‘I drank to block out the pain of losing Dad'

Will Mellor talks to new about grief, growing apart from his former co-star Sheridan Smith and why preserving his mental health is so important

- OLIVIA BUXTON

To say Will Mellor is chatty is something of an understatement. When we catch up with the former Hollyoaks and Two Pints Of Lager And A Packet Of Crisps actor, he’s a ball of energy and more than happy to open up about all aspects of his life, be it his career, his children or his mental health.

The star talks candidly about losing his dad Bill to cancer in April this year, and how he drank to block out his pain. He also reveals how he turned to gambling when he lost his sister Joanne – who died suddenly of a heart attack eight years ago aged just 44 – and how he didn’t like who he was for a while.

But our chat isn’t all sadness, as Will also gushes about how his wife Michelle and children Jayden, 16, and Renee, 12, mean the world to him, and why having kids has made him a “better person”.

He’s also thrilled to be working again with Movember, the campaign that encourages men to grow a moustache to raise awareness of testicular cancer. “I check me nuts seven or eight times a minute,” he jokes.

Here, Will, 44, reveals why he won’t be returning to Hollyoaks, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary, but says he would love to do a Two Pints reunion – although he hasn’t heard from his former co-star Sheridan Smith in years…

Hi Will. We were so sorry to hear about your dad. How did you deal with that?