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22 Jan 2026
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22 Jan 2026
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TV presenter Emma Willis has revealed she had an operation after a “hole” in her heart was discovered.
The former host of Big Brother, 49, was treated at the Royal Brompton Hospital in London and said her husband, Busted singer Matt Willis, “never left my side”.
On Wednesday, she shared a selection of photos to her Instagram, including one of her in a hospital bed with wires attached to her chest.
She wrote: “A big humongous THANK YOU to the team at the Royal Brompton Hospital for their care and support.
“A few weeks ago, I had keyhole heart surgery, which feels very strange to write, and even stranger when I say it out loud.
“From investigations last year, to diagnosis and then surgery, they were absolutely incredible. As was @mattjwillis who never left my side.
“Turns out, I’ve been pottering around for 48 years blissfully unaware I had a hole in my heart isn’t it bonkers what’s happening in our bodies that we have no idea about…
“What blows my mind even more is the wonders of modern medicine, and the spectacular people that save, fix and help us every single day.”
She also thanked her surgeon, who “was recommended as ‘a spectacular pair of hands’”.
Keyhole heart surgery, also called minimally invasive surgery or endoscopic surgery, is carried out through small incisions in the chest, and the technique has been pioneered at Royal Brompton and Harefield hospitals, according to the Guy’s And St Thomas’ Specialist Care website.
In 2024 Willis and her husband presented the show Swiped: The School That Banned Smartphones, which saw the couple stop using their smartphones for 21 days along with pupils at a school in Essex.
She is also known for hosting The Voice UK, The Circle, and Love Is Blind: UK.
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