Danny Dyer reveals diet trick that helped him lose a stone – and he can still drink booze

Danny Dyer has revealed he has lost a stone after trying intermittent fasting – and sometimes breaks it with a pint instead of food.

The actor, 46, who is taking part in the latest Celebrity Bake Off, only started the diet in April 2023 and the benefits have seen him stick with it.

Intermittent fasting is an eating plan that alternates between fasting and eating on a fixed schedule.

While many diets focus on what you eat, intermittent fasting focuses on when you eat with followers eating only during certain hours of the day.

Talking to The mirror, he said: ‘I broke my fast on day one when I was going to have breakfast. I’m not really a breakfast person, but I needed some energy. Usually I fast until maybe around two or three o’clock in the afternoon. So that would be my first kind of meal. Sometimes I hang around until noon. It works for me.

‘I’ve lost around a stone. For eight hours I can eat and drink whatever I want as long as I fast for 16 hours and drink water too. People have come to me and said it’s not working for them and I tell them to cheat.’

The former EastEnders star admitted that when he returns to eating after his 16-hour fast, it’s not always with something healthy.

He said: ‘Ideally you should break your fast with something healthy. Sometimes for me it has been half a liter of Stella, which is not ideal, but it must be necessary.

Danny is taking part in Celebrity Bake Off alongside Leigh Francis and Rhod Gilbert for Stand Up To Cancer.

The actor left his role as Mick Carter on EastEnders in 2022. He recently filmed The Football Factory sequel Marching Powder.

Danny starred in the 2004 film as disillusioned 29-year-old Tommy Johnson, who lives for the weekend football games.

Two decades later, Danny was back on Tommy’s turf, but this time as a character named Jack, who must turn his life around or face a spell in prison.

The Football Factory followed the story of two fictional groups of English football hooligans, the Headhunters who support Chelsea and the Bushwhackers who support Millwall.

Danny’s character Tommy is a member of the Chelsea firm whose life revolves around alcohol, drugs, femicide and violence, but whose increasing nightmares make him question his life choices.

The film – which was loosely based on the novel by John King – received negative reviews from critics at the time, but has gone on to become something of a cult classic.

The sequel has been titled Marching Powder, a euphemism for the cocaine the characters love.

Danny confirmed that he and director Nick Love were reuniting for a follow-up film in January on Instagram. He wrote: ‘Let the madness begin’.

The Great Celebrity Bake Off for Stand Up to Cancer begins on Sunday at 19:40 on Channel 4, with Danny appearing in episode two.