Each week we ask a public figure to delve into their childhood, and look at how their early experiences influenced the man they grew up to be.
Born in Stockport in 1976, Will Mellor is an actor known for his role as Jambo in Hollyoaks and a decade-long run in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps. He also acted in Coronation Street, Broadchurch, and the 2024 ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office. In 2022, he was a contestant on Strictly Come Dancing. Mellor lives in Buckinghamshire with his wife, the dancer Michelle McSween, who he has been with for 26 years. They have two children, Jayden and Renee, who are 21 and 18.
My dad [who died in 2020] went to prison for 18 months when I was a young child. He was very tough on me, wanting to make sure I didn’t go off the rails. He was like: “This isn’t going to happen to you, I’m going to make sure of it, you have to make the right decisions, and if you don’t, I’ll be coming down on you like a ton of bricks.” He hit me, and he’d say to his friends: “If you see my son doing something he shouldn’t, you can hit him for me.” So he had spies looking out. It was a different time. I had four sisters, and they got it the same. Having an authoritative parent like that, who I was fearful of, kept me on the straight and narrow.
If my kids do something wrong, I believe it’s my fault. If they go off the rails and they hurt somebody, or they represent me badly then it reflects on me as a parent. I’m much less strict than my dad was, and I just believe being a good parent is paying attention. I tell them that whatever they want to do, I’ll support them. You know kids, they have fads and phases, like my son took up drumming for a bit and did it really well, but then didn’t want to do it anymore. Then it’s gymnastics, and football, and my daughter got into dance and performing arts…and I told them that they can try things, and if that’s not for them, we’ll try something else. I want my children to know I’m here to support them. It’s all about open conversation. At the same time, if anyone says, “parenting is easy”, then they’re doing it wrong.
My kids are not like me. I had to learn that very quickly. My son was procrastinating and I was like: “Listen, at your age, I was doing this and that, I was knocking on doors, looking for work, trying to make things happen.” He said: “But dad, I’m not you”. It hit me hard, and I told him I was sorry, and that he was right. He’s not me. I felt guilty then, because you can’t expect from your kids, they’re different people. They have to work it out for themselves. You’re always learning as a parent.
Nobody tells you about the guilt. As a dad, I self-flagellate a lot, and I have to go to a counsellor to speak to them about it. I beat myself up loads about stuff I can’t control, like when I’d go away filming for long periods when the children were younger, and I’d FaceTime them and couldn’t talk because I’d be crying and I didn’t want to upset them. I felt I should be with them, but I was away to provide for my family. Or at home, I’d discipline them and then feel so guilty for that.
I was that disruptive kid in class. I didn’t know I had ADHD – nobody did, as it wasn’t really a thing then – but I was literally told to sit at the back of the class with headphones on, just so I wouldn’t talk to people. They gave up on me because I had so much energy. I wasn’t naughty but I couldn’t concentrate, and I had to keep moving. I just knew my brain felt different, and there are things that bother me more than they do other people. Bright lights, when I go into restaurants I can’t have certain sounds, that sort of thing. It used to drive people mad. At the same time, it means I’m very driven, and I’m always thinking outside the box. I can think five or six different ways at the same time, which is draining, but it means my brain is always thinking of other options and other ways to overcome. It made me push forward through my career and believe the impossible was possible.
I told my mum as a kid, that I’d be famous one day. My parents said: “Ok, well what are you going to do if it doesn’t happen?” and I said: “But it is going to happen”. It wasn’t arrogance, it was a voice in my head. Everyone has some sort of voice telling them what they should be doing. Having the support of my family meant it didn’t matter where I came from. They could have easily told me to stop talking nonsense, but they didn’t. I told the teachers I wanted to act and they said I couldn’t do it because I was from a council estate. I asked if I could do something related to acting for my work experience and they said it wasn’t a proper job, so they set me up with a mechanic.
I used to put off going to the doctors. I’d always try to make excuses for why I don’t need to go. I do a lot of self-diagnosing. But as I get older, for the sake of my children apart from anything else, I don’t want to be ignorant about my health. I enjoy a beer, that’s no secret, I love having one while watching football. So I got a blood test done to see whether I’m having a bit too much. They said there was nothing wrong but that I could probably drink less, so I immediately bought some low and no-alcohol beer. Now I can have a few of those in the week when I fancy that taste. I just like life so much, I want to have a good one for as long as possible.
Will’s Two Pints Podcast is partnered with leading digital healthcare provider, Numan, who offer discreet testing for low testosterone and other men’s health conditions.
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