Will Mellor: Who is Strictly Come Dancing 2022 contestant and what is he famous for?

Actor is one of the contestants strutting their stuff on the dancefloor this year

It’s time to put up your disco ball... because Strictly Come Dancing is back for another week.

The hit BBC reality series unveiled a whole new roster of contestants for 2022, including TV presenters, athletes, and pop stars.

You can check out the full line-up here.

Among the contestants competing for the Glitterball trophy this year is Will Mellor. He is coupled up with Nancy Xu.

But who is Mellor, and what has he said about appearing on Strictly?

Mellor, 46, is an actor who rose to fame in 1995 when he joined the cast of Hollyoaks as James “Jambo” Bolton until 1998.

He is best known for his roles in Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps and Broadchurch.

The star’s other credits include Line of Duty, and, most recently, ITV soap Coronation Street, in which he played Harvey Gaskell.

Mellor has also had a music career, reaching number five in the charts with his cover of Leo Sayer’s “When I Need You” in 1998.

He is married to a dancer, Michelle McSween, which could come in handy for Strictly. The couple share two children, 18-year-old Jayden and 14-year-old Renee.

Mellor and partner Nancy Xu (BBC/Guy Levy)

Speaking ahead of his Strictly appearance, Mellor said: “I’ve been asked to do things over the years and I’ve never wanted to do them, I was always a bit wary of doing things that might affect my career in a negative way.

“My mindset changed a couple of years ago after I lost my dad. Once I had gone through the grief I just realised you have to grab life and start saying ‘yes’ to things...

“I want to do something that’s a challenge. It’s scary and it’s out of my comfort zone, but those are the things that you remember, and that’s why I decided to do it. Also it’s my mum’s favourite show and she’s had a really tough couple of years, so it will give her something to look forward to and to smile about.”

Mellor topped the Strictly leaderboard in his first week. In week three, Mellor competed while ill and the pair sunk to 12th place for their Rumba to “The Joker and the Queen” by Ed Sheeran. However, they avoided the dance off.

For Halloween week, Mellor and Xu performed a Cha Cha Cha to “Mama Told Me Not To Come” by Tom Jones and Stereophonics while dressed as mummies. They earned a score of 32 from the judges.

For Mellor’s Quickstep in week seven, he received positive comments from the judges, and an overall score of 33.

A week after topping the leaderboard in week nine, Mellor performed a Foxtrot in the quarter-final, and earned a score of 39.

Strictly Come Dancing continues every Saturday and Sunday on BBC One.