Will Mellor
{{short description|British actor (born 1976)}}
{{EngvarB|date=November 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2017}}
{{other people|William Mellor}}
{{pp-pc1}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Will Mellor
| image = Will Mellor (1) (cropped).jpg
| caption = Mellor in 2012
| birth_name = William Mellor
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=y|1976|4|3}}
| birth_place = Bredbury, Stockport, Greater Manchester, England{{cite news |title=Will Mellor opens up on his battle with depression and the sudden death of his father |url=https://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/showbiz-news/mellor-opens-up-battle-depression-18453139 |access-date=9 February 2021 |work=Manchester Evening News}}
| years_active = 1990–present
| occupation = {{hlist|Actor|singer}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Michelle McSween|2007}}
| children = 2
}}
William Mellor (born 3 April 1976) is an English actor and singer. He is known for his roles as Jambo Bolton in Hollyoaks, Gaz Wilkinson in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, Warren Stamp in EastEnders, DC Spike Tanner in No Offence, Steve Connolly in Broadchurch, Georgie in Barking! and Ollie Curry in White Van Man. He appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Harvey Gaskell (2021–2022, 2024). In 2024, he appeared as sub-postmaster Lee Castleton in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about the British Post Office scandal.
Career
Mellor first came to the public's attention in 1990, when he played Ben Rowlingson in the children's programme Children's Ward. In 1992 he played Paul Howard in Brookside. In 1995, he joined the cast of the soap opera Hollyoaks and played James "Jambo" Bolton until 1998. He had a cameo as Jambo in a Christmas edition of Hollyoaks. He released a cover of Leo Sayer's "When I Need You", which reached number 5 in the UK Singles Chart, as well as a follow-up single called "No Matter What I Do", which reached number 23.{{cite book
| first= David
| last= Roberts
| year= 2006
| title= British Hit Singles & Albums
| edition= 19th
| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited
| location= London
| isbn= 1-904994-10-5
| page= 360}} He also made an appearance in the music video for Boyzone's Comic Relief single "When the Going Gets Tough".
Shortly after, Mellor appeared as Greg in Is Harry on the Boat?. He played Jack Vincent in Casualty from 2001 to 2003, and starred as Gaz Wilkinson in the comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps from 2001 to 2011.{{cite news |title=Who is Will Mellor? Hollyoaks and Line of Duty star |url=https://www.entertainmentdaily.co.uk/tv/who-is-will-mellor-hollyoaks-and-line-of-duty-star/ |access-date=9 February 2021 |work=Entertainment Daily}} Mellor starred as "Barmpot" in the postal worker drama Sorted, and played DC Jed Griffiths in the second series of Murder Investigation Team.{{cite news |title=Meet the cast of Line of Duty – who's who in the 'bent copper' series |url=https://www.radiotimes.com/tv/drama/line-of-duty-cast/ |access-date=9 February 2021 |work=Radio Times}} In 2004, Mellor provided the voice for Georgie the dog in the CITV series Barking!. He played Tom in the second series of The Street. Mellor won the first series of the BBC singing contest Comic Relief Does Fame Academy in 2003.{{cite web | url=http://www.u.tv/Entertainment/Mellor-wins-Fame-Academy/519360cf-138b-4436-9af7-96f63e42a78f | title=Mellor wins Fame Academy | date=15 March 2003 | access-date=6 July 2011}} He made his EastEnders debut on 20 May 2007 playing womanising salesman Warren Stamp.
Mellor was a guest star in the BBC fantasy drama Merlin, playing the villain Valiant in the series second episode of the same name.{{cite web |title=Merlin - Knight Valiant |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/5Zwl8436rFRNw3fMXgZKCnc/knight-valiant |website=BBC |access-date=9 February 2021}} In October 2008, he starred in The Prisoner, a documentary about prison life. Mellor portrayed Chris in the British horror thriller film The Reeds.{{Cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/34335/stephen-rebello-shares-five-things-you-never-knew-about-the-making-of-psycho/|title=Stephen Rebello Shares Five Things You Never Knew About the Making of Psycho|first=Steve|last=Barton|date=5 June 2012|website=Dread Central}}{{cite web|url=http://www.bloody-disgusting.com/news/18452|title=Horrorfest '10: After Dark Heading Deep Into 'The Reeds' -|date=19 December 2009 |publisher=Bloody Disgusting}} Mellor did a brief stint on children's television channel CBeebies, in which he read books for the audience. In 2011, he starred in the BBC Three comedy White Van Man and the BBC One drama Waterloo Road.{{cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00zt20l |title=BBC One – Waterloo Road, Series 6, Episode 18 |publisher=BBC |date=23 March 2011 |access-date=16 April 2012}}
From 2011 to 2012, he played Liam Flynn in the BBC One comedy series In with the Flynns,{{cite news|url=http://www.tvwise.co.uk/2012/10/exclusive-bbc-one-cancels-comedy-series-in-with-the-flynns/|title=BBC One Cancels Comedy Series 'In with the Flynns'|date=30 October 2012|publisher=TV Wise|access-date=18 September 2013}} as well as appearing in White Van Man.{{cite web | url=http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/tv/news/a321584/will-mellors-white-van-man-lands-second-series.html | title=Will Mellor's 'White Van Man' lands second series | work=Alex Fletcher | date=26 May 2011 | access-date=6 July 2011}} Mellor had a guest role in the final episode of the BBC Three comedy series Mongrels. In 2013, he played Steve Connolly in the ITV detective drama Broadchurch. In 2014, he appeared on BBC One's Kay Mellor drama series In the Club. In February 2021, it was announced that Mellor would join the cast of Coronation Street as Harvey Gaskell, with his first scenes airing in March.{{cite news|url=https://www.itv.com/coronationstreet/articles/will-mellor-casting-news-harvey|title=ITV announces Will Mellor will join the cast of Coronation Street|date=9 February 2021|work=ITV}}{{cite news |last1=Sam |first1=Warner |title=Coronation Street casts Will Mellor as drugs boss Harvey |url=https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a35455494/coronation-street-will-mellor-harvey/ |access-date=9 February 2021 |work=Digital Spy}} From 24 September 2022, Mellor competed in the twentieth series of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with professional dancer Nancy Xu.{{cite news |first=Ellie |last=Harrison |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/strictly-come-dancing-2022-will-mellor-b2174597.html |title=Will Mellor: Who is the Strictly Come Dancing 2022 contestant and what is he famous for? |work=The Independent |date=24 September 2022 |access-date=24 September 2022}} The couple made it to the semi-finals, but were eliminated on 12 December 2022, finishing in fifth place.
In 2024, he appeared as sub-postmaster Lee Castleton in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office, about the British Post Office scandal. He later criticised the Post Office CEO Paula Vennells for a lack of "humanity" during the scandal.{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-england-manchester-67916492|title=TV actor Will Mellor criticises Post Office boss|via=www.bbc.co.uk}}
Personal life
Mellor met dancer Michelle McSween when they starred together in the stage musical Oh, What a Night in 1999. They married in 2007,{{cite web | url=http://www.people.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2007/11/18/will-mellor-on-marriage-93463-20123207/ | title=WILL MELLOR ON MARRIAGE | publisher=People.co.uk | date=18 November 2007 | access-date=6 July 2011}} and have two children. In 2020, in a podcast with fellow actor and friend Ralf Little, Mellor discussed his struggle with depression after the death of his sister six years before. Mellor's father Bill died in 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, two weeks after being diagnosed with cancer. In week 8 of Strictly Come Dancing, on 12 November 2022, Mellor danced a waltz to the song "Three Times a Lady", as a tribute to his father.{{cite web | url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/news/will-mellor-strictly-father-death-b2223920.html | title=Will Mellor tells his kids he's OK as he cries on Strictly over death of his father | website=Independent.co.uk | date=12 November 2022 }}
Filmography
= Film =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 2000
| Justified Technophobe | David | Short film |
| 2008
| Brian | |
| 2010
| The Reeds | Chris | |
| 2018
| Lord Soini | Also known as Of Gods and Warriors |
| 2021
| Me, Myself and Di | Robbie – Orange Coat | |
= Television =
| class="wikitable sortable" |
| Year
! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" | Notes |
|---|
| 1990
| Ben Rowlingson | Series 3; 5 episodes. Credited as William Mellor |
| 1992
| Paul Howard | 4 episodes |
| 1995–1997, 2004
| Series regular; 85 episodes |
| 1998–1999
| Himself – Co-host | Series 2 & 3; 17 episodes |
| 1999
| Granger | Series 1; episode 7: "Stranded" |
| 2000
| Gareth | Series 1; episode 3: "Fat Free" |
| 2001
| Greg | Television film |
| 2001–2003
| Casualty | Jack Vincent | Regular role. Series 15–17; 72 episodes |
| 2001–2011
| Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps | Regular role. Series 1–9; 79 episodes |
| 2004–2006
| Barking! | Georgie (voice) | Series 1–3; 20 episodes |
| rowspan="3" | 2005
| DC Jed Griffiths | Series 2; episodes 1–4 |
| Where the Heart Is
| Ed | Series 9; episode 8: "Peaches and Cream" |
| Stars in Their Eyes
| Himself / George Michael | Celebrity Special 3 |
| 2006
| Sorted | Barmpot | Episodes 1–6 |
| rowspan="4" | 2007
| Martin Waddy | Series 3; episode 4: "Nemesis" |
| Director's Debut
| Jed Warner | Episode 2: "Baby Boom" |
| EastEnders
| 4 episodes |
| The Street
| Tom | Series 2; episode 3: "Demolition" |
| rowspan="2" | 2008
| Joe Lacey | Episode 1 |
| Merlin
| Series 1; episode 2: "Valiant" |
| 2009
| Bradley | Mini-series; episodes: "Part One" and "Part Two" |
| 2010
| World's Toughest Driving Tests | Himself – Presenter | Episodes 1–6 |
| rowspan="3" | 2011
| Mongrels | Himself | Series 2; episode 9: "Miquita and the Obligatory Clips Show" |
| Waterloo Road
| Dan Hargrove | Series 6; episode 18 |
| All Star Family Fortunes
| Himself – Contestant | Series 6; episode 3: "Lisa Snowdon vs Will Mellor" |
| rowspan="2" | 2011–2012
| Ollie Curry | Series 1 & 2; 13 episodes |
| In with the Flynns
| Liam Flynn | Series 1 & 2; 12 episodes |
| rowspan="4" | 2013
| Himself – Contestant | Series 5; episode 4 |
| Broadchurch
| Steve Connelly | Main cast member; series 1; 7 episodes |
| Dates
| David | Episodes 1, 5 & 9 |
| Big Star's Little Star
| Himself – Contestant | Series 1; episode 1 |
| 2014–2016
| Rick | Main cast member; series 1 & 2; 12 episodes |
| rowspan="2" | 2015
| Karl Slater | Series 4; episode 2: "Hidden Secrets" |
| The Job Lot
| Greg | Series 3; episode 5 |
| 2015–2018
| DC Spike Tanner | Main cast member; series 1–3; 21 episodes |
| 2016
| PC Rod Kennedy | Series 3; episodes 1 & 2: "Monsters" and "The Process" |
| 2017
| The Keith and Paddy Picture Show | Dr. Egon Spengler Replacement 2 | Series 1; episode 2: "Ghostbusters" |
| rowspan="2" | 2019
| Sanctuary | Redpath | Episodes 1–8 |
| MyBad!
| Davey Dave | Television film |
| 2021–2022, 2024
| 53 episodes |
| 2022
| Himself – Contestant |
| 2023
| Cops Who Kill with Will Mellor | Himself – Presenter | Episodes 1–8 |
| rowspan="3" | 2024
| Mr Bates vs. The Post Office | Mini-series; episodes 1–4 |
| The Teacher
| Jimmy Spencer | Series 2; episodes 1–4 |
| Will & Ralf Should Know Better
| Himself | Mini-series |
= Guest appearances =
- Test the Nation: The Popular Music Test (4 September 2004) – Guest
- I Love My Country (28 September 2013) – Guest
- Through the Keyhole (2014, 2017) – Homeowner / Panellist
- Celebrity Juice (2015–2022) – Guest (25 episodes)
- A Question of Sport (2022) – Panellist
- Would I Lie to You? (2024) – Guest{{cite web |title=Would I Lie To You? |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m001vns6 |website=BBC |access-date=11 February 2025 }}
Awards and nominations
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{commons category}}
- {{IMDb name|0578123}}
{{s-start}}
{{succession box
| title = Comic Relief Does Fame Academy Winner
| years = Series 1 (2003)
| before = None
| after = Edith Bowman
|}}
{{S-end}}
{{Fame Academy}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mellor, Will}}
Category:English male soap opera actors
Category:Singing talent show winners