Matt Willis exposes super secret world of Scientology that tried to split him and Emma up
Love Is Blind Host Matt Willis has opened up about he got sucked into the dark world of Scientology by a 'fairground trick' and almost ruined his marriage to Emma Willis
Mirror, UK/August 7, 2024
By Lucy Needham
Busted star Matt Willis are the hosts of new UK dating show Love Is Blind - a spin off of the chaotic and much-loved US Netflix series.
The pair will be on hand to dish out words of wisdom to the contestants hoping to find love. After being married for 16 years, no doubt the Busted hitmaker and TV presenter will have plenty to offer the single hopefuls.
However, Matt and Emma will be the first to admit their own marriage hasn't been plain-sailing. Matt has previously revealed how Emma issued him a stark ultimatum over his addiction battles.
The pair then endured another rough patch when Matt became swept up in the secret world of Scientology.
The singer revealed that he became so involved with the Church that he almost left his wife Emma Willis on their advice.
The religion is followed by a number of high profile US stars from Tom Cruise to John Travolta and Elisabeth Moss, but no British stars had publicly shared their involvement until Matt spoke out.
Dad-of-four Matt, told how he became 'fully invested' in the religion, spending time at their London headquarters and joining in their practices but became sceptical that leaders were trying to come between him and his TV presenter wife Emma Willis as he develed further into the cult.
His dealings with Scientology began days after he left rehab after seeking treatment for drug and alcohol abuse. Matt said he was walking down London's Tottenham Court Road when he was approached by a stranger asking him some simple questions.
After having just left a treatment facility, talk of a fulfilled life without drugs, promise of a higher power and the opportunity to like-minded new people reeled in a newly-sober Matt. The following week he followed up an invitation to attend the Scientology headquarters.
"Every single day I went there. I bought different books and did different courses. I was in," Matt recalled of his first encounters with the Church.
The star explained how he became fully invested after undergoing a Scientology process called 'auditing' which seeks to 'locate areas of spiritual distress' using an 'E-meter' that detects 'harmful energy' in the body.
Matt said he was instructed to hold onto some metal while being asked a series of questions - the answers to which appeared to influence the movements of a dial.
Afterwards he says he was told by the leaders that they could help him if he embarked on a simple course that would leave him feeling like a different person.
"I was an idiot who got hoodwinked by some guy with a fairground trick," Matt said of the experience.
As he made frequent visits to the centre, Matt says he began to feel he was standing out from the pack in his casual clothes after observing other followers formally dressed and began showing up in a suit and tie to fit in. "They buddied me up with a young guy who was very, very involved. His mum and dad were part of the big leagues. We did some one-to-one work, all questions about my life - what's going on, what's holding me back and holding my potential back?"
"What I was taking from it was that your environment, your friends and the people you're closest to are your problem. I was like, 'What are you f***ing getting at here?"
Matt says the Scientologists warned him there was someone in his life that was 'actually draining him.'
The Busted star was told the 'negative force' was usually the person closest to you, leading Matt to fear the leaders were trying to end his marriage to beloved wife Emma.
It wasn't long before an increasingly suspicious Matt felt adrift from other people in his life. He said he felt as though he had no 'family or friends' because the only people close to him were the family and friends of the Church of Scientology.
As Matt became more involved, he said the Scientologists didn't want him to leave and when he raised concerns other members were brought in to talk to him.
Matt said he eventually managed to cut ties by keeping away from the headquarters completely and refusing to pick up his phone when he was called every day for a month.
According to the star, the final straw was when he became embroiled in a huge row with one of the members.
Speaking on Matt Richardson's podcast When No One's Watching, Matt said he only threw away his Scientology bible two years ago.
"I was like, 'I'm going to f***ing read that one day'. "I tried to. It is f***ing enormous and really boring. I got about eight pages in. It doesn't make any sense," he said.
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