Danny Dyer told EastEnders bosses he was ‘going to die’ at height of drug addiction

Actor said he was a ‘f***ing lunatic’ while filming soap

Danny Dyer has recalled the time he told EastEnders bosses he “was going to die” if he didn’t quit the show amid his battle with drug addiction.

The actor joined the cast of the BBC soap in 2013 as Mick Carter, a role he will depart later this year.

Appearing on the first episode of Jaime Winstone’s Greatest Night Ever podcast, Dyer spoke about his struggles with drugs while filming the soap that reached a head around his wedding to wife Jo in 2016.

“Fame never suited me,” Dyer said. “I was always f***ing gonna be going down the wrong path. So I lost the plot for many years and I was a f***ing lunatic. I had no validation of who I was. I became a cartoon character… I got wrapped up in that and I sort of lost who I was.

Dyer said that at the time, he was “doing s*** loads of f***ing drugs” but that marrying Jo had pushed him into making changes.

“I knew it was the start of something for me,” he said. “I had to go, ‘Alright, this is it. You’re going to lose all this, you’re going to be a shadow of the man that you are. You’re going to f*** everything up, you’re going to have no relationship with your kids.’

“I had a couple of months after that of just trying to drag my f***ing arse over the line and then I turned around to the bosses of EastEnders and I said, ‘Listen, I’ve gotta go somewhere, I’m going to die.’”

Dyer says the show’s bosses were shocked but supportive, adding that he paid for his own rehabilitation.

It has been reported that Dyer will leave EastEnders at Christmas 2022.

In an interview after his exit was announced, the actor insisted that he hadn’t “fallen out with anybody” and was simply looking to pursue other career paths.

If you or someone you know is suffering from drug addiction, you can seek confidential help and support 24-7 from Frank, by calling 0300 123 6600, texting 82111, sending an email or visiting their website here.

In the US, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration can be reached at 1-800-662-HELP.