Emma Willis has opened up about the intense reality of taking on a brand-new presenting role on Strictly Come Dancing. She detailed the extreme secrecy behind her auditions, the honest reactions of her children, and her ongoing reflections on motherhood and marriage.
The 50-year-old presenter joined the iconic BBC ballroom show alongside comedian Josh Widdicombe and professional dancer Johannes Radebe. Stepping into the shoes of long-running hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman following their departure at the end of 2025, Willis admits that the sheer scale of the new job brought back feelings she had not experienced in years.
Inside the Secret BBC Auditions and Trio Dynamic
Securing the high-profile role was no straightforward task. Willis underwent a deeply confidential audition process designed by BBC producers to protect the identities of potential candidates. The production team utilized a false programme name and arranged private transport for prospective presenters to keep the project under wraps.
“Even my agent didn’t know where I was going,” Willis recalled, noting that she would ask for just the area of the studio so she could estimate her travel time. When she finally stepped into her screen test, the seasoned television professional found herself surprisingly tongue-tied.
“I read hundreds of scripts all the time, but I could barely speak,” she admitted. “I felt like a beginner again. It was actually nice to feel those nerves and to feel that drive.”
The BBC ultimately decided to go “a bit rogue” by introducing a three-person presenting team instead of the traditional duo. While the trio format was initially unplanned, producers realized that Willis, Widdicombe, and Radebe shared an undeniable on-screen chemistry.
Family Reactions and a Funny Pregnancy Misunderstanding
Away from the glittering television studios, the career milestone hit close to home. Willis has been married to Busted star Matt Willis since 2008, and the couple shares three children: Isabelle, 17, Ace, 14, and Trixie, 10. Because the children have grown up watching the BBC entertainment fixture every week, the news of their mother joining the show elicited a range of emotional responses.
“Mine were over the moon,” Willis shared. “One cried, another told me how proud they were, and my youngest was slightly gutted because she thought my news was going to be that I was pregnant!”
Although youngest daughter Trixie was initially disappointed by the clarification, she quickly warmed up to the excitement of having her mother working behind the scenes on her favorite program. Meanwhile, husband Matt Willis defended his wife against early online backlash directed at her co-hosts, telling ITV’s This Morning that she simply puts her head down and focuses on doing her job to the best of her ability.
Navigating Motherhood and Self-Doubt
Despite her successful television career, which spans massive primetime hits like Big Brother and The Voice UK, Willis remains refreshingly candid about the challenges of raising a family.
Reflecting on parenthood, the presenter admitted that she still battles self-doubt regarding whether she is raising her children correctly. “The idea of being a role model is bizarre. I am in no way, shape, or form perfect. I have no idea if I’m doing this right,” she confessed.
Balancing a demanding public career with family life with Matt and their teenagers remains a continuous juggling act. However, Willis’s grounded approach continues to resonate with fans across the United Kingdom as she embarks on this exciting new chapter in the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom.
