Who Are the ‘Love Is Blind: UK’ Hosts? Meet Matt and Emma Willis
The adorable married couple is basically the British version of Nick and Vanessa.
Love is Blind has returned early for reality TV fans, though not in the form U.S. viewers have come to know. This August, Netflix debuted Love is Blind: UK, the latest installment in the franchise in which eligible singles sign up to fall in love and (potentially) marry someone they meet "sight unseen."
To spearhead the series, the streaming giant found an alluring Love Is Blind: UK cast of 30 singles, set up pods and couples vacations in locations across Europe, and recruited two hosts who are familiar faces to TV fans across the pond. Emma and Matt Willis are the hosts and British stand-ins for Nick and Vanessa Lachey on Love Is Blind: UK—and not only have the married couple and parents been together for nearly 20 years—but they also have extensive reality TV experience. They've quickly become reasons to watch the series (along with the relationship drama of couples like Bobby and Jasmine, and Nicole and Benaiah), in part because they are not afraid to open up about what makes a decades-long marriage work. Read on to learn more about Love Is Blind: UK hosts Matt and Emma Willis and their touching love story.
Matt Willis is a member of the English band Busted.
Matt Willis, 41, is a London-born musician who rose to fame as a member and co-founder of the English band Busted, dubbed a boy band in the early 2000s but today is recognized as a pop-punk band. He was a bassist and co-vocalist, along with members Charlie Simpson and James Bourne. The BRIT Award-winning trio made their debut in 2000 and went on to sell over five million records worldwide, with four U.K. number-one singles, before they disbanded in 2005.
A post shared by Busted (@busted)
A photo posted by on
Since then, Matt has released solo music and worked as a TV personality and actor. He won season 6 of the reality competition I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Outta Here!, and his acting credits include the 2014 revival of Birds of a Feather, a short stint on the British soap operas EastEnders and Casualty, and several theatrical roles including Footloose, Wicked, and Waitress.
Matt has also been vocal about his history with addiction in the mid-2000s. In 2023, he was the subject of the BBC documentary Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction, and he also started a podcast called "On the Mend."Describing the project on Instagram, he wrote, "I’m going to be exploring some of the different kinds of addictions there are, and chat to some people who have gone through them, and I also get to talk some experts on how best to recover."
A post shared by Matt Willis (@mattjwillis)
A photo posted by on
Emma Willis is a famous broadcaster and former model.
Emma Willis (née Griffiths), 48, was born in Birmingham, England, and began modeling at the age of 15. She's best known as a TV and radio broadcaster, who began her career presenting on MTV in 2002. Since then, she has presented on British daytime and reality shows including This Morning, The Voice: UK, Big Brother, Celebrity Big Brother, and the BRIT Awards. She also hosted two seasons of The Circle UK, putting her one degree away from Netflix years before Love is Blind: UK.
A post shared by Emma Willis (@emmawillisofficial)
A photo posted by on
Matt and Emma Willis have been married for almost 20 years.
Emma and Matt met and began dating all the way back in 2004. In a recent interview with The Guardian, they recalled meeting each other at MTV while Emma was working as a presenter, with Emma being the one to pursue Matt and get his number. The couple got engaged three years later during a vacation in Venice, Italy, and they were married in 2008 at Rushton Hall in Northamptonshire, per The Sun. They share three children: Isabelle, born in 2009, Ace, born in 2011, and Trixie, born in 2016.
Stay In The Know
Marie Claire email subscribers get intel on fashion and beauty trends, hot-off-the-press celebrity news, and more. Sign up here.
The couple often working together, sharing presenting duties on shows ranging from I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Outta Here! (the two seasons after Matt won), to the 2008 BRIT Awards, to occasional appearances at the BAFTAs. Emma also appeared in Fighting Addiction, where she opened up about the effects that Matt's history with drug use and rehab had on their marriage.
A post shared by Emma Willis (@emmawillisofficial)
A photo posted by on
Speaking with The Guardian, Emma said of their relationship: "Matt and I are always working on our marriage. The wedding isn’t the destination, it’s the lasting part that is. As we’ve gotten older and more mature and settled, we have realized that as long as we communicate, we can avoid sitting on resentments or creating the kind of environment that leads to getting divorced. I won’t allow that to happen to us—and I won’t let him do it either!"
Quinci is a Culture Writer who covers all aspects of pop culture, including TV, movies, music, books, and theater. She contributes interviews with talent, as well as SEO content, features, and trend stories. She fell in love with storytelling at a young age, and eventually discovered her love for cultural criticism and amplifying awareness for underrepresented storytellers across the arts. She previously served as a weekend editor for Harper’s Bazaar, where she covered breaking news and live events for the brand’s website, and helped run the brand’s social media platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Her freelance writing has also appeared in outlets including HuffPost, The A.V. Club, Elle, Vulture, Salon, Teen Vogue, and others. Quinci earned her degree in English and Psychology from The University of New Mexico. She was a 2021 Eugene O’Neill Critics Institute fellow, and she is a member of the Television Critics Association. She is currently based in her hometown of Los Angeles. When she isn't writing or checking Twitter way too often, you can find her studying Korean while watching the latest K-drama, recommending her favorite shows and films to family and friends, or giving a concert performance while sitting in L.A. traffic.
-
Kamala Harris Is Dressing for the Job She Wants
Here's every major look she's worn on the campaign trail so far.
By Hanna Lustig Published
-
Beyoncé Says She Had "Little Boundaries" and "Said Yes to Everything" Early in Her Career
The Destiny's Child era apparently wasn't a high point for Bey's mental health.
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Chappell Roan Says She "Would Not Have Been Able to Handle" Her Sudden Fame Before Seeking Treatment for Her Bipolar II Disorder a Year Ago
“I realized I can’t live like this. I can’t live being so depressed or feel so lost that I want to kill myself. I just got my shit together."
By Kayleigh Roberts Published
-
Is There a 'Selling Sunset' Season 8 Reunion? What We Know
The cast's statements on social media are beginning to eclipse the Netflix show.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
'The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives' Season 2: Everything We Know
The reality hit has everything, from swingers to Chippendales scandals.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
What to Know About 'Selling Sunset' Season 8 Star Alanna Gold
Here's what to know about the latest realtor to join the Netflix hit.
By Quinci LeGardye Last updated
-
Netflix's 'Midnight Sun' Series: Everything We Know About the 'Twilight' Animated Series
Hold on tight, spider monkeys.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
'The Perfect Couple' Ending Explained: Breaking Down Who Killed Merritt
Nicole Kidman and Meghann Fahy star in the murder mystery.
By Sadie Bell Published
-
What Happened on 'The Bachelorette' Finale: Here's What to Know About How Jenn Tran's Season Ended
The drama between Jenn, Devin, and Maria has made Bachelor Nation furious... at the producers.
By Quinci LeGardye Last updated
-
'Kaos' Season 2: Everything We Know
The Greek mythology-inspired series sets up a truly epic second installment.
By Quinci LeGardye Published
-
Your Guide to the Cast of Netflix's 'Kaos'
The gods are real, and Jeff Goldblum is the king of them all.
By Quinci LeGardye Last updated