Matt Willis has expressed his gratitude for his wife Emma supporting him with his documentary about his battle with addiction.
The Busted star, 40, said the reaction to the film was so positive that the rehab centre that was featured in the BBC programme had been booked out for an entire year.
Musician Matt insisted Emma’s dedication and support for him had inspired other people struggling with addiction.
Pop star Matt said television presenter Emma, 47, was unsure about taking part in the documentary at first.
‘I kind of had to talk her into it, really,’ he told the Mirror.
Thankdul: Matt Willis has expressed his gratitude for his wife Emma supporting him with his documentary about his battle with addiction
Great work: Musician Matt insisted Emma’s dedication and support for him had inspired other people struggling with addiction
He continued: ‘It’s a part [of addiction] that doesn’t get talked about – the effect it has on people around you.
Matt said that after the documentary aired in May ‘lots of people reached out about people they loved,’ adding: ‘That was the thing I got the most, messages from loved ones saying, “Thank you for putting that bit in”. It was such an integral part to involve Emma in it.’
Matt and Emma married in 2008, before which the Busted singer battled with well-documented demons, leading to rehabilitation for alcoholism in 2005 and for marijuana addiction a year later.
The father-of-three said he feels ‘very grateful and lucky’ that Emma has stood by him.
Speaking frankly about his marriage, he previously told the Mirror: ‘I always felt like I was hanging on for dear life for so many years. And whereas now, it’s a two-way partnership.’
Matt, who became addicted to smoking cannabis at the age of 13, has been sober for five years and hasn’t had a drink in 13 years.
While with years of sobriety behind him, the bassist said there are certain rules in place to avoid potential relapse triggers including a strict no drugs policy in the dressing room and extending that to anyone around him on tour.
Matt said he finds the ‘mind-altering state of drugs’ too triggering to be around and that he can’t be near anyone on them or around substances.
Loyal: The father-of-three said he feels ‘very grateful and lucky’ that Emma has stood by him
‘I kind of find that really too hard. So I haven’t worked enough on that to be able to be around it,’ Matt said.
The Year 3000 hitmaker added he has learnt over the years not to lie through therapy, after his early rehab stints were unsuccessful because he shirked dealing with his addiction issues.
He said when Busted first found fame in the early noughties he was ‘falling to pieces’ and would be the last one in bed after spending all night partying.
In his early 20s the singer said couldn’t get to lunchtime without drugs or alcohol.
Matt’s honestly comes after his BBC documentary Fighting Addiction gained praise from viewers after it aired in May.
Many praised Matt’s wife Emma for standing by him and offering her support during his battle with addiction, with one viewer branding the documentary ‘the most powerful thing they’ve watched in years.’
In the film, the presenter broke down in tears as she shared fears that Matt could relapse at any time, while revealing she kept a daily diary of his drug use at the height of his addiction.
The first scene of the documentary showed Emma opening the diary she kept in 2008, which detailed Matt’s daily alcohol and drug use.
Strong: The couple married in 2008, before which the Busted singer battled with well-documented demons
One of the diary’s pages showed that Emma had written Matt was ‘totally p***ed’.
She told the cameras: ‘The only thing I could think of to keep track, was to keep a diary.
‘I don’t think I’ve ever read it since I wrote it. It’s literally just notes of… what I knew he had consumed.
‘A bottle of champagne, a couple of wines, a couple of wines… another bottle of champagne, and more.’
Emma also revealed she would go to all the local pubs to try and find Matt, but he would deliberately go to places she wasn’t aware of.
She added: ‘I was so scared he would die,’ while admitting that living with someone with addiction was ‘unpredictable’ and ‘anxiety-inducing’.
Speaking to the camera she said: ‘Matt’s always had issues but they seem to really kick in when he’s on tour.
‘I know he doesn’t wanna be that person but is his brain going to trick him and go, ‘just one more time, no one will know. That’s the worry.’
For confidential advice and support for drug addiction call FRANK on 0300 123 6600 or visit talktofrank.com.
