It has been a busy week on the box for Will Mellor.
The Two Pints of Lager star has won acclaim for his performance as Lee Castleton in Mr Bates vs The Post Office. The 47-year-old has also returned to Weatherfield to reprise his role as the villainous Harvey Gaskell.
The imprisoned drug lord is brothers with Damon Hay, who also returned to the Cobbles at the start of a dramatic 2024. Will revealed he was delighted to return to the long running ITV soap.
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He said: "He has a way about him that I enjoy playing because it's a challenge for me. I don't get to play many characters like that, he’s probably the most villainous character I’ve ever played. I knew what I wanted to do with him so when they asked me to come back it was a straight yes."
Will has forged an incredible career in television since he first shot to stardom as James Bolton in Hollyoaks. The star even competed in the 2022 edition Strictly Come Dancing and finished in 5th position.
He credited the show for helping him undergo an incredible weight loss transformation as he revealed on Instagram last year: "Best shape I’ve been in for years!!! Thank you @bbcstrictly!
"Not looking for compliments and never usually post stuff like this but I’m 46 and feel great so gonna try and keep it up. So good for my mental health as well!”
Fans were amazed by the update as a fan named Will said: "You look fantastic Will and more importantly you feel great – I’m 46 next month and this is inspiring." Susan posted: "Oh wow"
Nelly commented: "You look great. Well done."
Will was baffled at the places he managed to lose weight while training for Strictly as he told This Morning: "My watch didn’t fit me! I didn’t know I had chunky wrists but I do! I lost weight everywhere.”
Away from the screen, Will leads a happy life as he has been married to Michelle McSween since 2007. Michelle is a fellow performer and the two met when they starred in the stage musical Oh What a Night in 1999.
The two split up and Will temporarily dated former Corrie star, Angela Griffin, but they split in 2001. Will and Michelle rekindled their romance before tying the knot and now have two children together.
Michelle has appeared with Will on All Star Mr and Mrs and the TV star regularly heaps praise on his wife. He lifted the lid on his romantic proposal during an interview with Sunday People:
He said: ""It was very romantic and I admit I did get a bit teary, I don't know why. I thought it was the woman who was supposed to cry but in this case it was me," he said. "I think the occasion hit me all at once because it was just so right and exactly how I'd imagined it would be."
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