Strictly Come Dancing star Will Mellor has to be held up as he battles flu virus

Will Mellor is pictured looking exhausted while swallowing water and blowing his nose after telling fans he was too ill to rehearse for Strictly on Saturday.

The actor, 46, looked frail and had to be held by a friend as he walked through the hotel lobby in London.

But Strictly contestant Will has insisted that despite his failing health, he will perform the Rumba for Ed Sheeran’s The Joker and The Queen with his professional partner Nancy Xu.

Support: The actor, 46, appeared to be feeling very under the weather as he was held up by a friend as he walked through the hotel lobby in London

Wash it away: Another made him slurp water as he sat in the hotel lobby to rest the evening after his appearance on Strictly’s It Takes Two

Wearing a white long-sleeved t-shirt and navy blue chino pants, one photo showed the former EastEnders actor holding a tissue to his nose as he tried to recover from his flu.

Another had him gulp water while sitting in the hotel lobby to rest for the night after his appearance in Strictly’s It Takes Two.

At another time on Thursday night, Will had put on a navy sweater while talking with a friend outside, and was seen touching his neck, suggesting it hurt him a little.

Feeling tender: On another Thursday night, Will had put on a navy sweater while standing outside talking to a friend, and was seen touching his neck

Sore: Will touched his neck, implying it hurt him a little after having flu-like symptoms this week

He was also seen walking through the hotel lobby with one arm around his friend, holding him by the waist while supporting him.

The actor took to his Instagram page on Thursday night and told his 372,000 followers: “First of all, I want to apologize for the way I sound, I haven’t been good at all this week.

“I started training on Monday and I just had to go home because I felt bad and I’ve been lying still since then.

Taking a breather: Will went out for a breather to try and clear his illness ahead of Saturday’s live show where he will perform the Rumba

Illness: He was wearing a white long-sleeved T-shirt and navy blue chino pants. One click showed the former EastEnders actor holding a tissue to his nose as he tried to recover from his flu

“I have a bug, virus, whatever you want to call it and I was in pain all over, it’s terrible. If you got it out there, I feel your pain because a lot of it goes around this time of year, these flu strains.

“I just did Strictly It Takes Two and a lot of people were saying, ‘You sound really bad,’ so I just wanted to say thank you for your comments, but I probably sound worse than I am for slacking off.

“But yeah, I went to train today for the first time to do a few hours because I have to perform live on Saturday night, so let’s hope I can get through it.

Not great: Will took a seat in the hotel lobby and looked concerned as he tried to get rid of his flu symptoms

Take a moment: he looked a little down

okay again? Later on Friday he got out with a cup of coffee and looked a little better

Casual: He was wearing a quilted gray jacket and jeans

“It’s Ed Sheeran’s Joker and The Queen that I’m doing this week and I love that song so I really want to do it justice.

“But we’ll have to see what I can do.”

Earlier on Thursday, the actor appeared disgruntled as he waited for a taxi with dance partner Nancy, 31, after they participated in a photo shoot for the show ahead of their next performance.

Addressing concerns: Will Mellor has told fans he is determined to perform Saturday’s Strictly live show

Revealing: On his Instagram page on Thursday night, the actor told his 372,000 followers, “I haven’t been well this week at all.”

The pair stood on the sidewalk together as Will pulled a disgruntled face before showing Nancy something on his phone.

It comes after Will reveals how he preserves the memory of his late father when he performs on the show.

The star – who lost his father Bill to cancer in 2020 – wears his ring as he takes to the dance floor.

He told OK!: ‘I wear his ring every day at every performance. I always have a little moment with it before I dance. It means he’s with me.

“He gave me the confidence to do this. When I was a kid, he used to say, ‘You can go do it,’ and I came from somewhere where nobody did what I wanted to do.’

Will also shared how he agreed to do the show after his death to “take every opportunity as life is so short.”

Need a hand: He was also seen walking through the hotel lobby with an arm around his friend, holding him by the waist while supporting him