Will is ‘checking his nuts’
Will Mellor tells GABRIELLE FAGAN about grief, depression and checking his nuts
WILL Mellor is regaling me with nicknames for that most delicate part of male anatomy, as well as a few below-the-belt jokes for good measure.
“I mean, no one ever calls them testicles, do they? There’s balls, plums, nuts, gonads, crown jewels, take your pick. Personally, I’m a knackers or slingers man,” adds the actor and father-of-two.
“My mum calls them ‘orchies’ after the orchestra stalls! I mean, how strange is that?
“And there’s no end to the silly jokes, like, ‘My left nut thinks it’s better than my right nut – it can be very ego-testicle!’ Or how about, ‘What did the left testicle say to the right testicle? Between you and me, I think there’s something up!’”
Mellor is a master of laddish humour, which he put to good use as Gaz in cult Noughties sitcom TwoPintsOfLagerAndAPacket OfCrisps, before going on to land roles in the likes of LineOfDuty and Broadchurch. But behind the banter, there’s a serious aim.
The nut jokes and puns are part of a KP Nuts campaign – Mellor, 44, has teamed up with the brand to produce an online guide to help men (and women) start conversations about testicular health and encourage them to ‘check their nuts’ regularly, as part of Movember.
Testicular cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancer among young men, but it can be treated and there’s a 95 per cent survival rate if it’s found early. KP Nuts research found nine out of 10 men (87 per cent) think humour would be a good way to start a serious conversation about it.
“We hope jokes and humour break the ice and open up the chat about something which is vitally important,” says Mellor, who coincidentally played a character with testicular cancer – Jack Vincent in Casualty back in the early-Noughties.
“My character in Casualty was a classic case of a young man struggling to tell anyone or seek help. Sadly that’s still common, so it’s crucial we get it across to men that they should check themselves around once or twice a month. And if they, or their partners, notice something which doesn’t seem right or a change, then they should get checked by a doctor.
“The trouble is, in general, men are rubbish about talking about anything serious – football or any kind of sport or sex is fine, but they tend to just shy away from genitalia, mental health and real issues in their lives.”
He admits his own approach to dealing with life challenges has radically changed, after facing two family tragedies.
Six years ago, he suffered depression after the sudden death of his sister Joanne, 44, and is currently grieving the loss of his father, Bill, who died in April.
“I just collapsed after my sister died. I felt helpless and it was such a shock. It was a sudden heart attack and I didn’t deal with it too well,” Mellor recalls.
“My sister’s loss actually went to my core, and for a good few months I was in a dark place. My family are my life and mean everything to me, but during that time I didn’t even want to be with or speak to them,” says Mellor, who has two children with his wife, dancer Michelle McSween.
“I was so bad that there were periods I couldn’t get out of bed, didn’t see the point in anything and was pretty horrible to be around.”
The turning point came when his wife told him she believed he was suffering from depression.
“Men especially don’t want to talk about things like that, or
admit to them. They’d rather block them out or pretend nothing’s wrong. Thanks to Michelle, in the end, I had to face it,” Mellor shares.
“I got through without any help – apart from amazing family support – but now I wouldn’t advise that for anyone else, and I’d always say go and speak to somebody.”
By contrast, although his father’s death was an equal shock – he died just two weeks after a cancer diagnosis – this time, Mellor has freely opened up about his feelings.
He’s even shared them publicly on TwoPintsWith Will&Ralf, an online show and podcast inspired by the original hit sitcom, where Mellor and fellow TwoPints actor Ralf Little share their trademark banter and put the world to rights over a few beers. “I learnt so much from what I went through over my sister, so this time with Dad, I’m being open and honest about what I feel,” he explains. “The reality is, the grief is overwhelming some days, while some days it’s not as bad. I opened up about what I was going through now, and what I suffered in the past, because mental health’s under so much pressure at the moment for so many.
“I hope it helps people realise it’s OK to say, ‘I’m struggling’ for whatever reason, and you shouldn’t have to put on a brave face and pretend you’re alright. It’s about being able to express yourself honestly, and to reach out to people who can help. “Men should be much more open about talking about their emotions and be honest if they don’t feel right,” he adds. “That’s mental health and it’s nothing to be ashamed of.” Mellor says he’s “coping day by day” since losing his dad, which he says was made worse by the difficult circumstances of the pandemic. “Immediately when I heard the news about the cancer, I drove up to see him, but I could only go into the garden not the house, because of social distancing. I wasn’t allowed to hug him and that’s my biggest regret,” says Mellor, who grew up with four sisters in Bredbury, Greater Manchester.
“One of the last things Dad actually said to me was, ‘If I got hold of you, I wouldn’t be able to let go’. That absolutely killed me. If I’d known then what I know now – that he’d die within two weeks of my seeing him – I’d have grabbed hold of him. I had no idea he’d pass so quickly and I’m still in shock about it really.”
Mellor says the losses have heightened his determination “to make the most of every day, month and year I’ve got. It’s very tough but I comfort myself by thinking my dad lives on in me, and I’ve got to stay positive and make the most of my life because it can be all too short.”
Reflecting on life, he adds: “I was a working-class kid from a council estate, who had a dream to perform and I made it. Showbusiness is exciting and terrifying because you’re always living on that edge, not knowing what will happen or when you’ll work again.
“It makes my heart beat and keeps me excited and energised. I’ve always loved doing different things, from singing and musical theatre, to comedy and drama. I just try to keep looking forward, and don’t take myself too seriously,” says Mellor.
“I’m so lucky I have so much to live for. I have a wonderful family and a career doing what I love.”
KP Nuts has launched an online guide to help men (and women) start conversations about testicular health. Visit kpnuts.com/movember
A savoury version of the French classic from pie aficionado Calum Franklin, this vegetarian upside-down tart comes with a caramelised filing and makes a tasty lunch or dinner. INGREDIENTS: (SERVES 2-3)
3 red onions 4 large carrots, pee led and cut into 3cm chunks 2tbsp vegetable oil ½ tsp fine table salt 30 g whole blanched hazelnuts 15g butter 15g caster sugar 2 tsp balsamic vinegar 10g tarragon, leaves picked and placed in iced water 150 g rough puff pastry( see below, or use shop-bought puff pastry) To make the pastry: 500g plain flour 1tsp fine table salt 500g butter, chilled and diced 250m lice-cold water
MAKING THE PASTRY
1. If making the pastry by hand, sift the flour into a large bowl and add the salt and butter. Using your fingers, gently mix to a rough dough. If making the pastry using a mixer, sift the flour into the bowl and add the salt and butter. Using a paddle attachment, work at a medium speed for two to three minutes until the butter has formed small nuggets and the mixture becomes grainy. Add the ice-cold water all at once to the flour and butter and continue at a medium speed just to bring the dough together. The dough should not be well mixed; you want the dough to be straggly and rough, with the fats still visible, so don’t work it for too long. 2. Tip the mixture out onto a lightly floured surface and carefully knead the dough until all the flour is incorporated. Flatten the dough slightly, wrap it tightly in cling-film and chill in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a rectangle measuring 50cm by 30cm, using the sides of your hands to make sure the edges are neat and square. Dust any excess flour from the surface of the dough. With the shortest side closest to you, visually divide the dough horizontally into thirds and very lightly dampen the centre third with a little water, then fold the bottom one third of the dough over the centre third. Repeat by folding the remaining top third over the double layer of dough.
4. Turn the dough 90 degrees clockwise and repeat the rolling and folding process. This makes up the first two turns. Tightly wrap the dough in cling-film. Lightly press your finger into the bottom right-hand corner of the dough to make an indentation which signifies how the dough was positioned on the board before you put it into the refrigerator. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. 5. Unwrap the dough and place it on your work surface with the indent in the same position as before at the bottom right-hand corner. Next, turn the dough 90 degrees clockwise and repeat the rolling and folding processes two more times for the final two turns. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 40 minutes before it is ready to use.
METHOD
1. Preheat the oven to 210°C fan/230°/gas mark 8. 2. Peel the onions and cut them in half through the roots so they stay intact, then cut each half through the root again into four wedges.
3. Place the carrot chunks and onion wedges in a large roasting tray, toss with the vegetable oil and salt then spread over the base of the tray. Place the tray in the preheated oven and roast the vegetables for 30 minutes or until they start to colour. Add the hazelnuts to the tray and roast for a further five minutes. 4. In a heavy ovenproof frying pan, warm the butter, sugar and balsamic vinegar until the sugar has dissolved. Bring the mixture to the boil and continue cooking until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Add the roasted vegetables and nuts to the pan, toss well in the mixture and set aside to cool for 10 minutes. 5. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pastry dough into a 1cm thick circle large enough to cover the frying pan. Bunch the vegetables and nuts together so there is a 2cm gap around the edge of the pan and then cover with the pastry, tucking it slightly under around the edge. Prick the pastry all over with a fork. 6. Place the frying pan in the hot oven and bake the tarte tatin for 20 minutes or until the pastry is puffed up and golden. Taking care to protect your hands with a heatproof cloth as the handle will be very hot, remove the pan from the oven. Place a large flat plate over the top of the pan and then quickly flip it over. Dress the top of the tarte tatin with the iced tarragon leaves and serve while warm.