‘EMMA'S BRILLIANT AT HER JOB BUT PRESENTING ISN'T MY BAG!'

MATT WILLIS ON THOSE RUMOURS OF A MOVE INTO TV HOSTING WITH HIS WIFE THE HIGHS AND LOWS OF FAMILY LIFE DURING THE PANDEMIC AND HIS EXCITING NEW ACTING ROLES

- KIRSTY NUTKINS

It’s hard to believe it’s been 20 years since Matt Willis and his two Busted bandmates, Charlie Simpson and James Bourne, topped the charts with their insanely catchy hit, What I Go To School For.

Their tongue-in-cheek brand of pop-punk made them household names and although the trio have reunited a couple of times since – their third studio album in 2016, Night Driver, was recently certified silver – the boys have gone on to forge different careers in recent years.

Matt, who trained at the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School, returned to his roots as an actor, playing Garth Stubbs in the revival of Birds Of A Feather on ITV and Luke Riley in EastEnders, in 2014.

And after re-enrolling at drama school a few years ago to hone his craft, he’s now secured high-profile parts in a nationwide tour of the musical Waitress and in a Second World War film with Ed Westwick.

In between all of that, Matt is also a doting dad to his children Isabelle, 12, Ace, nine, and Trixie, five, who he shares with Emma Willis, 45, his TV presenter wife of 13 years.

Here, the 38-year-old chats about his exciting new roles, the challenges of the past year and another Busted reunion…

How has the past year been for you, Matt?

There have been beautiful, incredible moments – mostly the quality time I’ve been able to spend with my family – but sometimes it’s been scary because most of the things that I do rely on having an audience. I’ve had so many jobs cancelled during the pandemic. But I’ve always had the attitude that there’s light at the end of the tunnel and eventually people will come and see things again.