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Danny Dyer opens up about rehab

Admin

May 11, 2025
4 min read

When Danny Dyer reflects on addiction, it’s with a mix of raw honesty and clear-eyed self-awareness. Speaking recently about a turning point in his life, the actor recalled the day he almost walked out of rehab, until a handwritten letter from his daughter Dani made him stop, sit down, and face what needed to change.

Back in 2016, Dyer was in a rehab facility in South Africa, feeling fed up and ready to leave. “I’d had enough,” he admitted. “I was going to go.” However, then a member of staff read out a letter from home. It was from Dani, just 20 years old at the time, and although Dyer didn’t share the contents, he said it stopped him in his tracks. “I sat back down in that seat,” he said, realising for the first time the impact his behaviour had on the people he loved.

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Dyers recollections on addiction are less about being at rock bottom and more about disconnection: from family, from purpose, and from himself. At one point, he found himself in his ensuite after a long night, struggling to work out how to put on his jeans. “I looked up and saw my wife. She looked exhausted. I could hear the kids running about downstairs.” That, he said, was the moment it clicked. He needed to get well, not for the cameras, not for work, but for them.

Years earlier, Dyer had become a dad at 19. Money was tight. Early roles didn’t pay much, and his growing family needed stability. “I was still living on a council estate with Jo and our daughter,” he said. So when a documentary opportunity came along in 2006, he took it, despite now finding it hard to watch back. “I cringe at them,” he admitted, “but I needed to earn money and get us a house.”

For a while, success rolled in, but so did pressure. Club appearances became routine. “I’d wave from balconies and get paid well for it,” he said, but behind the scenes, it was another story. Substance misuse crept in, and soon his personal life was spiralling.

Then came the offer of EastEnders, and with it, a bit of stability. However, it wasn’t until that moment in rehab, holding onto his daughter’s words, that things truly began to shift.

Now, Dyer is nominated for a BAFTA for his role in Mr. Bigstuff, and his career has taken a fresh turn with a recent Disney-backed drama. He and Dani have built a public partnership too, working together on podcasts, TV series, and more. And the real legacy of that letter may be something much simpler: a father deciding to stay.

Support for those struggling with addiction is available, and you can learn more through this rehab guide from UKAT, which explains the process for anyone seeking help.

For more stories about overcoming addiction, family, and life behind the scenes of public figures, visit EyeOnLondon. We’d love to hear your views in the comments.

[Feature Credit | BBC News]