Danny Dyer says after filming his final scenes for EastEnders he was glad to see the back of some of his co-stars, relieved not to have to learn lines every day... and stank of broccoli.
After playing Mick Carter for nine years, the actor’s last scene was screened on Christmas Day.
And Danny, an actual Eastender known for his industrial language, says that while some in the cast are firm friends, there are others he will not bother seeing again.
Asked who he would miss least, he said: “There’s a few of them actually, I ain’t going to lie.
“I won’t say, you know. Most of them I love dearly. Not all.” Asked if they would know who they were, he said: “I’d have thought so.”
His Walford character appeared to have been killed off, drowning in the English Channel, and Danny, 45, has told how the final scenes were hard work – and left him smelling of veg.
He said: “My final scenes were in the sea, in Ramsgate at 2am. We did the exteriors in the sea and the interiors, you go to a water tank. But EastEnders couldn’t get Pinewood, so we had to go to Basildon.
“It’s all warm and lovely but to make it look like the sea they put broccoli juice in it.
“You smell of a***. It’s broccoli juice. Warm broccoli juice. It was very emotional but I stunk.”
On The Jonathan Ross Show on Saturday night, he says the real reason he left the BBC soap was because he struggled with his lines.
He said: “I’m lazy. It’s hard. Thirty pages you’ve got to learn a day. It’s like a film a week.
Danny also spoke of his joy at being a grandfather to 26-year-old daughter Dani’s son Santiago, known by his sweet nickname Santi, who was born in January 2021. He said: “He’s beautiful, he’s such a lovely little boy.
“She’s pregnant again with twins. Identical girls. So I’m going to have three grandkids under three by May.
“It’s petrifying. I am over the moon. It’s weird when your kid is pregnant. You worry about them. It’s a miracle, especially with twins.
“But I thought, when you become a grandfather, your kids will have grown up and f***ed off.
“Whereas I’m still bringing up a nine-year-old son, I’ve got a 15-year-old daughter and grandkids.”
Dani’s partner is West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen, 26, and as a fan of the Hammers Danny was thrilled.
He said: “You can’t tell them who to fall in love with. All of a sudden she’s brought home a West Ham player. I couldn’t have picked a better human being, he’s beautiful. He comes round and I get all starstruck.”
Host Jonathan, an avid comic book fan, is also joined on the show by Marvel star Evangeline Lilly, comedian Maisie Adam, White Lotus actor Will Sharpe, actress and entrepreneur Leomie Anderson. The 1975 perform in the studio.
- The Jonathan Ross Show, Saturday, ITV1, 9.40pm, and ITVX.
