Actor Will Mellor has shared his struggles with depression, admitting he "hated himself" after the deaths of his father and sister. Mellor discussed his experiences on Fearne Cotton's podcast "Happy Place," detailing how he coped with the loss of his sister Joanne in 2012 and his father Bill in 2020.

Joanne died from a heart attack at the age of 44. She had Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affected her mentally and physically. Mellor recalled how his sister had experienced multiple health scares, but her death came as a shock after returning from a respite trip. He stated that after her passing, he "slipped into depression and wasn't a good person."

Mellor described his depression as a period where he "didn't even want to get out of bed" and felt unable to be a positive presence for his children. He confessed to engaging in drinking and gambling in an attempt to find a "high," which only worsened his state. "I hated myself for it. But I got through it. My wife got me through it," he said.

He explained that he eventually began to cope by stopping the destructive behaviors and focusing on his children. "My wife sticking by me and going, 'Come on, we're going to do this for the kids and being around the kids because they're my world,'" he shared.

Mellor also previously recounted concerns about his sister's care during a respite trip, where he alleged she did not receive her full prescribed medication. An inquest in 2013 found Joanne died of natural causes, and the coroner stated there was no evidence the medication issue contributed to her death, though she deemed the incident unacceptable. The company that provided the care admitted a mistake had been made.

His father, Bill, died in April 2020 from cancer. Mellor expressed regret that due to COVID-19 social distancing guidelines, he could not hug his father in their final moments. He recalled his father saying, "if I got hold of you I wouldn't be able to let go," a memory that deeply affected him. Mellor has since become an advocate for mental health awareness, sharing his experiences to help others.

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