Exclusive: Will Mellor's dream to host Top Gear after filming terrifying driving show

Will Mellor has admitted his dream job is to be the next host of Top Gear after a hair-raising new show which sees him driving along some of the world's most dangerous roads, accompanied by Keith Lemon.

The new Dave show, World's Most Dangerous Roads, sends pairs of celebrities to drive some terrifying routes and begins with Mellor and Lemon paired up in Albania, home to some of Europe's most nerve-jangling roads.

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But Mellor, fresh out of the most recent series of Strictly Come Dancing, told how he was in his element behind the wheel, despite navigating roads bordered by sheer drops on both sides - setting him up perfectly for Top Gear.

He told Yahoo UK: "My dream job would be to host Top Gear, that would be me. I'm waiting for Freddie Flintoff to get bored!"

Watch: Will Mellor and Keith Lemon take on Albania's treacherous roads

The actor was originally supposed to film in South Africa pre-Covid, but after the shoot was put off he ended up driving through Albania with long-standing friend Lemon instead.

Mellor said of the TV presenter and comedian, also known as Leigh Francis: "It's well out of his comfort zone. He's not a big fan of driving, being in cars or being on bumpy roads which made it entertaining.

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"I love driving and he's not like that, which is why I'm glad he did it. It's good for him that people see him in a different light. I wanted him to have a sense of achievement. Sometimes when you go through something really hard, you feel a sense of worth at the end of it and we really did, we were battered and broken at the end."

Viewers will see the pair deal with a broken down car, river crossings and steep valleys as they take in Albania's stunning views on their drive.

Talking about one of the most terrifying moments, Mellor said: "We were driving up a road called the Road of Crosses because of the amount of gravestones there from people who've gone over the edge. Keith just kept saying, 'what are we doing here? What if we go over the edge?'."

But he added that as well as the show's entertaining moments, it was also an emotional journey that left him feeling proud of Lemon for tackling some of the driving.

Mellor said: "We talk about losing our dads and he hasn't really come out and spoke much about his personal life. He was the perfect co-pilot for me, he's a great person and we get on really well - we needed to because we got tested on this show.

"I love making memories and having adventures and stepping outside of my comfort zone. That's what I want to do now, so hopefully this is the start of more things to come like this for me."

The show will also include journeys with celebrities including Joe Wilkinson, Zoe Lyons and Stephen Mangan.

World's Most Dangerous Roads begins with Mellor and Lemon's journey tonight at 8pm on Dave.