Will said he finds it hard to hide his feelings (Picture: BBC)
Strictly Come Dancing star Will Mellor has spoken candidly about receiving negative comments from the judges, admitting he ‘finds being criticised hard.’
The Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps actor is paired with pro dancer Nancy Xu, vying to impress Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, Shirley Ballas and Anton Du Beke.
The 46-year-old and Nancy topped the leaderboard in week one with a performance of the Jive to a Ricky Martin classic but received mixed feedback for their Rumba in week four.
Craig was particularly unimpressed branding the dance to an Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift ballad ‘not good’ although Anton called it a ‘beautiful thing.’
Prior to the performance, the Hollyoaks star had appeared on It Takes Two where he revealed he had been in bed battling a virus, leaving him unable to train.
Reflecting on the night, which eventually saw Bros frontman Matt Goss and Nadiya Bychkova eliminated, Will opened up about struggling with criticism.
He explained: ‘I find being criticised by the judges hard. I find being criticised hard as a person. Some people can let it go over them, but I find it hard to hide my emotions. You know how I’m feeling, and I can’t help that.
Will and Nancy have received mixed feedback (Picture: PA)
‘I was disappointed by the judges’ comments because I really tried my best but we are there to be judged so I have to take the rough with the smooth,’ Will told the Mail Online.
‘I got some good comments in week one and two and then I found myself second to the bottom of the leader board and it wasn’t easy to take, especially because I wasn’t feeling well and I was feeling sorry for myself.’
Will soared to the top of the leaderboard in week one (Picture: BBC/Guy Levy)
Will said that when he got positive comments from the panel it’s ‘the best feeling in the world’ because it’s a ‘sense of achievement.’
He added: ‘Also, if you do it and put all that effort in and get negative comments it can be a bit of a kick in the teeth but that’s part of it and I have got to get used to it.
Will also said he was too ‘frightened”’ in the past to sign up to the BBC’s Strictly as he was ‘wary’ of the impact being on the show would have on the two children, Jayden, 18, and Renée, 14, he shares with his dancer wife Michelle.
But he explained that the loss of his father to cancer in 2020 has made him want to seize life.
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Will added: ‘Since my dad passed away, my mindset changed and I thought life – you’ve got to grab it and I don’t want to waste time doing things I’m not passionate about.
‘When Strictly came along that’s why I said yes because I was a bit frightened about it but that’s when you test yourself and you’ve got to grab life and that’s what I want to do from now on.’
Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 6.30pm on BBC Two and iPlayer.
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Will said he finds it hard to hide his feelings.