We Spoke to Will Mellor Ahead of his Two Pints Podcast Live at Royal Concert Hall

So, Will, what can audiences expect on the night?
We want people to come out, forget their problems, have a few drinks with me and Ralph, and have fun. It's audience participation. We have a format for the show. We always encourage people to send in any funny stories they've got. Or you can ask us any agony aunt questions, if you want help with any issues you might be going through. But it always leads into some hilarious banter. And we also get people on stage, and have a bit of a pub quiz where you can win really rubbish prizes. It's exactly what you'd expect from a Two Pints show.

And how did the tour come about?
We started our podcasts in 2020, during lockdown. Nobody could get to the pub. There were a lot of people messaging me, saying will you bring Two Pints back, you know, the show where you guys live it up. Obviously getting all the cast together was tough. But I said to Ralph, we should do something. A podcast came to mind. We could chat like we used to as Gaz and Jonny: sit at a table, have a couple of beers, and talk about anything and everything.

So, the podcast started. And people really enjoyed it. The podcast did so well, people wanted to come to see it live. And yeah, we did the first tour. We were shocked by how big it went. It sold out completely. People really enjoyed it. Especially because it was just after lockdown. We all really needed a good night out. So, forget about your problems and have some fun with us.

You and Ralph have been friends for a long time. Do you ever fight?
Yeah, of course we do. We argue a lot. We're very different. I see the world one way and he sees it another way. But that's why it works. If we were too similar, the podcast wouldn't work. You know, he's very different to me. He was studying to be a doctor at one point before he got into comedy. And yeah politically, he has his views. Whereas I'm very much a live and let live guy. That's my attitude to life. So, when we come together, we make each other laugh and make each other smile and it just works. Brilliant.

How do you prepare for the tour?
Yeah, every show is different because we invite anybody who's got funny stories to send them in. So, when we're in Newcastle or Manchester or Nottingham or wherever, we choose a few and we call them out. We say, well, this is a story from James, he had a bad night out on a stag do. And this is what happened. And we tell the story, so everyone's included, and then we play games. It looks like organised chaos, but there is a structure to what we do. We want people to come and just feel a part of it. And yeah, I'm happy to talk about anything and everything, such as things that have happened on that day. So, everything is local to the show where we are at that time. The audience is different, the stories are different and the reactions to certain things that we do are different. But the format stays the same. And there’s the hilarity from bringing people up on stage. As soon as you get people on stage, anything's possible!

What advice would you give anyone aspiring to get into acting?
I would just say if it's something that you want to do, find a way to do it. You don't have to be on screen to be an actor, you could go and find your local theatre, and there's amateur dramatics everywhere. Acting has got levels, same as being a footballer or a singer. Or you can go and sing down the local pub, if you want to sing. You don't have to be in the charts. Because you know, if you don't do what you're here to do, you'll never be happy. Live your dreams.

What's next for Will Mellor after the tour?
Well, I've got a four-part drama that I'm shooting. I can't really tell you what it is because we're not allowed to at the moment. I also did a series called Cops Who Kill last year. And every episode was a true case of a police officer killing somebody. And the new series is called Cops Gone Bad. The first episode is about David Carrick who was one of the UK’s biggest serial rapists and sex offenders. And he was a police officer. And he was actually in the same unit as Wayne Couzens. There were loads of red flags that were all ignored. So, my show is looking at how we stop these people slipping through the net. And how can we improve on recruitment to make sure these people getting this badge are deserving of it and not going to abuse their power and the trust of the public? So yeah, I'm very passionate about the series. And then, I'm hosting a documentary about the post office scandal too, meeting the people affected. I’ve just played one of the real people, Lee Castleton, in the TV drama Mr Bates Versus The Post Office. So yeah, there's loads going on!

Will Mellor and Ralf Little present their Two Pints Podcast - Live! at the Royal Concert Hall on Saturday 2 April