I wasn't living up to her standard. I wasn't achieving anywhere near what she was achieving and it hurt me, it did. It really affected me."
The 42-year-old musician, who has been transparent about his past struggles with alcohol and drugs, revealed these feelings emerged while he was working to maintain sobriety. He first began using cannabis at age 13 and entered rehabilitation in June 2008 after Emma delivered an ultimatum regarding his substance use.
Turning Pain into Motivation
Rather than allowing these feelings to defeat him, Matt channeled them into positive change. "It drove me," he admitted. "It made me go, 'Do you know what, I need to step up because she is winning.' It's not winning against us two, it's winning at life, and I'm not winning at life. I was like, 'I need to start winning at life and step my game up.'"
Current Addiction Battle
Beyond discussing past marital challenges, Matt Willis also revealed his ongoing struggle with nicotine addiction. Despite frequently telling his children that vaping is "stupid," the musician confessed to secretly indulging in the habit himself.
Failed Quitting Attempts
Matt described himself as "massively addicted" to nicotine, having started smoking as a teenager. He sought assistance from neuroscientist TJ Power during a previous podcast episode, determined to quit by discarding his vapes and snus pouches containing powdered tobacco.
"I was like, 'Right, I'm done, it's going to be hell for a couple of days,'" he recalled. However, his resolve weakened after a frustrating traffic incident en route to a Busted concert, leading him to discover vapes available backstage on the band's rider.
Professional Consequences
The relapse prompted a significant realization about how vaping could impact his career. During a vocal call for Cabaret, Matt recognized: "I'm not going to be able to sustain this with this vaping going on. I'm just not going to be able to do it."
He added with determination: "So, I don't plan on vaping again. I don't want to do it anymore. I don't want to have that in my life. It's embarrassing. It's terrible for you."
Matt Willis continues to navigate both personal and professional challenges while maintaining his commitment to sobriety from substances and working toward overcoming his nicotine addiction, demonstrating ongoing growth in his personal journey.
