Danny Dyer has revealed he wanted one of his co-stars in Rivals “to be horrible” but he ended up being just a “lovely geezer”.
The 47-year-old is currently starring as businessman Freddie Jones in the Disney+ series, which also features the likes of Alex Hassell and Emily Atack. But it was former Doctor Who star David Tenant who stood out to ex-EastEnders actor Danny.
Rivals, based on the Jilly Cooper novel, follows regional television bosses in the fictional county of Rutshire told through the eyes of Corinium television. Central to the plot is the intense rivalry between Lord Tony Baddingham played by the Scottish star and Rupert Campbell-Black played by The Boys star Alex Hassell.
Speaking on the Off Menu podcast with Ed Gamble and James Acaster, Danny revealed what it was like working with the former Doctor Who actor.
He said: “I’m part of a proper, real ensemble cast with elite people. David Tennant, what a lovely geezer he is, you want him to be horrible because he is just perfect. He’s like a Rolls-Royce of acting.”
Danny says he enjoyed starring in Rivals, but does admit tackling Japanese for the series was difficult. He said: “With Freddie, he’s lovely, he’s a teddy bear with a bite.
“And also, I speak a bit of Japanese in it which is worth tuning in for, just for that. It took a long time to learn this little bit I’ve got, because I had a geezer on WhatsApp because it’s all phonetic so I couldn’t write it down.”
One standout moment for Danny however was the opportunity to grow a moustache. He admitted his three children - including former Love Island winner Dani - hated the look at first.
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He added: “I love it, it’s a great thing. I had a moustache for six months and I broke it to my kids and they cried.
“But they grew to love it and when I got rid of it they were upset. I pulled it out of the bag, I had a bit of oil and was brushing it with my little tache brush - it’s nice to know you can grow one.”
Fans have already been won over by Danny's performances on the show. Writing on X, one said: "Have to say Danny Dyer is a way better actor than people give him credit for - the warmth and nuance he gives to his character in Rivals is gorgeous."
While another added: "The more RIVALS I watch the more I can see that Danny Dyer is a national treasure."
Rivals is currently available to stream on Disney+.
