‘Dani's going to be brilliant mum'

Former Love Island star Dani Dyer and her straight-talking ad Danny have us in stitches as they talk parenting, podcasts and pearls of wisdom

- ANNA BAILEY

Danny and Dani Dyer aren’t your usual father and daughter. The EastEnders star became a dad to his namesake when he was just 18 and tells us that it’s 24-year-old Dani who is the mature one. “I’m sort of like the naughty kid and she’s the adult, which I think is an interesting dynamic,” says Danny, 43.

That’s not to say the actor hasn’t guided his little girl. As we chat to the pair about their new podcast, Sorted With The Dyers, in which they deal with listeners’ problems and give advice, he says, “I’ve always told her to be yourself because everyone else is taken.”

“Yeah, don’t be a version of yourself,” Dani adds. “Because it is so easy to just get lost a little bit.” This advice proved to be very wise – and the Essex girl shot to fame after winning the nation’s hearts with her warmth and wit on Love Island in 2018.

Danny admits his daughter has given him the odd pearl of wisdom, too, and encouraged him to take the job of hosting BBC game show The Wall.

“I wasn’t gonna do it and she watched it and said, ‘Dad, this could be the best thing you’ve ever done.’ I didn’t know how to take that, really, because I’ve been acting for 30 years!” he laughs.

As well as helping solve listeners’ dilemmas, the pair are looking forward to another adventure – Dani is due to give birth to her first child with boyfriend Sammy Kimmence in January. And Danny can’t wait to be a doting grandad.

“I’ll be buying whatever the child wants. Lots of Lego, building it and then not letting the kid touch it,” he jokes.