Strictly Come Dancing’s Will Mellor has said he’d like to win the BBC dance contest so his mum can display the glitterball trophy on her mantelpiece because the show has been a “massive journey” for them both.
The Coronation Street star is among the five remaining celebrities set to dance in the semi final of the competition which will see them perform two dances each on Sunday.
The 46-year-old Bredbury, Stockport-born actor will perform his couple’s choice dance with his partner Nancy Xu to an assortment of 1990s tracks – including Fools Gold by The Stone Roses and Happy Mondays’ track Step On.
Will Mellor wants to win Strictly glitterball trophy for his mum
Mellor said: “I’m doing a 90s medley of classic songs and one of the songs is Step On by Happy Mondays – Bez is going to be in the front row hopefully with his maracas.
“They are songs that reminded me of growing up in the 90s, first time I could go out and meet girls and dance.
“Manchester was buzzing with music and it just reminds me of happy times and positive times before social media and it felt a bit freer. It’s sort of nostalgia for me.
“It reminds me of a time when I didn’t have a care in the world and everything was just fun and that’s what I’m bringing. A bit of nostalgia, a bit of fun and some 90s classics.”
Mellor will also take on the Paso Doble which he’ll dance to a remix of Uccen by Taalbi brothers and DWTS while wearing a cloak and using it as a prop.
He said he hopes to avoid a wardrobe malfunction like the one Madonna experienced in 2015 when she was sent tumbling down the stairs during a performance at the Brit awards while trying to remove her matador-inspired cape mid-song.
Speaking about learning two dances for the semi-final, Mellor said: “My brain hurts, my back hurts, my legs hurts, I feel like I’ve been run over by lots of small cars.
“It’s a lot of pressure but I’d rather be here than not, so I’m trying my best to get through it and make it the best it can be.
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“You never know when it is your last time on the floor so I really want to do the best I can to make these dances the best they can (be).”
Mellor has been daydreaming about getting his hands on the glitterball trophy, not for himself but for both his mum and dance partner Nancy Xu, he said.
“I’d like to give my mum that trophy and let her stick it on her mantelpiece but if I can’t and I don’t, I’ll be very proud of completing the journey so I’m going to do everything I can to try and complete this journey with my amazing dance partner,” he said.
Speaking about his mum, he added: “Giving her something to look forward to was a massive aim because she’s on her own since I lost my dad.
“She’s been engulfed by people meeting in the street when she goes out for walks or when she goes to the cafe, everyone coming over saying how much they’re enjoying me and it fills her day and it gives her something to look forward to and it’s so important.
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“I always worry that she’s sad, she’s one of those brave women, she’s one of them queens (who) bottles it all up, never complained, worked fingers to the bone just to make sure we had food on the table.
“She took care of all of us on her own and and I don’t forget that. So now she’s on her own I want to make sure she’s all right and this has given her something to look forward too – it’s her favourite show.”
He said performing in the BBC competition had been a “massive journey” not just for him but for his mum as well.
“She has a Team Will t-shirt she wears every Saturday night, she puts it on in the morning and doesn’t take off until she goes to bed,” he said.
“She’s the first person I call when I finish the dance to make sure she enjoyed it and liked it. So it’s been huge, which I wanted it to be and that’s why I wanted to stay in it for her as long as I could so she can be on the journey with me.
“Losing my dad was really tough but I’m creating some great new memories for my family.”
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Mellor said he’s lost a stone in weight since starting the dance competition and says he is the fittest he’s been in 20 years.
He added: “I think this has been the most tested I’ve been mentally and physically and I’ve come through it.
“The pressure is unbelievable, it’s terrifying but at the same time it’s exhilarating when you’ve accomplished something.”
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Sunday at 7.15pm on BBC One.
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