Oh my gosh, you will NOT believe this! Matt Willis – the Matt Willis, my King of the Jungle from 2006 – just said he actually regrets doing ‘I’m A Celebrity‘! Can you even imagine? The man won the whole thing, and now he says he wishes he hadn’t even gone on the show! It’s just… shocking. I’ve rewatched his jungle journey a million times, and to hear him say that… it’s heartbreaking, honestly. I need to sit down.
Oh my gosh, I just read that Matt Willis – Matt Willis! – said winning ‘I’m a Celebrity’ actually made things worse for him. Can you believe it? He said all the sudden fame ‘spun him out’ and messed with his struggles with drinking and drugs. It’s just… heartbreaking to hear, honestly. I’ve followed him for years, and to think that something that should have been amazing actually added to his pain… it’s just so sad. I feel for him and Emma so much!
This week, Matt openly shared that while appearing on the ITV2 reality show was a turning point in his career, it also caused him significant personal difficulties.
On his podcast, On The Mend, Matt recalled feeling lost and disconnected from himself, and said the experience that immediately came to mind was when he left the show I’m A Celebrity.
Matt was starting his career as a solo artist after his band, Busted, broke up, but he was really disappointed when his record label decided not to release his album. The label made this decision because his first two songs didn’t do well.
He remembered being in a difficult situation. His record label wasn’t planning to release his solo album and told him he needed to become more well-known. When they suggested ‘I’m A Celebrity…’, he immediately agreed, saying he’d do anything just to get them to release his music.
But what he hoped would be a career-saving move soon wreaked havoc on his mental health.
After appearing on that show, I quickly realized people weren’t interested in my music. Everywhere I went, all anyone wanted to discuss was my time on ‘I’m A Celebrity,’ which was really disappointing.
The father of three explained that before appearing on the show, he was mainly known to fans of the band Busted. After being on the show, however, he became widely recognized by the general public.
When you’re struggling with addiction, like I was then, the worst thing you can do is isolate yourself. It felt surreal because suddenly paparazzi were following me everywhere. Even simple things, like getting a taxi, became strange – the drivers would recognize me and say, “Hello, Matt.”
He admitted he probably shouldn’t have been on the show. Although he won, he didn’t feel good about it, and realized that was a mistake.
It felt like a strange victory – I achieved success on the show, but at a personal cost. I started being recognized as a celebrity, and that overshadowed my identity as a musician.
Matt, once using up to six grams of cocaine daily during his addiction, explained that the constant attention from the public made it more difficult to conceal how severe his issues had become.
He described himself as someone who struggled with drug addiction and fiercely guarded his privacy. ‘I didn’t want people interfering in my personal life,’ he explained. ‘It felt like I had no boundaries, and everyone was scrutinizing things they shouldn’t have been.’
He also revealed how difficult the experience was for his now-wife, Emma.
Looking back on the early days of my relationship, we were still finding our footing, about a year in. Honestly, if we had the communication skills and emotional maturity we have now, things would have been handled so much more smoothly. But at that time, I just wasn’t in a good headspace to navigate it all.
Matt battled alcohol and cocaine addiction for years. In 2008, just one month before his wedding, he entered rehab after Emma gave him an ultimatum: get help or she wouldn’t marry him.
Matt Willis has been sober for several years and his 2023 BBC documentary, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction, was highly acclaimed for its honest portrayal of the challenges of relapse, the journey to recovery, and how addiction affects loved ones.
In a recent podcast episode, he discussed how making the film allowed him to change the narrative around addiction. He explained, ‘My goal was to shift the focus from judgment to compassion – to encourage people to ask, “How can we support those who are struggling?” instead of simply excluding them.’
He talked about how important it is to make things right with people as he gets better, but confessed there’s one person he hasn’t officially apologized to: Emma.
He described ‘step work’ as a process of listing your wrongdoings and then taking steps to fix them. He said the person he most needed to apologize to was his wife, Emma, who supported him even when he was at his lowest point.
People might be surprised to learn I didn’t simply apologize to her. I struggled with what to say, feeling like no words could truly express how sorry I was, and I didn’t want to offer a half-hearted apology.
He explained that he kept waiting for the right moment, thinking he’d do it when he felt ready and she would truly appreciate it. But over time, he realized he was already showing it through his actions, without needing to actually say anything.
It’s not about giving up; it’s about being the person she deserves. I show up and follow through on my commitments to her, and in doing so, I feel like I’m constantly making things right.
Matt says that talking to his kids – Isabelle (16), Ace (13), and Trixie (9) – about his addiction has been one of the most difficult things he’s faced while getting better.
He explained that people often ask why he doesn’t drink, pointing out that even the nanny and his mother drink sometimes. He wondered when and how to explain to a child that he struggles with alcoholism, calling it a strange conversation to have with a kid.
He explained that he’s always handled things in his own way, and he wants people to understand his reasons for that. He believes that if he were to change, he wouldn’t be the same person they know today.
When I drink or use drugs, I become a different person. I lose sight of what truly matters, and only the substance feels important. I never want to be that person again, especially because I love you and want to be my best self for you.
Matt says he’s feeling peaceful for the first time in a long time. He explained that taking control isn’t about pretending to be okay, but about acknowledging your current situation and making your own choices about the future.
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2025-10-29 18:34