Product Code Database
Emma Louise Willis ( ' Griffiths '; born 18 March 1976) is an English broadcaster. She is known for her television and radio work with Channel 5, BBC, ITV and Heart FM.Leigh, Rob. (13 March 2013) Big Brother: Emma Willis 'in running to take over from Brian Dowling' – Mirror Online. Daily Mirror''. Retrieved 31 March 2014. Emma Willis replaces Brian Dowling as presenter of ‘Big Brother’ . Telly Spy (2 April 2013). Retrieved 31 March 2014.
Willis presented the Channel 5 reality shows Big Brother and Celebrity Big Brother (2013–2018), as well as the spin-off show Big Brother's Bit on the Side (2011–2015). She presented the BBC One and ITV1 talent competition show The Voice UK (2014–present), and the children's spin-off The Voice Kids UK (2017–2023). In 2019 and 2021, Willis presented the second and third series of the reality show The Circle on Channel 4. In 2024, she became a co-host of the Netflix dating show , alongside her husband Matt Willis.
On 16 November 2012, Willis was a guest anchor Loose Women and has since presented on several occasions as a stand-in presenter. In 2013, Willis guest presented an episode of The Paul O'Grady Show, while O'Grady was away.
In 2013, Willis co-presented the ITV game show Prize Island with Alexander Armstrong. Emma Willis show 'Prize Island' to be axed by ITV? – TV News. Digital Spy (25 June 2013). Retrieved 31 March 2014. In 2015, Willis was a team captain on the six-part ITV2 comedy panel show Reality Bites, hosted by Stephen Mulhern. On 2 July 2015, it was announced that Willis would present a new three-part series for ITV called What Would Be Your Miracle, about modern miracles. The series began on 28 April 2016. In January 2017, The Voice UK moved from BBC One to ITV. It was confirmed on 9 June 2016 that Willis would present the series after co-hosting three previous series on the BBC. She also presented two series of The Voice Kids on ITV since 2017. In 2017, she presented The BRITs Are Coming live on ITV. She co-presented the 2017 BRIT Awards in February alongside Dermot O'Leary. She hosted The BRITs Are Coming for a second year in 2018. She presented Your Song in 2017, a one-off special for ITV.
On 3 March 2018, Willis made a surprise appearance on Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway, as she presented Win the Ads while the main hosts playing the game as part of the show's 100th episode.
In 2019, Willis replaced Alice Levine and Maya Jama as host of The Circle.
In 2011, it was confirmed that she would be returning to the revived series, presenting the spin-off show Big Brother's Bit on the Side.
On 13 March 2013, it was reported that Brian Dowling would be axed from Big Brother and be replaced by Willis with a source saying, 'Brian has been a great host but Emma is seen by channel chiefs as a true successor to Davina. They're talking to her now about taking over the role from the summer.' Big Brother: Brian Dowling to be replaced by Emma Willis as host? – Big Brother News – Reality TV. Digital Spy (13 March 2013). Retrieved 31 March 2014. It was later confirmed, on 2 April 2013 by Channel 5 that Willis would be replacing Dowling as the new host of Big Brother. Emma Willis replaces Brian Dowling as new Channel 5 Big Brother host – Big Brother News – Reality TV. Digital Spy (2 April 2013). Retrieved 31 March 2014. On 13 June 2013, she began presenting the fourteenth series of Big Brother.
Even though Willis presents the main Big Brother and celebrity series, she still continued to host the spin-off show Bit on the Side, sharing the presenting duties with Rylan Clark. On 2 February 2015, it was announced that Willis was to present her final edition of Bit on the Side that night, and Clark would take over as the main presenter of the spin off show.
Willis infamously Interrogation Winston McKenzie during his exit interview on Celebrity Big Brother over his controversial opinions. Willis has expressed personal pride on this moment in her career.
On 30 March 2014, Willis presented the Mum of the Year Awards, with the highlights being shown on Channel 5 that same evening. Emma Willis revealed as Tesco Mum of the Year Awards host. Tescoliving.com (20 March 2014). Retrieved 31 March 2014.
In March 2014, it was announced that The Voice UK had been renewed for two future series. The Voice UK renewed for two more series – The Voice News – Reality TV. Digital Spy. Retrieved 31 March 2014. Both Willis and Humes returned to the show for the fourth series in 2015 and fifth series in 2016. In 2017, the show moved to ITV.
Willis and Reggie Yates co-hosted the Saturday night game show Prized Apart on BBC One. The series began on 13 June 2015 and was axed after the first series, due to poor ratings.
On 21 March 2023, Willis partnered with Absolute Collagen for their 'Strong in your own skin' campaign.
| Heat Unmissable Awards | TV & Radio Presenter | ||
In an episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, Willis confirmed that she has longstanding roots in Birmingham, with her family tree being traced back to her great-great-great-grandfather, who was named James Gretton and was listed as a Horn and Hair Merchant in the census records. She also found she had Irish ancestors, a fact that came as a surprise to her. The revelations about her ancestry left her extremely uncomfortable with the actions of one, who she discovered was a violent Orange Order, but overall she was happy to have found a connection to her more broad Irish heritage.
Willis is a supporter of Aston Villa.
In 2019, Willis obtained a qualification as a maternity care assistant following her experience on the W series Delivering Babies.
During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2021, Willis and her husband completed training with St John Ambulance to act as vaccination volunteers.
In 2023, Willis was featured in the documentary, Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction. The documentary, which aired on the BBC on 17 May 2023, followed Willis and her husband as they spoke about the latter's addiction issues.
| + Television | |||
| 2002–2003 | MTV UK | Presenter | |
| 2003–2005 | Total Request Live | ||
| 2005, 2007, 2010 | Big Brother's Big Mouth | Guest presenter | |
| 2007–2008 | I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! NOW! | Co-presenter | 2 series |
| 2008–2014 | The Hot Desk | Presenter | Various episodes |
| 2008 | Red Bull Flugtag | Co-presenter | |
| Presenter | |||
| 2010 | Live from Studio Five | Co-presenter | |
| The Real Hustle | Herself | ||
| Big Brother's Little Brother | Co-presenter | 1 series | |
| 2011–2015 | Celebrity Big Brother's Bit on the Side | 8 series | |
| 2011–2014 | Big Brother's Bit on the Side | 4 series | |
| 2012–2014, 2018 | This Morning | "Hub" presenter | Regular |
| 2012–2014, 2018, 2023–present | Stand-in presenter | 11 episodes | |
| 2012–2013, 2021 | Loose Women | Anchor | 8 episodes |
| 2012–2013 | Girlfriends Three ITV Press Centre, 3 May 2012 | Presenter | 2 series |
| 2013 | Speidi: Scandal, Secrets & Surgery! | Narrator | One-off episode |
| Prize Island | Co-presenter | 1 series | |
| The Paul O'Grady Show | Guest presenter | 1 episode | |
| 2013–2018 | Big Brother | Presenter | 6 series |
| 2013–2018 | Celebrity Big Brother | 11 series | |
| 2014–present | The Voice UK | 10 Series | |
| 2015 | Reality Bites | Team captain | 1 series |
| Prized Apart | Co-presenter | 1 series | |
| 2016 | What Would Be Your Miracle? | Presenter | 1 series |
| BRITs Icon: Robbie Williams | Narrator | One-off episode | |
| 2017 | BRIT Awards | Co-presenter | 37th event |
| 2017–2023 | The Voice Kids | Presenter | 7 series |
| 2017 | Your Song | One-off episode | |
| 2017–2018 | The Keith & Paddy Picture Show | Janine Melnitz/Rizzo | 2 episodes |
| 2018–present | Emma Willis: Delivering Babies | Presenter | Documentary series |
| 2019 | Comic Relief | Presenter | Telethon |
| Pants on Fire | |||
| 2019–2021 | The Circle | Series 2 - Series 3 | |
| 2021 | The Celebrity Circle | Series 1 | |
| 2021-Present | Cooking with the Stars | Co-presenter | Series 1-present |
| 2021 | Emma and AJ Get to Work | Co-presenter | Alongside AJ Odudu |
| 2022 | The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C | Herself | Series 5; episode 1 |
| The Great Home Transformation | Co-presenter | With Nick Grimshaw | |
| 2023, 2024 | The World Cook | Co-presenter | With Fred Sirieix |
| 2023 | Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction | Herself | BBC documentary |
| Co-presenter | |||
| 2024 | Team GB's Homecoming by The National Lottery | Co-host | With Vernon Kay |
| Co-presenter | With Matt Willis | ||
| 2025 | |||
| Co-presenter | |||
| Change your Mind, Change your Life'' | Co-presenter | With Matt Willis |
| + Radio | |||
| 2012–2018 | Heart Network | Sunday mornings | Co-presenter |
| 2019–present | BBC Radio 2 | Various | Cover presenter |
|
|
