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The Herald Scotland
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Herald Scotland
'My wife went through a lot with me' How Danny Dyer reinvented himself
'This is a tune that takes me back to a time when I just remember men and women jumping around and there was a lot of love in the air,' Dyer told presenter Lauren Laverne before spinning 'Playing with Knives' by Bizarre Inc. 'OK, he added, 'it might have been down to narcotics …' It was the little details that sang here. In the wake of his appearance in Human Traffic playing a drug dealer he'd have people turning up outside his house hoping to take drugs with him. He was still living on a council estate at the time. They even nicked his dustbin once. 'And you try getting a dustbin from the council, darling,' he said to Laverne. 'It's a mission.' Read more Dyer made a lot of bad calls. 'I did go off the rails for many years,' he admitted. The aforementioned drink and drugs. There was an affair. And then there was the lad's mag advice column. He didn't even write it, but they paid him two grand a week. Until the magazine published something particularly heinous under Dyer's name. It was his success in EastEnders that gave him the space to realise he needed to change things. That something was rehab and therapy. Now he's a husband, a father and a grandfather. 'I'm really good at it now. I was rubbish for many years. A bit like my dad was, I suppose. My wife has gone through a lot with me, I think. 'I'm very grateful that she gave me another shot. She was saying to me the other day that she's glad she did because she's got the best version of me.' He met his wife Jo when they were both 13 and she has stuck with him through thick and a lot of thin. Listening to this I did think I'd like to hear Jo's story actually. But Dyer was interesting because he is clearly trying to work out his ideas on what makes a man a man? Is it OK to be affectionate? Is it acceptable to be an alpha male and still wear a pink dressing gown? (That was the pitch that sold him on EastEnders, by the way.) 'Toxic masculinity is a thing,' he said at one point, 'but it's not necessarily because you're a male. It's because you're a not very nice human being.' From masculinity to social geography. Did you know that there are still two streets in the UK named after Joseph Stalin? One in Colchester and one in Chatham, both named to commemorate the part the Soviets played in the Second World War and not changed since. There are still two streets in the UK named after Joseph Stalin (Image: PA) That was one of the things I learned listening to Word of Mouth on Radio 4 on Sunday night. The subject - you may have guessed - was street names. The Open University sociolinguist Philip Seargeant was Michael Rosen's guest and what followed was a whirlwind tour that took in geography, social history and how language changes. Fast but fascinating. Word of Mouth, like Desert Island Discs, is a simple format. It's why both work so well on radio. No mention of Gagarin Way in Lumphinnans, mind you. A quick shout-out for A Map of the Moon (Radio 4, Sunday), which saw Siddarth Khajuria visit the Royal Observatory in Edinburgh and ask who gets to name places on the lunar surface. Why is there a sea of tranquillity and a marsh of decay on the Moon? Blame it on a Jesuit priest called Giovanni Battista Riccioli. As one contributor noted, 'When you look at the moon now you are seeing a Catholic document frozen in the mid-1600s.' There was, it should be noted, a chilly realpolitik about the discussions of who owns space now. 'We started the project thinking it would be about poetic imagination,' producer Eleanor McDowall told me, 'and ended it feeling like we'd made a horror movie.' Even so, this had a lunar glitter to it, and among all the scientists and lawyers, Khajuria's son's contributions may have been the best thing about it. Listen Out For: Conversations From a Long Marriage, Radio 4, Monday, 2.15pm Given its starry cast (Joanna Lumley and Roger Allam) author Jan Etherington's CV and the comic durability of every episode, you might have thought the BBC might have considered Conversations From a Long Marriage for a TV transfer. As it is, it remains a reliable radio pleasure. Oh, and Irish comedian Mary Bourke has a new comedy series about being a carer starting on Radio 4 earlier in the afternoon.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Danny Dyer plunged into a 'spiral of madness' after Harold Pinter's death
Danny Dyer plunged into a "spiral of madness" following the death of his mentor Harold Pinter. The 'Human Traffic' star struck up a close relationship with the legendary playwright when he was cast in his play 'Celebration' - which debuted in London in 2000 - and Danny went on to appear in two more Pinter plays over the years but he was left totally devastated when his pal passed away aged 78 in 2008. Danny has now confessed he hit rock bottom after the loss after reading about it in a newspaper. During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs', he explained: "I hadn't spoke to him in a while. I did go off the rails for many years and I found out by looking on the front of a newspaper. "Again, I'd been on a bender and I was coming home and I was going, I think I was going to buy cigarettes at the petrol garage, and I see it in the paper: 'Pinter dead'. "This really sent me on a spiral of madness, really. The guilt of not being around him any more and just being lost, I was a bit of a lost soul, and again, angry at the world." It comes after Danny revealed he's working on a play based on his friendship with Pinter with the working title 'When Harry Met Danny' . Danny told "I really like it [the play idea] and am excited about it. I'd love to explore it more. I'm grateful for the years I spent with Harold and he was a real mentor to me." The actor previously hosted a 2020 documentary about his friendship with the late writer called 'Danny Dyer on Pinter'. Speaking to the Guardian in 2013, Danny said his late pal taught him a lot about being an actor and set him up for a successful career in showbusiness. He said: "I miss him, you know, he was a good influence on me. He was the only person who I feared but loved. "He had faith in me, he suffered all my s*** because he knew I was a talented actor. He was a f****** tyrant, too, you know, but he could get away with it because he was so enchanting. He was a poet ... "If he didn't like [something] he'd tell me straight; there were no airs and graces about him. I learned so much from him that set me up for the rest of my career."
Perth Now
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Danny Dyer plunged into a 'spiral of madness' after Harold Pinter's death
Danny Dyer plunged into a "spiral of madness" following the death of his mentor Harold Pinter. The 'Human Traffic' star struck up a close relationship with the legendary playwright when he was cast in his play 'Celebration' - which debuted in London in 2000 - and Danny went on to appear in two more Pinter plays over the years but he was left totally devastated when his pal passed away aged 78 in 2008. Danny has now confessed he hit rock bottom after the loss after reading about it in a newspaper. During an appearance on BBC Radio 4's 'Desert Island Discs', he explained: "I hadn't spoke to him in a while. I did go off the rails for many years and I found out by looking on the front of a newspaper. "Again, I'd been on a bender and I was coming home and I was going, I think I was going to buy cigarettes at the petrol garage, and I see it in the paper: 'Pinter dead'. "This really sent me on a spiral of madness, really. The guilt of not being around him any more and just being lost, I was a bit of a lost soul, and again, angry at the world." It comes after Danny revealed he's working on a play based on his friendship with Pinter with the working title 'When Harry Met Danny' . Danny told "I really like it [the play idea] and am excited about it. I'd love to explore it more. I'm grateful for the years I spent with Harold and he was a real mentor to me." The actor previously hosted a 2020 documentary about his friendship with the late writer called 'Danny Dyer on Pinter'. Speaking to the Guardian in 2013, Danny said his late pal taught him a lot about being an actor and set him up for a successful career in showbusiness. He said: "I miss him, you know, he was a good influence on me. He was the only person who I feared but loved. "He had faith in me, he suffered all my s*** because he knew I was a talented actor. He was a f****** tyrant, too, you know, but he could get away with it because he was so enchanting. He was a poet ... "If he didn't like [something] he'd tell me straight; there were no airs and graces about him. I learned so much from him that set me up for the rest of my career."
Daily Record
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
The death of Danny Dyer's mentor Harold Pinter prompted a 'spiral of madness'
The actor said he was 'lost' and 'angry at the world' after Nobel Prize-winning playwright Harold Pinter died in 2008. Former EastEnders actor Danny Dyer has spoken of the profound impact the death of his mentor had on his mental health. He said the passing of playwright Harold Pinter sent him into a "spiral of madness". Nobel Prize-winner Pinter cast Danny Dyer in his production of 'Celebration' at the Almeida Theatre in London way back in 2000. Dyer reminisced about staying over at Pinter's home and absorbing literature from notable scribes like WH Auden and CS Lewis in a recent interview on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, reported The Mirror. In 2001, 'Celebration' made its way to New York's Lincoln Centre, but Dyer faced a difficult incident onstage when he forgot his lines and had an "anxiety attack" following a night of drugs. The actor expressed his regret of disappointing his mentor, but shared how the playwright offered him comfort by wrapping his arm around him. The ex- EastEnders star reflected on losing touch with Pinter and learning of his passing in 2008. Dyer recounted his reaction, saying: "I hadn't spoke to him in a while. I did go off the rails for many years, and I found out by looking on the front of a newspaper. "Again, I'd been on a bender and I was coming home and I was going, I think I was going to buy cigarettes at the petrol garage, and I see it in the paper. 'Pinter dead'. This really sent me on a spiral of madness, really." He spoke of his guilt, saying: "The guilt of not being around him anymore and just being lost, I was a bit of a lost soul, and again, angry at the world." In April, US publication Deadline reported that Dyer was developing an idea for a play about his relationship with Pinter, whom he referred to as his 'mentor'. Dyer, who had his breakthrough in the 1999 film Human Traffic, also reflected on some of the documentaries he had made earlier in his career. The actor presented TV series Danny Dyer's Real Football Factories and Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men in the 2000s, the latter of which saw him interview gangsters and former terrorists. He said: "I'd made a few films and I just wasn't getting paid any money, and I was desperate to get onto the property ladder. "I was still living in a council estate at Custom House, living with my daughter (Dani) and (wife) Jo, and it's like, well, I'm famous, but I'm still living on a council estate. "And so then my house became a bit like Stonehenge, my little flat, and people would just stand outside waiting for me.' He revealed there was a tipping point when an attempted burglary forced the family to move: "There was a moment where someone tried to burgle our house and I was like 'we can't live here no more'." The opportunity to do a documentary with a veteran footballer came as a financial windfall, as Dyer recalled, "So I got offered to do a documentary with a real football veteran and I couldn't believe the money they was offering me, I thought, 'Oh, wow'". Yet, despite the financial benefits of taking the job, he shared that the experience left much to be desired, saying, "Now I hated it, because I didn't have a script, it was me on my own interviewing people, and interviewing dangerous people, by the way, but it got me on the property ladder." When quizzed on potential typecasting fears, he admitted he had no such luxury to worry: "I didn't have the luxury. You know, it's a bit uncouth, I can't watch them back now, I cringe at them." Dyer concluded with pragmatic frankness, acknowledging the financial necessity behind his choices: "But, you know, I needed to earn money, and I needed to get a house, and I needed to do the right thing." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Daily Mirror
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Danny Dyer was 'off his nut' on EastEnders set leading to BBC bosses stepping in
Danny Dyer has shockingly admitted he was "off his nut" while on the set of EastEnders, leading to drastic measures by the show's bosses. The actor dropped some explosive revelations about his stint on the BBC soap, bluntly criticising it as "s*** now." At a charity do on Friday, Danny - who's battled with booze and drugs before - opened up about his tough times after joining the soap, revealing he was often sloshed on set and popping prescription meds. Danny was a fixture on EastEnders for nearly a decade from 2013 to 2022 and even checked into rehab in 2017 to get a grip on his addictions. He recounted how the crew intervened when they caught him boozing on set, saying: "When I first arrived the pints were real. I was slipping and sliding around having a few lagers and they found out, so they started to put TCP in the f****** beer!". Despite also being on pills, Danny managed to pull off his role as the beloved Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter. He confessed: "I was off my nut for a lot of that job, I've got to say. I was on a lot of valium and diazepam, that is why. Still got that f***III job done somehow." Danny didn't mince words when asked about EastEnders post his dramatic exit, which saw Mick vanishing at sea after saving ex Linda Carter and villainous new wife Janine Butcher during Christmas 2022. His verdict? "S*** now though, ain't it," he added, "Serves them right." At the Paul Strank Charitable Trust event in Wimbledon, south London, where he generously donated a hefty sum, Danny got real about the emotional turmoil he faced due to the relentless pace of soap opera filming. He lamented the lack of "duty of care" for actors dealing with intense scenes, reports the Mirror. "In a film you properly cry and go to a dark place," he revealed. "You have time to recover. But on soap, you ain't. On a soap, it f**** a lot of people's heads up. I tell you most people in soaps are off their nut. You meet them on the street and they're f****** lunatics, I'm telling you." He also expressed frustration over the show's inflexibility, saying, "If someone dies in your family, they won't even let you go to a f****** funeral because it is such a machine there wasn't much duty of care there." The show's spokesperson has since countered Danny's remarks, stating: "We would never discuss an individual's private matters however, we do not recognise these claims. EastEnders has extremely robust and well established procedures in place to safeguard the welfare of everyone who works on the show." Danny took on the role of Mick Carter during a rough patch in his career, following the dwindling fame from Human Traffic and The Football Factory, and with debt collectors knocking, despite once vowing never to join the soap. Danny, aged 47, spilled the beans on his frosty reception at Albert Square. "I will be honest, it is a very clicky place to work," he revealed. "We took the pub over from Jessie Wallace and Shane Ritchie. Kat and Alfie had an 11 year run and then they want to get rid of them." He continued, airing out the tension: "So they brought us in and they had the hump. That was getting tricky. I was like 'What's the matter with these people, I've not made this call'. So there was a lot of people blanking us when we turned up." Reflecting on his stint on the show, Danny cherished the early days but felt things took a nosedive later on. "I really cherish those first three years," he reminisced, "Then a new producer came in and sacked every f*****. It is a very ruthless job. I learned a lot. Nine years was enough for me." .
