Matt Willis has revealed he started seeing a therapist again recently after struggling to cope with feelings of insecurity and inadequacy. The former I'm a Celebrity winner, 43, whose wife Emma has been named as one of the new co-hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, candidly admitted this week that he sought professional help after feeling 'flat' despite things seemingly going well.
Speaking on his On the Mend podcast, the Busted star said he had been holding onto painful beliefs from childhood. 'I was holding on to something, which I had held on to, that I was this kind of dirty, disgusting kid who nobody wanted, and didn't deserve to be in the room. I held on to that for my whole life,' he said.
Willis, who has been starring as the Emcee in Cabaret at London's Kit Kat Club since January, said he felt 'overwhelmed' about his West End role despite it being a dream come true. 'I feel anxious and cross with myself for feeling like this. I feel not good enough to do it. I'm feeling angry, overwhelmed and not good enough because I do not feel like I deserve it,' he admitted.
The father-of-three said he has now had seven 'life-changing' therapy sessions, which have helped hugely. 'That kid's still there with me, but he doesn't define who I am now,' he added. Willis has been open about his mental health in recent years, including his battle with addiction, having been to rehab four times and staying clean for almost nine years.
His revelation comes as his wife Emma was confirmed this week as one of the new Strictly Come Dancing hosts alongside Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe, replacing Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman when the show returns in September 2026. The couple, who married in July 2008, share three children together: Isabelle, 16, Ace, 14, and Trixie, nine.
