'IT'S NICE TO HAVE A CHANCE TO HANG OUT TOGETHER'

MATT AND EMMA WILLIS ON JOINING FORCES IN THE KITCHEN, CHORES WARS, AND WHO PLAYS HEAD CHEF AT HOME

- JEN PHARO

Emma and Matt Willis are celebrating 15 years of marriage in July, and what better way to do it than by filming a television show together?

Busted musician Matt, 40, has signed up for his wife’s ITV1 hit Cooking With The Stars, alongside fellow celebrity contestants, actor Jason Watkins, boxing legend Chris Eubank, Coronation Street’s Samia Longchambon, Gavin & Stacey’s Joanna Page, singer Peter Andre, Steps’ Claire Richards and Love Island’s Indiyah Polack.

It means the pair, who often describe themselves as “ships that pass in the night”, will get to spend time together before Busted’s tour starts in September.

On top of that, Emma will reap the benefits if Matt’s celebrity coach Shelina Permalloo manages to teach him to throw together a delicious family meal that even their three children, Isabelle, 14, Ace, 11, and Trixie, seven, will eat.

Until now, Emma has been Matt’s cookery teacher, gradually weaning him off the freeze-dried Pot Noodles he was living on when they met. But Matt’s main reason for joining the show is to spend a bit more time with his wife.

“That is exactly why Matt signed up,” agrees Emma. “He said, ‘I just think it would be really nice for us to hang out together.’ He’s busy and I’m busy, and we’re often ships that pass in the night.

“It’s really nice,” adds Emma, smiling. “We did I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! Now! together about 15 years ago. It was the last time we worked together.”