Watch the trailer for The Teacher
Will Mellor is set to embark on a life-changing affair in the latest series of Channel 5 show The Teacher. The current series focuses on art teacher Dani, who has an affair with her friend and colleague Jimmy Spencer (play by Will Mellor) as a school child goes missing.
As circumstances take a dark twist, the art teacher finds herself risking it all and deceiving her family and her close friends. The Teacher, which starts at 9pm on Monday evening (September 9) is Will Mellor's latest TV series after he played a bewildered BUT innocent postmaster caught up in the Post Office Horizon scandal in the ITV drama Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
The Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps star first appeared on our screens in Children's Ward in 1990 before venturing into Hollyoaks as James Bolton. Viewers will know him for some dramatic roles including Broadchurch, Line of Duty and Death in Paradise.
The Strictly Come Dancing contestant has also bagged a number of other big roles and settled down with his wife and family. Here's what we know about Will Mellor's life and the tragedy that inspired him to join Strictly Come Dancing.
What roles are Will Mellor known for?
Born and raised in Bredbury in Stockport, the actor wanted to become an actor from an early age. He played Ben Rowlingson in children's drama Children's Ward before he joined Hollyoaks as James 'Jambo' Bolton.
Mellor joined Casualty as Jack Vincent and starred in dozens of episodes between 2001 and 2003. His first breakout role was as mechanic and sexaholic Gary Wilkinson in cult comedy Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps for 10 years between 2001 and 2011.
He later ventured into dramatic roles and appeared in Agatha Christie's Marple, Waterloo Road and ITV's Broadchurch. In recent years, he has appeared as DC Spike Tanner in No Offence and appeared in the ITV soap opera Coronation Street as Harvey Gaskell.
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.
Family tragedy that led to his 'terrifying' Strictly experience
Will Mellor sadly lost his sister Joanne in 2014 and revealed he struggled with depression following her death. The Broadchurch and Line of Duty actor recalled he was in a "dark place" and admitted he was drinking and gambling too much.
Many years later, Will's father died during the Covid-19 pandemic. Will explained how he kept to social distancing in the garden and regretted not hugging him goodbye.
It was these family tragedies that inspired him to finally accept Strictly Come Dancing and took part in the series in 2022. Mellor danced a waltz to the song Three Times a Lady as a tribute to his father.
He said: "I was really proud to be involved with Strictly because it was something I wanted to do [for a while].
"I've got to an age where things have been happening around me - I lost my father and I lost my sister quite a while back - and I just got it into my head you've got to grab life. You've got to do things even if it frightens you.
"And they've asked me to do quite a lot but I was a bit wary of doing it in case it stopped me acting. I thought if people saw me doing that they might not see me for parts.
"But also I was worried about what that show could bring - worried about all the wrong things, basically. But then I just decided to do it," he continued.
"You've got to grab life and do things, even if that frightens you it can only be a journey that you come out the other end of and go, 'at least, I did it'.
"And I was chuffed to bits with the show. I loved it. And my mum's a big fan of the show, and I wanted to do stuff for her because she's had a tough time of it," he revealed.
Who is Will Mellor married to?
Will Mellor is currently married to Michelle McSween after they first met in 1999 when they both starred in the musical Oh What A Night.
The couple are celebrating 25 years together this year, but Will told Ralf Little on their Two Pints with Will and Ralf podcast it has not been plain sailing as Will revealed.
"We split up loads of times along the way...but only [over] minor bits and bobs. But you know what I mean when you start a relationship – long distance relationships are tough at first," he told his former Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps co-star.
The couple married in 2007 and have two children, 20-year-old Jayden and 16-year-old Renee.
Speaking to OK! Magazine, the doting father revealed that his children have very different emotions towards his fame.
He said: “Jayden is really laid-back about it all, but Renee gets quite embarrassed! I picked her up from school the other day and there was a group of kids waving at me frantically.
“She got in the car like, 'Drive! Drive! Drive!' She’s great at spotting when people are secretly filming and taking pictures though.”
Will confessed that the longevity of their union has been aided by his absences due to work commitments. The family live in a lavish home in Cheshire.
