Danny Dyer taking 'short break' from EastEnders, BBC confirms

Dyer recently appeared in the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?

Danny Dyer is taking a short break from EastEnders, the BBC has confirmed.

The corporation was responding to a report in The Sun which suggested bosses were concerned about the actor looking "exhausted".

A BBC spokesman said: "Danny is on a short break from EastEnders. This was not enforced by bosses nor has he quit the show."

It is not yet known how long Dyer will be away from Albert Square for.

Dyer joined EastEnders in 2013

The 39-year-old actor, who plays pub landlord Mick Carter, joined the soap in 2013 and became a popular character with viewers.

Mick has remained behind the bar at the Queen Victoria pub ever since and has married Linda Carter, played by Kellie Bright.

Dyer won two National Television Awards for serial drama performance for playing the role.

'Enormous pressure'

Former EastEnders star John Partridge said Dyer was likely to be under a great deal of pressure while working on EastEnders due to the "relentless" schedule.

He told ITV's Good Morning Britain: "I'm sure he's under enormous pressure, but I'm sure he has a great response from people in the street.

"I only had a very positive response - from the white van man to the 83-year-old gran.

"But it is relentless, the schedule there can be relentless, and I should imagine if he has got any problems, or anything like that, to try and deal with life outside of that - when you're there 12, 13, or 15, 16 hours a day sometimes - that can be difficult."

John Partridge played Christian in EastEnders

Before joining EastEnders, he was best known for appearing in British films like Mean Machine and The Football Factory.

He also fronted his own TV series - Danny Dyer's Deadliest Men.

Earlier this month, Dyer said he would be keen to take on the lead role in Doctor Who when Peter Capaldi retires.

In November, he appeared in an episode of Who Do You Think You Are?, in which he found out he was related to royalty.

Dyer discovered that he is descended from William the Conqueror, Edward III and Thomas Cromwell.