Danny Dyer facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Danny Dyer
Dyer at Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2023
Born	Danial John Dyer (1977-07-24) 24 July 1977 (age 47) London, England
Occupation	Actor presenter
Years active	1993–present
Spouse(s)	Joanne Mas ​ (m. 2016)​
Children	3, including Dani

Danial John Dyer (born 24 July 1977) is a well-known English actor and TV presenter. He became famous for playing tough characters in films like Human Traffic (1999), Mean Machine (2001), and The Football Factory (2004). Because of these roles, he often played similar characters.

This image also led him to host TV shows such as The Real Football Factories, The Real Football Factories International, and Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men. Danny has also acted in plays, including three written by his friend, the famous writer Harold Pinter.

From 2013 to 2022, Danny played Mick Carter in the popular BBC soap opera EastEnders. He had actually turned down a role in the show earlier, saying he wouldn't join until he was older. He won awards for his acting in EastEnders in 2015, 2016, and 2019. From 2019 to 2022, he also hosted the BBC game show The Wall.

Danny Dyer's Early Life

Danial John Dyer was born in the Custom House area of London on 24 July 1977. His parents are Christine and Antony Dyer. He has a younger brother, Tony, and a sister, Kayleigh. When he was nine, his parents separated, and his mother raised him in Custom House.

Danny started acting when he was a teenager. He faced bullying at school and even kept his acting classes a secret from his classmates.

In 2016, Danny's family history was explored on the BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?. He found out that his family came from the Poplar area of London, and many of them worked in jobs related to the docks on the River Thames. Even more exciting, the show revealed that Danny is a descendant of Thomas Cromwell, a powerful figure in English history, and Elizabeth Seymour, Lady Cromwell, who was the sister of King Henry VIII's third wife, Jane Seymour. Through this connection, his family line can be traced back to famous historical figures like Edward III, William the Conqueror, and even Charlemagne!

Danny Dyer's Career in Entertainment

Television Roles

Danny Dyer's acting career began when he was just 16. An agent discovered him at a local school and he auditioned for a part in the TV series Prime Suspect 3 (1993).

He appeared in many other TV shows, including Cadfael (1994), A Touch of Frost (1995), Loved Up (1995), and Thief Takers (1996). He also had roles in Highlander and Soldier Soldier (both 1997). Later, he appeared in the Channel 4 drama Second Generation (2003) and played Malcolm in Skins. He was also a football player in Hotel Babylon and played Matt Costello in Kiss of Death (2008).

Dyer in 2007

Starting in 2007, Danny became the host of The Real Football Factories and The Real Football Factories International on Bravo. In these shows, he traveled around the UK and the world to meet and interview passionate football fans. In Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men, which started in 2008, he explored the lives of some very tough and well-known men in Britain.

In April 2009, he was offered a role in EastEnders but turned it down. He felt the pressure of being in such a big show would be too much. However, in February 2012, he appeared in an episode of Casualty. In October 2013, he was in Hollyoaks Later.

On 1 October 2013, the BBC announced that Danny would join EastEnders as Mick Carter, the new owner of The Queen Victoria pub. He later shared that he had been offered a different role, Carl White, before taking on Mick. In January 2022, it was announced that Danny would be leaving EastEnders after more than eight years.

In June 2018, Danny was a guest on Good Evening Britain, where he discussed Britain's exit from the European Union. In August 2018, he started narrating the MTV reality series True Love or True Lies. In 2019, he starred in a history documentary called Danny Dyer's Right Royal Family, which aired on BBC One. That same year, he co-hosted True Love or True Lies with his daughter Dani and began presenting The Wall on BBC One. When he left EastEnders, it was also confirmed he would leave The Wall.

Film Roles

Dyer at Upton Park in 2010

Danny Dyer is well-known for playing "tough guy" characters in movies. His first film role was in Human Traffic (1999). He then appeared in films like High Heels and Low Lifes (2001) and had starring roles in Borstal Boy (2000) and Mean Machine (2002). He also worked on four films with director Nick Love: Goodbye Charlie Bright (2001), The Football Factory (2004), The Business (2005), and Outlaw (2007). Other film roles include Steve in Severance (2006) and Hayden in Adulthood (2008).

In 2008, he filmed roles in City Rats and 7 Lives. City Rats was released straight to DVD in April 2009. Later that year, he finished filming Jack Said, a thriller where he played Nathan. This film was a prequel to Jack Says, released in 2008.

In 2009, he made several horror films, including Doghouse and Basement. He also had a lead role in the British vampire film Dead Cert. In 2012, Danny played the main role in Run for Your Wife.

Theatre Performances

Danny Dyer has also performed on stage. He was in two plays written and directed by the famous writer Harold Pinter. He played the Waiter in Celebration (2000) and Foster in No Man's Land (2001–2002). In March 2008, he played Joey in a new version of Pinter's The Homecoming. He also acted in Certain Young Men (1999). From September to October 2009, Danny played Sid Vicious in a new play called Kurt and Sid in London's West End.

Other Work

Danny Dyer is the voice of Kent Paul in the video games Grand Theft Auto: Vice City (2002) and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas (2004). He also appeared in The Twang's 2007 video for "Two Lovers".

A documentary called I Believe in UFOs: Danny Dyer aired on BBC Three in January 2010. In this show, Danny visited different "UFO hotspots" in the UK and US, hoping to see a UFO. In 2016, he appeared in drag in the Lucy Rose music video for "Nebraska". In 2020, he started co-hosting Sorted with the Dyers, a podcast with his daughter Dani.

In 2021, Danny and Will Mellor recorded a new version of the song "Vindaloo" to raise money for NHS Charities. In January 2022, after leaving EastEnders, Danny accepted an offer to appear in a Sky TV series.

Danny Dyer's Personal Life

Danny Dyer lives in Debden, Essex. He started dating Joanne Mas in 1992. They separated after their first daughter, Dani Dyer, was born in 1996. They dated other people but later got back together. Danny and Joanne got married on 3 September 2016, after she proposed to him in March 2015. They have two more children, a second daughter and a son.

Danny is a big football fan and supports West Ham United. In December 2007, he became the chairman of a local football club called Greenwich Borough. He said he loved football and that being involved with a club was "like a dream come true." This appointment was actually a way to get more attention for the club.

In 2016, Danny traveled to Sierra Leone to take part in Sport Relief, a charity event. He said he hoped his visit would make a difference.

Danny has also written two autobiographies: Straight Up (2011) and The World According to Danny Dyer: Life Lessons from the East End (2016).

Filmography (selected)

Film

Television

Video games

Music videos

Stage Performances

• Certain Young Men (1999), by Peter Gill
• Celebration (2000), by Harold Pinter
• No Man's Land (2001–2002 revival), by Harold Pinter
• The Homecoming (2008 revival), by Harold Pinter
• Kurt and Sid (2009), by Roy Smiles

Awards and Nominations

Images for kids

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  Dyer in 2007

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  Dyer at Upton Park in 2010

See also

In Spanish: Danny Dyer para niños