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 Celeb winner, 43, whose wife Emma has been named as one of the new co-hosts of Strictly Come Dancing, candidly revealed this week that he sought professional help after feeling “flat” despite things seemingly going well.
Matt admitted he has been holding onto painful beliefs about himself from childhood that have haunted him throughout his life. “I went to therapy again recently,” he said.
“I just feel a little bit flat. I don’t really know why. I feel a bit guilty for saying it, if I’m honest, and I feel bad for saying that I don’t feel great because everything’s going really well and I should feel fantastic.”
View 3 ImagesMatt Willis with wife Emma at the BAFTAs in 2024(Image: Getty Images)
He added: “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.”
The former Busted star said he’s now had seven “life-changing” sessions, which have helped hugely. “That kid’s still there with me, but he doesn’t define who I am now,” he added.
His revelation on his On The Mend podcast 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.
While Matt is also enjoying success in his career, he still doesn’t feel that he’s “enough”.
“It’s not a surprise I have to end my gratitude list with ‘I am enough’ because I have to remind myself [of that],” he said. “I had this real battle with those words because I don’t necessarily believe it. I get caught up with this thing with ‘I’m enough but I want to be more.'”
View 3 ImagesEmma Willis was recently announced as one of the Strictly Come Dancing hosts(Image: BAFTA via Getty Images)
The father-of-three, 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,” he admitted. “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.”
Matt 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.
He and Emma, who married in July 2008, share three children together: Isabelle, 16, Ace, 14, and Trixie, nine.
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Matt revealed on the podcast that his recent therapy breakthrough helped him confront childhood trauma he’d previously avoided.
“I was a bit worried that if I did, it was like Pandora’s box. I had all these worries and fears about it. And I had the most incredible life-changing experience,” he said.
He added: “I think a lot of us want to project an image of something, so we give off this kind of bullshit spiel, or we don’t want to admit vulnerability.”