he married cilla black on his 27th birthday at marylebone register office. the couple were granted a dispensation to have their marriage blessed on 6 march 1969 at st mary's church, woolton, to please black's catholic family. (willis was from an anglican background.) they had three sons together: robert, who was black's manager (born in 1970), ben (born in 1974), and jack (born in 1980). their daughter ellen (born in 1975), lived for only 2 hours.