Strictly Come Dancing is back on our screens with a new cohort of celebs stepping onto the dancefloor, including actor Will Mellor.
The 46-year-old first appeared on TV back in 1990 in ITV's Children's Ward. Since then he has gone on to star in soaps and comedies as well as a number of panel shows.
Five years after Children's Ward, Will took on the role of James "Jambo" Bolton on Hollyoaks, becoming a mainstay on the Channel 4 soap. Will was with the show for a total of four years between 1995 - 1998 and came back briefly to reprise the character in 2004.
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After his Hollyoaks fame, Will released a cover of Leo Sayer's 'When I Need You' which reached number five in the UK charts. He then went on to star in BBC's Casualty from 2001 to 2003 playing Jack Vincent.
Alongside his medical role, Will broadened his horizons with his first comedy role as Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crips' Gaz Wilkinson. The shift in acting style worked well for the star as it became his longest-running role ever, stretching to over a decade.
He would again dabble in soap operas as he picked up guest spots in EastEnders as Warren Stamp in 2007 and more recently in Coronation Street as Harvey Gaskell in 2021. He is now back on TV as a Strictly competitor, after his first week on the ballroom floor, he said he's hoping to do his family proud.
Will admitted that taking part in Strictly is "totally out of his control" but said the BBC dance contest is his mum Shirley's favourite show. The actor added that following the death of his father in 2020 from cancer, he wanted to create new memories.
He said: "The training side of it is one of the reasons why I’m doing it. My mindset completely changed a while back and I just thought I’ve got to start doing things that frighten me a little bit and step out of your comfort zone, and that’s what life is about. And when I got the phone call for this I just said: ‘Yes, I’m going to do it.’
"Also I lost my dad in 2020 and I just thought from then I’ve just got to grab life and I’ve got to do things and I’ve got to create new memories and my mindset changed, and that’s sort of one of the reasons why."
Will has gone down a treat with fans and bookies alike as he currently sits as the favourite to take home this year's glitterball trophy. He added: "It’s my mum’s favourite show so she’s had it really tough over the last few years so I thought, we’ll do this.
"I'm honestly so chuffed to be taking part in Strictly Come Dancing this year! Not going to lie, it's totally out of my comfort zone and I know it will be a huge challenge but that's what life is all about. This is also my mum's favourite show and she’s had a really tough few years so I’m doing this is for her as well. Bring it on!"
Will lives in a luxurious Cheshire property with his wife and two children. He met his wife, dancer and actress Michelle McSween, when they starred together in the stage musical Oh, What a Night in 1999. The couple wed in 2007 and have two children together, Jayden, 18 and Renee, 14.
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