{"id":45026,"date":"2024-02-01T16:03:04","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T15:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.radiotimes.com\/?p=1984556"},"modified":"2024-02-01T16:28:40","modified_gmt":"2024-02-01T15:28:40","slug":"will-mellor-says-reaction-to-mr-bates-vs-the-post-office-is-unprecedented","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/radiotimes\/rss_feed\/will-mellor-says-reaction-to-mr-bates-vs-the-post-office-is-unprecedented\/","title":{"rendered":"Will Mellor says reaction to Mr Bates vs The Post Office is \u201cunprecedented\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

The actor played Lee Castleton in the hugely successful ITV drama. <\/p>

By Patrick Cremona\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 01 February 2024 at 15:03 PM<\/p>

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The monumental success of Mr Bates vs The Post Office<\/a> has been well documented, with the show not only becoming ITV\u2019s biggest new drama in over a decade<\/a> but also driving real-world change.<\/p>\n

In the weeks after the programme aired over four nights at the beginning of January, increased scrutiny was placed on the public inquiry<\/a> into the Horizon scandal \u2013 which has now moved into its final stage.<\/p>\n

And speaking exclusively to\u00a0RadioTimes.com<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0Radio Times<\/strong> Covers Party this week, star Will Mellor \u2013 who played Lee Castleton \u2013 talked about the \u201cunprecedented\u201d response to the show.<\/p>\n

Asked if he had expected the drama to have such an impact, he responded: \u201cNo, it\u2019s impossible, because it\u2019s unprecedented.<\/p>

\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u201cWe all said on set, \u2018Can you believe they did this to these people?\u2019 And we were saying after we were filming, after we were doing scenes, you know, it was powerful, and we knew people would talk about it.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut you couldn\u2019t imagine the response that it\u2019s had from the public, and also the reaction where they\u2019ve gone: \u2018No, we need to do something about this.’\u201d<\/p>\n

\"Will\n<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture>\n<\/div>
Will Mellor as Lee Castleton.<\/span><\/figcaption> ITV<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Meanwhile, Mellor explained how he had just spoken with the show\u2019s director James Strong, who was reminiscing with him about a conversation the pair had during production on the series.<\/p>\n

\u201cI saw him tonight and he went, \u2018I remember you said to me, if we get this right, this could be quite good and quite big.\u2019 Who could have thought it\u2019d have been as big as [this]?<\/p>\n

\u201cYou know, the cast\u2026 on set, you got to look around and see the cast that I was working with. And I was like, \u2018You have to bring your A-game here, you\u2019re with some big players.\u2019<\/p>\n

\u201cSo it was a privilege for me to be on set with these people. I was just glad to be involved and be a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/strong><\/p>\n

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