Danny Dyer wants to play Doctor Who - here's why he should
Now, before you get your Tom Baker scarf in a knot or hire a Dalek to exterminate me, this isn't a gag or an attempt at contrarianism.
I genuinely believe Danny should get a spin in the Tardis, and I even wrote about it back in April before Ncuti burned away to reveal Billie Piper's smiling face.
Well, it turns out that the 47-year-old actor must be a Metro reader because he agrees with me.
During a recent interview with The Mirror, Danny said that while he's never been asked to audition for The Doctor, he'd be well up for it.
Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter.
Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you.
'It's such an iconic thing to do,' he said. 'It's almost – not on the same level – like James Bond. It's a character that's loved by so many.'
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
'Again, it gives you an opportunity with Doctor Who, because of the nature of the work, to bring something left-field, something a bit mental, a bit stylised, which I love. I love the idea of it.
So why am I so convinced that Danny – who's better known for playing crime lords than time lords – would make a good Doctor?
Well, I can't say it's because I think he'd look great in a velvet Victorian frock coat (although he might?).
It's more than I believe every actor who's ever played the Doctor well needs three essential qualities, and Danny more than meets the criteria.
The first is that they need to be likeable. Check.
Any time I see Danny Dyer as himself (I wouldn't say most of the characters he plays are likeable), I think he comes across as incredibly sincere and earnest.
Yeah, I know he swears a bit, but honestly, who doesn't? And all it does is lend him a bit of authenticity.
Don't believe me? Just watch his episode of The Assembly and try not to be charmed by him.
It's impossible.
Danny's just got a genuineness and consistency to his character that makes him really hard to dislike.
The second thing is that anyone who's playing the Doctor needs to be a good actor, and I'm sorry, but Danny has proven he's every bit as talented as the Time Lords who came before him.
Ignoring all the awards he's won for acting (including, most recently, a Bafta for Mr Bigstuff), it's clear we're a long way away from the days when he was presenting Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men and seemed more like someone interested in being on the telly than in acting.
You might think 'he just plays tough men like Mick Carter, Tommy Johnson, and Moff'; that he plays the same character in every show.
But that hot take ignores his real skill.
What he does exceptionally well is to breathe pathos, a sense of weakness, into these tough nuts that makes them easy to sympathise with, even if we can't always understand their actions.
You know who that sounds an awful lot like to me? The Doctor, a being who puts on a front to hide his loneliness and vulnerabilities, and sometimes makes terrible calls.
Oh, and before you start saying that Danny lacks range, just watch him in Rivals and Mr Bigstuff.
In those shows, he proves he can be every bit as tender, loving, and funny as we'd expect the Doctor to be.
Finally, then I think the Doctor must have an arc. Admittedly, this has more to do with scripts than the actor, but I think Danny's persona here would be a valuable asset for the show.
Everyone knows Dyer as a 'cockney hardman' who's the furthest thing from the traditional Doctor.
But why not lean into that?
I imagine him as a mash-up of the Third, Ninth and Twelfth Doctors. A bad-tempered figure who's as passionate and brave as ever, but not afraid to spark out a mouthy Sontaran when they get out of line. More Trending
His arc then could be similar to Peter Capaldi's Doctor, who went from a galaxy-sized grump to the kindest person to ever pilot the Tardis.
That happened over three series and made for brilliant TV. More than that, it arguably gave us the best season of Doctor Who since the revival – Series 10.
Ultimately, what I'm saying is Doctor Who is dying (perhaps it's Dyer-ing) and Danny might just be the fresh face the show and the Doctor needs.
Got a story?
If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the Metro.co.uk entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@metro.co.uk, calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
View More »
MORE: The Celebrity Traitors 'confirmed' cast salaries make me feel incredibly uneasy
MORE: I've heard enough words – I want more Government action on Israel-Palestine
MORE: MasterChef will release unaired John Torode and Gregg Wallace series, BBC confirms
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
2 hours ago
- Metro
My girlfriend says she's in Witness Protection due to a bombshell past
When does a traumatic past stop sounding tragic and start to sound made up? That's what this week's reader is trying to figure out. His girlfriend has told him stories of abuse, cancer, living under a fake name, and even claimed to be homeless at one point. It seems like every week there's a new drama. His friends are urging him to face the fact that her tales might not be true. But he's clinging onto the hope that she's an honest person. Read the advice below, but before you go, make sure to read last week's dilemma, where a reader found out her husband is cheating – despite her doing everything for him. For the last 16 months I've been 'seeing' a gorgeous girl I'm really keen on, who lives the other end of the country. We met when she was in my town on business and immediately hit it off. We message and facetime frequently, but our relationship is mostly on-line. This has been complicated by the fact that she has regular cancer treatment, so is often not available to talk to me or see me, as her treatment is tiring and debilitating. Bit by bit she has told me her backstory, which is horrific – if it's true. She told me she was abused by a paedophile ring as a child, with the full cooperation of her mother. She has since testified against the perpetrators and as a result of that, she's in the Witness Protection Programme, which means she can only tell me her 'new' name, not her real birth name. She also told me she has a young son but he's had to go into care, because she ended up living in her car when a previous boyfriend kicked her out (he was cheating) and that her son has been abused in the care home. She also told me that his best friend had died by suicide. I could go on. X Factor icon Diana Vickers and Metro's dating expert Alice Giddings dive into your wildest sex, love, and dating dilemmas – every Tuesday. Listen wherever you get your podcasts or watch on YouTube. And be sure to follow and subscribe so you never miss an episode. You can also join the fun on our WhatsApp Group Chat here – share your dilemmas and Diana and Alice may just give you a call. It feels like every time I talk to her there's another drama. She has stressed multiple times that everything she tells me is confidential, but I've confided in a few friends who think it's all fantasy nonsense. So far, she hasn't asked me for any money, and I really want to believe that she's a truthful and honest person. It's just the regularity of the bad news that has me asking questions. I've had to edit your email as it was so long and full of your girlfriend's breathtaking stories, it would have taken up at least three of my columns in its full form. I hate to be cynical, but the sheer volume of terrible things that have befallen this woman leave me in no doubt that your friends are right with their description of 'fantasy nonsense'. Let's just examine a couple of things she's told you, beginning with the fact that she's supposedly in the Witness Protection Programme – and yet has willingly shared this highly confidential information. Does that ring true to you? By the way, in this country it's referred to as the UK Protected Persons Service (UKPPS), so I wonder whether she's just been watching too many American detective films. Then there's the story about her living in her car, while she supposedly has cancer. There is so much support for cancer sufferers in this country, I find this tale impossible to believe. Anyway, where were her UKPPS support workers in her hour of need? Fantasists like this are rare and you've been unlucky, but you've been gullible too. Maybe you are so desperate for commitment that you've slightly lost sight of common sense. You say she hasn't asked you for money, but she might eventually; on the other hand, it may just be about power, and the 'fun' of manipulating your emotions. More Trending My advice is to end things with her and look for a real relationship with someone who lives closer. Adopt a more sceptical approach next time you hear wild stories, and listen to your friends. They have your best interests at heart. Laura is a counsellor and columnist. View More » Got a sex and dating dilemma? To get expert advice, send your problem to Do you have a story to share? Get in touch by emailing MetroLifestyleTeam@ MORE: My date was going well until my braces got stuck… down there MORE: I uncovered my husband's dirty secret while he was in a coma MORE: Our boss let us spend the day visiting porn sites in the name of research
Daily Mirror
2 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Danny Jones' emotional chat with wife Georgia as he opens up on 'hurt and trauma'
McFly star and I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! 2024 winner Danny Jones married his wife Georgia in 2014, and together they have son Cooper McFly star Danny Jones returns to screens tonight in a re-run of Michael McIntyre 's The Wheel, just days after his wife Georgia posted their first photo together in four months. This snap was shared after he had an alleged kiss with his former I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-star Maura Higgins at The Brit Awards earlier this year. In the picture, Danny and Georgia are seen beaming, as they posed alongside 15 of her relatives for a family photo. The picture appears to quash any doubts about their 11-year marriage, as they continue to remain together. Just weeks prior to the controversy, the 39-year-old musician gave his most candid interview to date, on the High Performance podcast. In the lengthy discussion, he opened up about his battles with anxiety and his decision to seek professional help, after his father Alan left during his teenage years. The King of the Jungle met his first therapist at the age of 18, around the time McFly were first making waves in the music industry. Having realised the positive impact therapy had on his mental health, he has pursued his path to healing ever since. Quizzed about his wife's reaction to his personal struggles, he admitted she had her reservations at first, but these changed once he explained his need for it. "It's just little steps over the years that you do and I think it's the same with healing and the same with dealing. I was obviously hurt by something and traumatised and needed rebalancing, or reprogramming should I say," he shared. "You know, it's great talking to friends, it's great talking to your loved ones, because my wife didn't understand why I had to go at first. "She's like, 'Why don't you talk to me? Why can't I help you?' But I needed that one professional, actually many professionals over my time, just to reprogram me and podcasts helped me massively." Danny said he found particular solace in listening to Mel Robbins, famed for her TEDx talk How to Stop Screwing Yourself Over, and business owners who shared his sentiments. "I just related to these people over the years of listening to podcasts and I found it so helpful," he revealed. "That's when I went to my wife and I was like, 'I think I need to go back to therapy', because I had that Ashley guy (one of his therapists) when I was 18, but then I feel like I needed it again. "And I felt like how many times can my wife hear me talk about this? And I didn't want it to get too much for her." While he is now in an improved mental and emotional state thanks to therapy, Danny said he still occasionally grapples with understanding his feelings. Reflecting on his stint in last year's I'm A Me Out Of Here!, he added: "There's definitely things that I've learned in the jungle, that I need to just talk about, [such as] understanding myself, and understanding my emotions. I still don't do that, because I think understanding my emotions will help me to communicate better. I just need to work on that." Michael McIntyre's The Wheel airs tonight at 7.05pm on BBC One.
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Strictly star Anton Du Beke opens up on wife's 'cruel' diagnosis
Strictly Come Dancing's Anton Du Beke has shed light on his wife's 'cruel and inexplicable' diagnosis. The ballroom dancer and Strictly judge, 59, has been with the dancing reality competition right from the very beginning, starting as part of the pro lineup. After the departure of Bruno Tonioli in 2022, Anton stepped up to become a replacement judge, joining Craig Revel Horwood, Motsi Mabuse, and Shirley Ballas. And now, having taken his place on the judging panel three years ago, Anton has opened up about his wife's devastating battle with endometriosis and how it affected their lives as parents. The beloved BBC personality married marketing executive Hannah Summers in 2017, after first meeting at Wentworth Golf Club in Surrey in 2012. Wake up to find news on your TV shows in your inbox every morning with Metro's TV Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your show in the link we'll send you so we can get TV news tailored to you. They welcomed twins George and Henrietta after their wedding, following a successful bout of IVF treatment. Yet, speaking on Giovanna Fletcher's Happy Mum, Happy Baby podcast, Anton shared Hannah's fears about being able to have a baby due to her crippling endometriosis. The condition is described as the process 'where cells similar to those in the lining of the womb (uterus) grow in other parts of the body'. Anton said: 'I knew I wanted to be with her. I saw her with her nephews. She's so kind and so caring; I just couldn't understand the universe.' 'Whoever is upstairs, if anyone's upstairs, looking down and going, 'You are the most perfect person to have children, but I'm not going to let you have any children because I'm going to give you this'. 'And I'm going to say, 'You're going to have this endometriosis, and you're going to suffer with this all of your life, chronically, and I'm not going to let you have any children'. 'I thought that was peculiar, cruel, and inexplicable and unforgivable. And if ever I go up to somewhere and meet this person, I would say, 'I think you're not OK with decisions like this; this doesn't make any sense to me'.' Anton went on to discuss how health services need to educate people more about endometriosis and highlighted how there should be increased government funding for women's health services. 'We went through the process of IVF, well, for crying out loud. You girls are extraordinary,' he said. 'As much as I want to get involved, all I can do is hold your hand. It makes me emotional every time I talk about it. The injections, the stress. I have anxiety and stress, but it's not my body. 'She has these injections and the bruises in the bum, in the thigh, in the stomach. And you're trying to help, but what can you do? Whatever you want, tell me and I'll do it, but that's all you have, and it's horrendous as a man to watch it. More Trending 'You feel so inadequate, and you want to do so much more, but I can't do anything. And that's why you girls are so extraordinary; you're extraordinary that you do all this stuff.' Anton's comments came after he revealed his 'best Strictly memory ever' with Bruce Forsyth. Speaking about Sir Bruce, Anton has hailed him as a 'hero', saying that finally getting to meet one of his TV idols was everything he could have wished for. He told The Telegraph: '[My favourite celebrity encounter] has always been Sir Bruce Forsyth. Meeting Sir Bruce. He's my hero, to be honest with you. He was such a brilliant entertainer, and he was everything I wished and wanted him to be. View More » 'They say never meet your heroes, but that has never been further from the truth for me. He was absolutely incredible. Generous, kind, funny, helpful… Just the most incredible man, really.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Strictly Come Dancing winner breaks down in tears after being duped by online scam MORE: All stars rumoured for Strictly 2025 line-up, including The Traitors winner MORE: Bobby Brazier says brother Freddy needs to 'grow up' amid family feud
