Will Mellor has promised to bring out his "inner camp" for Saturday's Strictly Come Dancing visit to Blackpool - at least that's if his body survives all its recent wear and tear.
The 46-year-old actor is due to perform a colourful, hip-swinging samba with partner Nancy Xu as Strictly returns to the Tower Ballroom after a two-year absence due to the pandemic.
But the "knackered" father of two admitted the series is taking its toll. He said: "My feet are still killing me, my knees are wrecked, we are all tired.
"It's an amazing experience but it's tough at the same time. All of us are improving week on week because we have a bit of experience in the competition. But it doesn’t get any easier."
Last week, the soap star broke down in tears following a dance tribute to his father Bill, who died in 2020. Will and Nancy performed a waltz to Three Times A Lady by the Commodores, scoring 38, their highest total of the series so far.
Tomorrow they will do a samba to Hugh Jackman 's I Go to Rio from the musical The Boy from Oz. Will said: "It's like a fabulous Rio carnival we are bringing to Blackpool.
"After last week we can have some fun and celebrate. I'll be bringing out the inner camp in me."
With former England footballer Tony Adams withdrawing from the show due to injury, the remaining eight celebrities - Hamza Yassin, Tyler West, Fleur East, Helen Skelton, Kym Marsh, Molly Rainford, Ellie Taylor and Will - hit the world-famous dancefloor on Saturday.
Blackpool is always a highlight for the show and has produced some of its most unforgettable moments - such as Ann Widdecombe being pulled around the ballroom floor by now judge Anton Du Beke while both dressed in yellow, and Ed Balls being lowered from the ceiling playing a flaming grand piano.
As a northerner performing in Blackpool for Will is – in his straight-talking words - "massive".
As well as his Strictly performances, we will soon be seeing Will back in his acting day job as Coronation Street 's Harvey Gaskell, who makes an appearance from prison.
The druglord had turned Simon Barlow into a dealer before Simon and his adoptive mum Leanne Battersby ( Jane Danson ) began helping police to snare Harvey.
Last year, in revenge, Harvey broke out of prison and tried to kill Leanne, but instead shot and killed Natasha Blakeman by mistake.
Now Natasha's son Sam, played by Jude Riordan, has been writing to Gaskell in prison, to ask why the villain killed his mum.
Despite initial objections from his dad Nick Tilsley ( Ben Price ), Sam remained determined to visit Harvey and they contacted a facilitator to determine whether he would be allowed in.
Even though Leanne visited Harvey, telling him to stay away, Sam will get his way and come face to face with his mother's killer. Harvey then reveals it wasn't his mum he wanted to kill but Leanne.
While Will was initially worried about playing a villain after lad-next-door roles in Hollyoaks and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, the actor told the BBC 's It Takes Two show: "I love playing this character, that's why I came back.
Do you enjoy reading about celebrities? Sign up for all the best celeb news from the Mirror here .
"I wouldn’t have done it if it was going to weaken the character in any way because I think what we did with it last time was enough. But what I did like is, let's explain a little bit why these people behave the way they behave. It's interesting to dive into that.
"I don't want Harvey to suddenly get out of prison and be running the Rovers Return. What I want is for Harvey to be real and a message to go out there that there are people like this, grooming kids, who don’t care about them or their families.
"There is a reason why he is as he is, I've enjoyed playing this story and humanising him but it's also an important message to look out for these kids and I don’t want to weaken that."
What Sam also finds out while meeting Harvey is that the drug boss's own mum died when he was 14 and he spiralled out of control.
Will, who played a police officer in Broadchurch, added: "Bullies are usually bullied themselves, coming from a home without much love and there’s a reason why they're lashing out. Every character should have layers, I never wanted to be two-dimensional, I wanted to show there's more that you don’t know about him.
"He didn't have anything, his mum died and I think he grew up with not much love. He found his way on the street, got in with the wrong crowd and realised 'I'm a somebody here'.
"Probably all he wanted was a bit of love and attention and care, like any kid, and then if you end up being on the wrong side of the street, with crime and drugs and no one caring, this crowd became his shield. These people groom kids, he was groomed himself and he ended up becoming one of them."
With two children of his own - Jayden, 18, and Renee, 14, with wife Michelle - Will believes that 11-year-old actor Jude, who plays Sam, is a special talent but he also made sure that the youngster knew when they were acting.
Will said: "I said to him before we started I'm going to give you my angry eyes for a bit but don’t take it personally, I'll shake your hand afterwards. And he said OK.
"I wanted him to see Harvey, not be all pally with him before the scenes, I needed him to remember that he hated me, then we were hugging after the scenes and having a chat."
Will takes to the dancefloor at Blackpool Tower on the Strictly Come Dancing: Blackpool Special, tomorrow, 7.45pm, BBC1. Coronation Street is tonight and Wednesday, 8pm, ITV.
Do you have a story to sell? Get in touch with us at webcelebs@mirror.co.uk or call us direct 0207 29 33033.
