Danny Dyer opened up about why he quit EastEnders after nine long years of starring as Mick Carter.
The soap actor, 45, confessed he needed to leave the series when his relationship with his wife Joanne Mas was spiralling.
He went to EastEnders ' bosses and told them he was 'going to die' if he didn't take time out.
Danny explained: "I turned around to the bosses of EastEnders and I said, ‘Listen, I’ve gotta go somewhere. I’m going to die’.
"They was like, ‘Oh, OK. Uh, right’. And so I sorted it myself and I paid for it myself."
He went on to explain how he 'lost the plot' for a while and was a 'f***ing lunatic'.
The actor disclosed he was doing a lot of drugs as he was 'searching for something'.
He soon realised he would 'f**k things up' with his wife and children if he didn't turn his life around.
He recalled his realisation on Jaime Winstone’s new podcast, Greatest Night Ever: "OK, this is it, you’re gonna lose all this.
"You’re gonna be a shadow of the man that you are, you are gonna f*** everything up. You’re gonna have no relationship with your kids."
Danny started dating Jo in 1992 but the two separated after the birth of their first daughter, Love Island star Dani Dyer, in 1996.
After dating other people, they ended up reconciling and tied the knot in September 2016.
Danny previously admitted he was 'rolling the dice' with his EastEnders exit.
Speaking on his Sorted with the Dyers podcast – which he hosts alongside Dani – he explained: “I'm taking that leap, because I need to and I think sometimes you have to gamble in life as that is what makes it exciting!”
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Announcing his decision to quit EastEnders in January, Danny said: "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.”
He continued: "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.”
He went on: "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."
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