Presenting duo Matt and Emma Willis have spoken about the rules on Love Is Blind and how their relationship has been shaped by therapy
Television presenting duo Matt and Emma Willis said they were said when the producers behind Love is Blind made a big decision after the show. Love is Blind is a streaming series on Netflix where equal numbers of single men and women live in separate areas and spend two weeks dating members of the opposite sex in pods where neither one can see the other.
As a result, the focus is meant to be not on how someone looks, but their personality and how one converses with them. During this time period, contestants must decide whether or not they want to be engaged to the other, before spending three weeks in a flat together before deciding, at a wedding ceremony, whether or not to marry their partner.
Busted bassist Matt, 42, and Emma, 49, have been the presenting the UK version of the hit Netflix dating show for the past few years, although recently announced their decision to step back from the accompanying podcast.
But despite building connections with contestants on the show, they revealed they were unable to attend the wedding ceremonies for one key reason.
Matt told the i: “Apparently they tried this with the American hosts and it was too distracting.” Emma then added: “We should just get ordained and conduct the ceremonies ourselves!”
The pair’s comments as they discussed their own 17-year marriage and the benefits of therapy within a relationship nearly 20-years after they first met through friends.
Emma said that she was the one who made the first move Matt. She said: “I was physically attracted to Matt before I fell in love with him. He was – and still is – the most charismatic person I’ve ever met. As well as funny and kind.”
Matt added: “I remember the first time I hung out with Emma. Nothing happened. But I walked back to my hotel thinking: ‘Oh my god! That is the coolest f****** girl I’ve ever met.’ I remember that very vividly.”
As well as looking back on the good times in their relationship, the pair have also been open about the difficult times in their marriage and how much therapy has helped them.
Speaking to the BBC about it ahead of their programme ‘Change Your Mind’ which looked at therapy, Emma said that it had worked well for them and hoped it would work for other people.
She said: “I think we’ve both experienced first-hand the effects that it can have.
“For us, we’re huge advocates of therapy, if it’s accessible to you, or simply talking or finding tools or tips and tricks that can help you.”
Matt added: “We’ve been through a journey and an experience. I’ve had quite a lot of therapy in my life and it’s been transformative for me. It’s also knowing the work is outside the room as well.”