Danny Dyer has confessed he might not succeed when he steps away from Albert Square, calling his decision to quit EastEnders a gamble.
The 44-year-old actor has played Mick Carter on EastEnders since 2013 and has been a main focus of the show ever since as landlord of the legendary Queen Vic pub and high profile plot lines including paternity bombshells and marital strife.
But after nine years on the soap, Danny will be waving goodbye to the EastEnders set later this year with his character set for an “explosive” exit” from the Square.
After winning over an army of new fans since joining the long-running BBC show, Danny admits making the decision to walk away from the role was a gamble.
He said during his Sorted with the Dyers podcast – which he hosts alongside Love Island star daughter Dani, 25 – that he is ‘rolling the dice’ with EastEnders exit.
He explained: “Im taking that leap, because I need to and I think sometimes you have to gamble in life as that is what makes it exciting!”
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.
"I know some people will be jumping for joy at the idea of me leaving EastEnders, there will be others who are quite disappointed. Other people will wish me the best for the future.
"There's no big story around it, really. Other than the fact I've decided to go off and try some other stuff.”
He added: "I'm 44 now, and I've had nine years of playing Mick and I think he needs to be rested. I'm still looking for that defining role. Maybe it is there, maybe it isn’t.
"But I've always been quite ambitious, and I had quite a long career before I went into EastEnders.”
Before signing up to EastEnders almost a decade ago, Danny had enjoyed various ‘hard man’ roles in a string of gritty film and television dramas.
He made his screen debut twenty years earlier with a role in hit crime drama Prime Suspect in 1993 – alongside Oscar winning star, Dame Helen Mirren.
While his film debut was in the 1999 cult comedy Human Traffic and he later appeared in The Football Factory and sequel The Hooligan Factory.
