DANNY FLYER
SUNDAY MIRROR ‘Exhausted’ EastEnders star jets off to South Africa for some R&R
TROUBLED EastEnders hard man Danny Dyer has flown to South Africa after being given a break from the soap by show bosses.
The party-loving actor, 39, who plays Queen Vic landlord Mick Carter, looked shattered according to onlookers who spotted him travelling alone at Heathrow.
Fans’ favourite Danny, whose contract is worth £ 400,000 a year, is said to have become “exhausted” after filming a number of key storylines then going out on booze benders.
A source close to the actor said the pressure had led to a string of bust-ups at home with wife Jo Mas, 39, mum to his three children aged 19, nine and two.
“It all just got a bit much, together with the pressure at work. He’s portrayed as a hard man but he’s a softie really and everyone needs some time out once in a while,” said our source.
EastEnders producers said in a statement: “Danny is on a short break. This was not enforced by bosses nor has he quit.”
Former soap actor John Partridge, who played Christian Clarke until 2012, spoke of the “pressure” Danny will be under. He said: “It is relentless.”
The TV favourite was spotted checking in at Heathrow for a flight to a South African city. A passenger on the same 12-hour flight said: “Danny was travelling by himself, he had a porter dealing with his luggage, but other than that he was flying solo. He kept his head down and was checking his phone.
“He was flying first class and sat in the lounge with his iPad, drinking a couple of beers. On the flight the attendants brought him a few beers. At the other end he looked worse than when he got on the flight. He was puffy and looked exhausted and wore his sunglasses even inside the airport.”
After his flight landed Danny posed for a snap with a group of teenage lads, but struggled to manage a smile.
Last Sept ember following a fire at his mum Christina’s house, police found a cannabis factory in her roof. A man of 29 was later held on suspicion of cultivating drugs. The embarrassing incident resulted in Danny being ribbed by his pals.
A month earlier Danny claimed he was attacked by five of Mark Wright’s pals at the V Festival, and that he was kicked in the head in front of his daughter and left with a black eye. Our source added: “Danny knows he has to rest up and recuperate, he has been ground down by the workload on EastEnders and then partying on top of it.
“This trip is going to do him the world of good.
“He can remain anonymous there and he can properly rest.
“Before he left things had got a bit tense between him and Jo, they had a few rows but they sorted it out.
“He’s hoping to come back feeling refreshed and get back into work.”
Danny married childhood sweetheart Jo last September after 25 years together.