Former Strictly Come Dancing star Will Mellor has opened up about a worrying health scare after finding three lumps on his back. The 50-year-old actor, known for Two Pints of Lager and Line of Duty, is partnering with private healthcare firm Benenden Health to encourage men to be proactive about their health following his father's death from cancer.
Discovery of Lumps
Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, Mellor revealed he felt "panicked" after discovering the suspicious lumps earlier this month. He confessed: "I found a lump, and at first I ignored it, but then I went in for another check and I asked the doctor to check it out because I was a bit panicked."
Doctors identified the lumps as cysts and scheduled removal. Mellor said: "They said it was a cyst and booked me in to have it removed. I went back the next week and had it sorted. I've still got the stitches in the back of my neck. I've got another two on my back as well that I'm booked in for, but it really relaxed me knowing it was a quick and easy fix."
Personal Motivation
The actor emphasised the importance of health checks at his age: "I'm 50 now. If I don't check out myself and something happens, I'll feel guilty that I'm cheating my wife and kids out of my own health. I want to see my daughter get married, I want to see my grandkids and all that sort of stuff."
Father's Death as a Wake-Up Call
Mellor reflected on his father's battle with lung cancer, which claimed his life within two weeks of diagnosis. He recalled: "I lost my dad within two weeks, and I'm sure if we'd caught it earlier, we'd have got a lot more time with him. He had lung cancer. He had a cough, and I kept saying to him to get it checked out, but by the time they found the cancer, it had spread from his lungs to his brain. You think you're young forever, and you never have to worry about health issues and stuff like that. But there's a certain point in your life when you've got to take hold and hold a few wake-up calls."
The star also shared that he has lost three uncles, an aunt, and several childhood friends in recent years. He said: "Suddenly, you start losing people, and you start thinking, 'That could be me'. I think men as well, we always think, 'It's going to be somebody else, or this happens to other people, not me'."
Supporting Benenden Health Campaign
Mellor is supporting Benenden Health's new campaign, The Wake-Up Call, which explores why many men only take action after a significant event. He noted: "This was really important to me because I come from a working-class background and I'm very proud of it. I've always had the opinion that private health care was for the rich. But what I learnt with Benenden Health was that you can get private healthcare for the cost of two coffees a week. Your health is the most important thing we've got, it's our most valuable currency, so we need to invest in it and subscribe to our health."
For more information about Benenden Health's The Wake-Up Call campaign, visit their website.
