Matt Willis Opens Up About How Fatherhood Changed His Life

Singer-songwriter Matt Willis says fatherhood “changed” his life after struggling with alcohol and drug addiction following the demise of his band Busted.

The bassist that the birth of his first child Isabelle, who is now six, helped him to re-assess his life, clean up his act and kick his habits for good.

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He told Metro: “It [having children] was the only thing that changed me, if I’m honest.

“I was a bit of a naughty boy and I always knew that I couldn’t keep it up forever, but nothing would stop me! Then I had a daughter and I was like, “See ya!” It was the biggest fork in the road for me.”

The Coming Home hitmaker – who also has three-month-old daughter Trixie Grace and four-year-old son Ace with Celebrity Big Brother presenter Emma Willis – entered rehab in 2005 to be treated for alcoholism.

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Following recovery, Busted announced their reunion late last year, but Matt’s wife Emma, 40, says she “never worries” that his addiction will return because he’s “good as gold now.”

She previously said: “At the beginning of our relationship, I didn’t realise the extent of his addiction, and I don’t think he did either.

“He was young and in this huge band, and when it came to an end it seemed that he was just working out who he was and going off the rails a bit. But it’s not until time passes and patterns form that you can see the root of the problem – and it wasn’t just a case of being young and going off the rails.

“To me, we just had to find a way to sort it out. And he did. I never worry about him relapsing. He is as good as gold now.”