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Danny Dyer
Danny Dyer Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2023.jpg
Dyer at Soccer Aid for UNICEF 2023
Born
Danial John Dyer

(1977-07-24) 24 July 1977 (age 47)
London, England
Occupation
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).

Danny Dyer in 2007
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

Danny Dyer at Upton Park, 02 Oct 2010
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

Year Title Role Notes
1999 Human Traffic Moff
The Trench Lance Cpl. Victor Dell
2000 Borstal Boy Charlie Milwall
Greenfingers Tony
2001 Goodbye Charlie Bright Francis
High Heels and Low Lifes Danny
Mean Machine Billy the Limpet
Tabloid Joe Public
Is Harry on the Boat? Brad
2003 Wasp Dave Short film
2004 Free Speech Mark
The Football Factory Tommy Johnson
2005 The Business Frankie
2006 The Other Half Mark Lamanuzzi
Severance Steve
2007 Outlaw Gene Dekker
Straightheads Adam
The All Together Dennis Earle
2008 Adulthood Hayden
2009 City Rats Pete
Malice in Wonderland Whitey
Doghouse Neil
Jack Said Nathan
Dead Man Running Bing
Just for the Record Derek La Farge
The Rapture Wraith
Catwalk Photographer
2010 Basement Gary
Devil's Playground Joe
Dead Cert Roger Kipling Cameo
The Last Seven Angel of Death
2011 Age of Heroes Rains
Freerunner Mr. Frank
7lives Tom
2012 Deviation Frankie
2013 Run For Your Wife John Smith
Vendetta Jimmy
2014 Blood Shot (aka In a Heartbeat) Phillip
The Hooligan Factory Jeff Cameo
2015 Assassin James

Television

Year Title Role Notes
1993 Prime Suspect Martin Fletcher Episode: "Prime Suspect 3"
The Bill Darrell Hughes Episode: "Unlucky for Some"
1994 Cadfael Bran Episode: "The Leper of St. Giles"
1995 A Touch of Frost Shaun Everett Episode: "Dead Male One"
Crown Prosecutor Shane Cassidy Episode: "Episode #1.5"
Loved Up Billy TV movie
Children's Ward Tony Episode: "Episode #8.3"
1996 The Ruth Rendell Mysteries Tom Episode: "Heartstones, Part 2"
Thief Takers Alec Episode: "The Outcasts"
Screen Two Bert Episode: "Loving"
The Bill Gavin Parker Episodes: "Home Truths" and "Merrily on High"
1996–1997 Bramwell Danny Episodes: "Episode #2.3" and "Episode #3.3"
1997 Ain't Misbehavin' Young Ronnie 3 episodes
Highlander Andrew Baines Episode: "Avatar"
Soldier Soldier Gary Fox Episodes: "Line of Departure" and "Sounds of War"
2002 Dead Casual Wayne TV movie
Foyle's War Tony Lucciano Episode: "A Lesson in Murder"
2003 Serious and Organised Darren Evans Episodes: "Greed" and "Unfaithful"
Second Generation Jack TV movie
2004 Family Business Yankie 6 episodes
2005 MIT: Murder Investigation Team Marc Sharaff 1 episode
Rose and Maloney Danny Episode: "Carl Callaghan"
2006 All in the Game Martin TV movie
2007 Hotel Babylon Dave Osbourne Episode: "Episode #2.2"
Skins Malcolm Episodes: "Cassie" and "Michelle"
2008 Kiss of Death Matt Costello TV movie
2011 Mongrels Himself Cameo
2012 Casualty Rossy Episode: "Love Is"
2013 Plebs Cassius Episode: "The Gladiator"
Power to the People Marc Cannon Episodes: "Ops Populus" and "Keeping the Faith"
Hollyoaks Later The White Man 4 episodes
2013–2022 EastEnders Mick Carter Regular role 1145 episodes
2018 True Love or True Lies Himself Co-presenter
All Round to Mrs. Brown's Himself 1 episode
2019 Danny Dyer's Right Royal Family Himself Main role
2019–2022 The Wall Himself Presenter
2020 EastEnders: Secrets from the Square Himself Episode: "Mick and Linda"
2021 The Wheel Participant Christmas special
2023 Cheat Co-host Alongside Ellie Taylor. Game show
Scared of The Dark Host Presenter. Reality TV series.
Absolutely Dyer: Danny & Dani do Italy Himself With Dani Dyer
Heat Steve Cameron Four-part series
Henpocalypse! Himself TV Series
2024 The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up To Cancer Himself One episode
Celebrity Gogglebox Himself; With Dani Dyer Series 6
Danny Dyer: How To Be A Man Himself In-production
Mr. Bigstuff Lee Six-part comedy. Second series commissioned
Rivals Freddie Jones

Video games

Year Title Role Notes
2002 Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Kent Paul
2004 Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas
2021 Grand Theft Auto: The Trilogy – The Definitive Edition Archival recordings
Remasters of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City and Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas only

Music videos

Year Title Artist
2016 "Nebraska" Lucy Rose
2024 "Sail Away"

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

Year Awards Category Work Result Ref.
2014 The British Soap Awards Best Actor EastEnders Nominated
Best On-Screen Partnership (shared with Kellie Bright) Nominated
2015 Best Actor Nominated
2016 Nominated
Best On-Screen Partnership (shared with Kellie Bright) Nominated
2015 20th National Television Awards Serial Drama Performance Won
2016 21st National Television Awards Won
2021 26th National Television Awards Nominated

Images for kids

See also

Kids robot.svg In Spanish: Danny Dyer para niños

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