Emma Willis’s husband defends star as ‘perfect’ Strictly host after BBC viewer criticism

| Freelance Entertainment and SEO Reporter Published October 3, 2026 4:48pm Updated October 3, 2026 4:48pm Matt Willis has defended his wife Emma Willis against criticism of her new Strictly hosting gig (Picture: Courtesy of Netflix) Matt Willis has heaped praise on his wife, Emma Willis, hailing her as the ‘perfect’ Strictly Come Dancing host. Emma, who tied the knot with Busted star Matt in 2008, began co-presenting the BBC show this year alongside Johannes Radebe and Josh Widdicombe. They took over from long-running hosts Tess Daly and Claudia Winkleman for the 24th season, which began last month. Despite the trio facing criticism from the Strictly fanbase, Matt has expressed how ‘perfect’ Emma is for the job and how much she loves the dancing competition. ‘She’s really happy, really excited. It felt different, this job, because she really wanted it, and I think she was scared to say that out loud,’ Matt told The Telegraph. Get personalised updates on Strictly Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro’s TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we’ll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. ‘Strictly was a curveball. Taking the biggest job on TV was not on our bingo card for 2026, but I’m so proud of her. And if anyone can do it, it’s her. I’m stoked for her; she’s perfect for it and loves the show so much.’ He called his Love Is Blind co-host ‘perfect’ for Strictly (Picture: Ken McKay/ITV/Shutterstock) Emma is presenting the latest season of Strictly alongside Josh Widdicombe and Johannes Radebe (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy) Emma recently took to Instagram to hit back at viewers of the show who have criticised her co-hosts, labelling comedian Josh a ‘spare part’. Sharing an assortment of backstage pics from last weekend, the Voice UK host posed ahead of the show with Matt and snapped contestants Will Best and Shaun Wright-Phillips enjoying some calm before the chaos. Emma ended her photo dump with a cryptic quote. It read: ‘You will get judged either way, so may as well pick the fun option.’ Josh also addressed the cruel comments, reposting a statement from professional dancer Lauren Oakley with a series of red hearts. She wrote in her original post: ‘We couldn’t be in safer hands than with these beautiful people. ‘Strictly is about family, uplifting others, and creating a safe space for celebrity contestants to be vulnerable and do something so outside of their comfort zone. The new hosts have faced criticism from viewers, notably comedian Josh (Picture: Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire) Emma hit back at viewers with a cryptic Instagram post (Picture: BBC iPlayer/Metro Pic Desk grab) ‘This trio have been so warm and welcoming, and they felt like family from the minute they stepped into the studio, and we LOVE having them with us. ‘Professional, funny, kind and fantastic at what they do. I couldn’t feel more lucky to be sharing the screen and our Saturday nights with them!’ BBC Radio DJ Ed James also shared his opinion, writing on Instagram that viewers need to ‘be a little kinder’, adding: ‘He’s a great presenter, doing a massive job and was bound to have been bloody nervous.’ He wrote: ‘It’s a TV show?! If you didn’t like him, switch off! Why feel the need to go online and give him a harsh time? ‘Not sure how going online and having a go at him helps anyone… least of all Josh, who’s just trying to do the best job he can on one of the biggest platforms in the UK. Can we be a little kinder? He added: ‘And if you are tempted to open up social media and join the pile-on… Go to the gym, have a glass of wine, spend some time outside and hopefully realise this really isn’t something to get all worked up about!’ Deals of the Day Kurt Geiger's new Notting Hill collection is a love letter to London's chaotic weather I’ve found the Hoover gadget that could make cleaning your floors so much easier I tried L'Oréal Paris's new PDRN serum and my skin looked glossier after one use This new Cricut gadget turns your favourite photos into stickers in minutes From kitchen hatches to burgundy walls – the biggest home trends for 2027 Strictly Come Dancing airs at weekends on BBC One and on BBC iPlayer. Arrow MORE: Karen Carney: ‘I won Strictly – it took me 6 months to recover’ Arrow MORE: Celebrity Traitors fans convinced end credits just ‘confirmed’ a massive spoiler Arrow MORE: Celebrity Traitors star Amol Rajan reveals his big mistake after first murder TV Newsletter Sign up and tell us which TV shows you love to watch to get personalised updates every morning.