Danny Dyer in talks for sequel to epic Nineties film which made him famous
DANNY DYER has agreed to swap Albert Square for Stamford Bridge in a sequel to cult movie The Football Factory.
I’ve learned the ex-EastEnders favourite has met with the original film’s director Nick Love to discuss the new script.
He has given the project the green light, ahead of the 20th anniversary next May of the release of the violent original.
Danny played Chelsea “firm” hooligan Tommy Johnson, who started to question his morals and those of his mates, in the 2004 film.
A source said: “Danny is a free agent after leaving EastEnders and he has been in talks with the director Nick about a sequel to The Football Factory.
“The film ended with Danny’s character Tommy recovering from being battered by a group of Millwall fans.
“The idea is that the film would follow Tommy in the years that followed, what happened in the firm and the new generation coming up behind him.
“Danny said at the time that the film was about so much more than hooliganism. It was about men and their complex relationships.
“And given how much the world has changed over the past two decades, there is plenty of scope for new themes.
“Naturally, football will be at the heart of it so fans can expect violence and hilarious one-liners. Danny has a lot of love for the film and has spoken to Nick about how it could work.
“It would mean defecting from his beloved West Ham for Chelsea again but Danny is happy to put on the shirt for another pop.
“There’s an eager audience for this kind of gritty, British film and if they can get the script right, they think it could be a massive success.”
Danny was in the film alongside Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels’ Frank Harper, who played Billy Bright, and Neil Maskell, who played Rod King.
Frank is expected to reprise his role as Billy, who was seen being banged up for seven years at the end of the first film.
Danny teased fans of the movie last month by posting a snap on Instagram with Nick and confirmed they had been talking.
As well as The Football Factory, the pair also worked on Danny’s 2005 gangster movie The Business.
Danny captioned the selfie: “Just had a strong meet with the beautiful Nick Love . . . gonna get back on the horse with him.
“A f***ing powerful thing is coming.”
Leigh-Anne says isle do
LEIGH-ANNE PINNOCK looks magical in the first photos from her fairytale wedding in Jamaica.
The Little Mix singer-turned-solo star married footballer Andre Gray in a lavish ceremony at the beginning of June but she has waited two months before sharing pictures of their special day.
In the snaps from the ceremony, attended by her bandmate Jade Thirlwall, Leigh-Anne is in a flowing white dress while the groom wore a cream blazer.
Don’t Say Love singer Leigh-Anne posted them on Instagram with the caption: “03/06/23 I married my soul mate.”
Andre, who plays as a striker for Greek club Aris, also shared them on his page and wrote: “It’s forever. The Grays.”
ED SHEERAN put in a shift at a hot dog restaurant as he stopped in Chicago for a show.
The Bad Habits singer was seen serving customers at The Wieners Circle, known for “high-quality street food with a side of insults”.
In a video shared on social media, one of the waiters announced: “We’re gonna have Ed Sheeran here at the motherf***ing Wiener’s Circle and I’m gonna teach that w**ker how to make a f***ing hot dog.”
Ed posted the clip on his Instagram at the weekend and said: “This place is legendary for serving hot dogs and insulting their customers. I loved it.” Each to their own. . .
Angry Noel is spot on
AS far as celebrities go, there aren’t many that I agree on much with.
But Noel Gallagher has hit the nail on the head with his views on woke cancel culture, insisting it is ridiculous that he is being told to keep his mouth shut in case he offends anyone.
On The Matt Morgan Podcast this week, he ranted: “These f***ing egomaniacal woke f**kwits are trying to get people to stop, saying ‘You can’t say that. You can say that. You should be allowed to say that’. It’s b*****ks.
“Even going back to medieval times, you have a vote on things and the majority rules. Now it’s the minority that rules – the tail’s wagging the dog.
“I get on a daily basis from PR people, ‘Please don’t say that in your interview’.
“I go, ‘Why not?’ They’re like, ‘It’s just more trouble than it’s worth’.
“Why? Will it upset some people? Aww, poor people. There in a nutshell is why everything is s**t. Everything is s**t, full stop.”
He went on to say he reckons it has affected music too, suggesting there have been no good records in recent years.
I have to disagree on that though, as I’ve loved albums from Lewis Capaldi, Tom Grennan and Dua Lipa.
Noel added: “But they’re welcome to the culture they’ve stunted and the society they’re trying to create, because everything is s**t.
“Most things modern are f***ing s**t. Name me anything in music from the last five years that’s good?
“There’s nothing. It’s s**t. Apart from my new album.”
Always modest, is Noel.
I.am set for kids
WILL.I.AM regrets not having kids a decade ago but is still eager to start a family.
The Voice coach said: “I want to have kids. I’m going to be an awesome dad.
“If you would have asked me this ten years ago I would have a different answer.
“[I thought] you don’t start a family until you complete the ultimate – well, my version of ultimate. That is to be able to be of assistance and help and provide and service folks that resemble the hardships that I lived, without having to ever raise money ever again.
“Ten years ago, with what I know now, I would have had a kid.”
The Black Eyed Peas frontman, who will bring the group to the UK for a performance at Brighton Pride this Saturday, has been romantically linked to singer Natalie Imbruglia and model Casey Batchelor in the past.
But speaking on the Diary Of A CEO podcast, the single star admitted he can be a tricky partner because he often comes across as “overbearing”.
Kelly gig blast at her ex
KELLY CLARKSON has used her new Las Vegas residency to slam ex-husband Brandon Blackstock.
Changing the words to Gayle’s No1 single abcdefu, Kelly sang: “F*** you, and your dad, and the fact that you got half.” With her middle finger in the air, she added: “And my broken heart, turn that s*** into art. F*** you, and your view, from the valley I bought too.”
The couple, who were married for eight years, settled their divorce last year, with music exec Brandon getting a reported £1.1million and primary custody of their two children.
Kelly’s time in Sin City is set to be short lived. She will only play a handful of shows at Planet Hollywood’s Bakkt Theater until October 3, with the singer taking a break next month.
Ray’s Parlour games
ARSENAL legend Ray Parlour sank five pints moments before playing a blinder in talkSPORT Radio’s five-a-side match.
He rolled back the years in midfield, scoring twice.
A source said: “Everyone knows Ray likes a beer. He is always telling old tales about boozy nights out from his Arsenal days. He was still able to play well after a few pints.”
The Premier League winner, inset, nicknamed “Party’ Parlour and The Romford Pele, who retired in 2007, later sank more beers at a post-match bash.
He was joined by a stellar bunch of ex-ballers and celebrities for the match, including Jermaine Pennant, Jimmy Bullard and Lianne Sanderson.
TalkSPORT presenter Alan Brazil was there on Friday and told me: “It was lovely to see some of the old pros. Ray’s going to be a wreck tomorrow, and he’s fit.”
MADONNA says she feels “lucky to be alive”.
She spent three days in intensive care with a bacterial infection after being found unresponsive at her home in New York at the end of June.
Sharing snaps of her family on Instagram as she reflected on the incident, she wrote: “I realised how lucky I am to be alive. “Thank you to all my angels who protected me and let me stay to finish doing my work.”
Madonna has been taking it easy as she recovers. She was due to launch her Celebration Tour in Canada, a fortnight ago. The shows will mow start in London in October.
KANYE WEST has been allowed back on Twitter after promising to behave.
The rapper had his account suspended by owner Elon Musk in December following a series of anti-Semitic rants and offensive posts that included praise for Adolf Hitler and the Nazis.
But the eight-month ban has now been lifted and he has vowed not to share harmful comments on his account.
Twitter, which rebranded as X last week, has also ensured no adverts will appear next to his posts and has stopped him from being able to monetise his account.
The day before Ye lost access to his account he tweeted: “Cancel cancel culture.”