Danny Dyer has reportedly landed his first acting role after announcing his exit from BBC soap EastEnders.
The 44-year-old soap favourite has played Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter for the last nine years, but he will depart Walford later this year because the actor says he is still looking to land a "defining role".
When he made the shock announcement five months ago, Danny admitted he is taking "a risk" by exiting the BBC show, but believed Mick needs to be "rested".
The soap star is now reportedly set to star in gritty new four-part drama for Channel 5, which will be filmed in Australia.
The drama is expected to air in 2023, reports claim, and follows the broadcaster’s success with Lie With Me, starring Danny’s EastEnders co-star Charlie Brooks.
A Channel 5 source told The Sun : “They’ve been in talks for months trying to make it work around his already busy schedule.
“Danny spoke to Charlie who gushed about what a great time she had filming Lie With Me.
“Everyone is looking forward to having him on board.
"It’s a great move by Channel 5 to have him fronting one of their dramas.”
This comes after Netflix announced that Danny will host a brand new quiz show for the platform following his decision to quit EastEnders.
The official account of the streaming giant tweeted: "NEWS: Danny Dyer and Ellie Taylor will host CHEAT, a brand new Netflix quiz show where contestants can literally cheat their way to a fortune."
Speaking for the first time about his exit, Danny said at the time: "I am leaving EastEnders. I'm very lucky, I'm very grateful.
"When you're in a job like a soap your contract comes up for renewal and every time it has they've asked me to stay, and I'm very grateful for that. Because I've seen a lot of people come and go. It's very tough.
"I always debate whether I want to sign again and I've been contemplating a while now about whether it's time to roll the dice, take the leap.
"The big news is I've decided not to renew my contract. That's all. That's not because I've fallen out with anybody, I love everybody. That job has been amazing for me. It's an important part of television.
"I'm grateful for the beautiful years I've had there. I'm going to miss the people massively. It's me taking a risk.
"I know some people will be jumping for joy at the idea of me leaving EastEnders, there will be others who are quite disappointed. Other people will wish me the best for the future.
"There's no big story around it, really. Other than the fact I've decided to go off and try some other stuff.
"I know the landscape has changed slightly but I want to go out there and have another go, and the only way I can do that is if I decide to walk away from the job.
"It does give me a weird feeling to think I'm walking away from a job that's been a massive part of my life. But it had to be done, and it was definitely the right time."
The Mirror has contacted Danny Dyer's representatives for comment.
