Matt Willis has revealed how an "awkward row" in a hot tub led two members of the public to believe his 18-year marriage to Emma Willis was in trouble. The Busted star and new Strictly Come Dancing contestant, who married in 2008 and have three children, took part in a stunt for ITV game show Celebrity Sabotage.
The unwitting targets of the prank did not speak to Matt for the rest of the day after watching the staged argument. Celebrity Sabotage sees a team of celebrities working together to "sabotage" people in order to win them a big cash prize.
Staged row on fake dating show
As part of the programme, Matt and Emma pretended to host a fake dating show called Couple Goals. Directed by show producers using hidden earpieces, the couple staged an argument while sitting in a hot tub with two people.
"We had an earpiece in and people were telling us what to do," Matt explained on the Tea At Four podcast. "They were telling us to have this row in a hot tub and Emma went in ... she was fully method."
Water splash soaks earpiece
After Matt obeyed the orders coming through his earpiece and flicked some water at his wife, a surprised Emma responded in kind. "I took it even further and went and splashed him. But I splashed him so much that I soaked his earpiece," she admitted.
Acting hurt, Emma told Matt: "You're making me feel really stupid!" which made the shocked onlookers see him as a bully. "They didn't speak to me for the rest of filming," Matt recalled. "They kept giving him daggers, because they didn't know it was fake obviously."
Couple shunned Matt in corridor
He described how the couple, both of whom were named Jason, shunned him when they saw him in a corridor later. "They wouldn't look at me, they hated me. [They said], 'Morning Emma' and blanked me."
Thinking back about how awkward the situation had been, Emma added: "Bless that couple. They were they were so uncomfortable and they tried so hard." While the hot tub row was completely staged, Matt and Emma's marriage has had its share of real-life challenges. But Emma insists that she and Matt still "love being with each other".
She told Closer: "You'd think if you lived and worked together, you'd be like, 'Christ, I need a break!' But we don't. We just absolutely love being with each other all the time."
Matt added: "Of all the things I do, Love Is Blind is my favourite and it's mainly because I'm working with Emma. We get to do this really cool job together, we get flown around the world with this amazing show which is all about love, and I'm with my best mate every day."
Emma presents a new series of The Voice UK from 7pm tonight (Saturday, August 22) on ITV.
