There may have been a few sniggers at the back when the BBC announced that Danny Dyer had been given his own history show – but the EastEnders actor seems to have proved his critics wrong.
Right Royal Family kicked off last night (Wednesday 23 January), and saw Danny attempt to live like a Viking – including eating sheep’s tongue and chopping into a sheep’s head.
As the actor was seen gagging at some of the things he had to do, fans crowned him King and declared the show a winner.
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Going back 35 generations to learn how to fight like his Viking ancestor Rollo – a Viking who became the first Duke of Normandy, starting off the Norman reign – Danny wore Viking outfits, learned how to sword fight, ride a horse and eat Viking food.
This included cutting open a sheep’s skull with an AXE, and then eating its tongue – prompting the actor to go green and look close to being sick.
He later ate some pungent cheese.
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Danny discovered he was a direct descendant of Edward III on Who Do You Think You Are last year, and was given the opportunity to find more royal blood and even a saintly connection in his family tree in the new two-part series which concludes next week.
And fans were TOTALLY behind the show, praising Danny for bringing history to the masses.
One fan said: “And look who proved them all wrong once again. The stuck-up snobs who made up their minds about it before the show even aired followed by the reaction he’s had tonight is honestly all I wanted to see. NEVER underestimate Danny Dyer.”
https://twitter.com/eastendersdyer/status/1088199442547834882
There’s a debate among some historians and educators as to how we should make history more accessible and popular in schools. I genuinely think we might have just found the answer in Danny Dyer. #RightRoyalFamily
— Christopher Wood (@crwexe) January 23, 2019
Highly recommend watching this Danny Dyer documentary with the subtitles on. pic.twitter.com/BVS3CiHKEq
— Scott Bryan (@scottygb) January 23, 2019
#DannyDyer Roll like Rollo 😀
— jools268 (@jools268) January 23, 2019
Danny Dyer at his best on #RightRoyalFamily “get up there”
— steveparrett (@steveparrett2) January 23, 2019
https://twitter.com/pauloverurface/status/1088183854865752064
Danny Dyer’s Right Royal Family was an absolute blast ( from the past) last night! Although unconventional, the angle is a brilliant one in following his blue blooded ancestry. Showing my teenage sons this tonight ( yes, swearing ‘an awl)! #dannydyer is a national treasure 🍺👑. pic.twitter.com/nvouO5SOyR
— Full Time Writer (@TessEgerton) January 24, 2019
A highlight for anyone who missed Danny Dyer's Right Royal Family on @BBCOne last night. And yes, I rewound to this bit just so I could send the clip to my wife. 'Av iiittttt!#dannydyersrightroyalfamily #DannyDyer pic.twitter.com/eUEcnrHMYN
— The Madness of Two (@joemedforth) January 24, 2019
Another said: “There’s a debate among some historians and educators as to how we should make history more accessible and popular in schools. I genuinely think we might have just found the answer in Danny Dyer. #RightRoyalFamily.”
A third said: “Danny Dyer on his Viking Ancestry. Superb.”
“Danny Dyer’s Right Royal Family was an absolute blast (from the past) last night!” said another. “Although unconventional, the angle is a brilliant one in following his blue-blooded ancestry. Showing my teenage son’s this tonight #dannydyer is a national treasure.”
It was the second night running that Danny Dyer’s name had been trending on Twitter, after he won Best Serial Drama Performance – and dropped the F-bomb – live at the NTA’s.
Do you believe Danny Dyer is a ‘national treasure’? Leave us a comment on our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know what you think!