Will Mellor has been a hit with viewers and the judges but his upcoming Strictly Come Dancing performance is hanging in the balance. The actor sparked concern on Thursday when he appeared on the show's BBC Two spin-off, It Takes Two.
He was forced to apologise to viewers at home as he audibly coughed throughout his interview with Janette Manrara as he joined his dance partner Nancy Xu live on the programme. He admitted that he and Nancy haven't done much training at all for this weekend's performance as he has been struck down with a bug.
Janette started by saying: "We just need to start by saying you’ve not been feeling very well this week. How are you feeling now?" she asked prompting Will to update her.
Barley able to speak to Janette, he said with a croak: "I don't sound very good. I've been in bed, I've got a full virus, I've not trained all week. So yeah, we’re just hoping Dr Theatre kicks in and in time for Saturday." Nancy then as: "I don’t want to lie, there’s a little bit of worry inside of me." Will, 46, then added: "I feel bad for Nancy because she’s done this beautiful routine and beautiful dance and I just want to do it justice."
Sharing his desperation to recover, Will added: "I’m just praying that I wake up tomorrow morning and I feel better. Because I really want to dance this, it’s a beautiful song with this beautiful routine and I really wanna do it justice." He added: "But I can’t help it if I’m (ill)."
Viewers were soon commenting on social media with concern about Will's appearance and late on Thursday evening, the former Coronation Street star took to social media to post a video update. Will croaked to the camera: "Firstly, I just want to apologise for the way I sound. I've not been well at all this week. I went into training on Monday and I just had to go home as I was feeling poorly."
He continued: "I've been laid up ever since. I've got a bug, virus whatever you want to call it; I was aching all over, it was horrible. If you've got it out there, I feel your pain, as a lot of it is going round this time of year, these flu variants."
Addressing his It Takes Two appearance, Will added: "I've just done It Takes Two and a lot of people were commenting, saying you sound really poorly. So I just want to say, thanks for your comments, but I probably sound worse than I am, as I've coughed my throat out." He then admitted it was a case of 'seeing what he could do' ahead of his planned performance on Saturday night.
Will, who is also known for his roles in Two Pints of Lager and Hollyoaks, is due to perform a rumba yo The Joker and The Queen by Ed Sheeran featuring Taylor Swift. It comes after he got Strictly fans hot under the collar as they watched him channel Patrick Swayze from the raunchy film Dirty Dancing for the show's Movie Week special.
He and his professional dance partner Nancy Xu performed the American Smooth to Cry To Me from the 1987 movie. Will, from Bredbury, didn't hide away from any hip thrusting while donning a white shirt, black trousers and a wet-hair look while Nancy gave her best Frances 'Baby' Houseman, the role made famous by Jennifer Grey.
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