View all newsletters
Sign up to our newsletters

Support 110 years of independent journalism.

  1. Culture
  2. TV
23 January 2019

Danny Dyer’s Right Royal Family is brilliantly stupid fun

It’s less of a documentary, and more of an excuse to force Dyer to dress up in ridiculous costumes, eat disgusting food and order around his new servants.

By Anna Leszkiewicz

It was when I saw Danny Dyer biting a chunk of wobbling tongue straight out of the skull of a decapitated sheep, before requesting an alternative meal “that’s not gonna make me spew me ring up”, that I knew I was watching something special. Danny Dyer’s Right Royal Family follows on from the viral episode of Who Do You Think You Are? in which Dyer teared up at the discovery that he is the 22-times great-grandchild of Edward III (apparently most British people Dyer’s age are, but don’t let that spoil the fun), before announcing: “I think I’m gonna treat meself to a ruff.”

In this new series, Dyer travels in search of his long line of royal ancestors. Or, in his own words, he goes on a “blue-blooded binge”. It’s not a deep dive into history (scholarly observations include: “Back in the day, everybody was on an ’orse”) but an excuse to send Dyer to an array of castles and force him to dress up in ridiculous costumes, eat disgusting food, fight like a medieval knight, hunt with a bow and arrow, and order around his new servants. Luckily, Dyer is incredibly game, bringing a much-needed boyish enthusiasm. It’s not scripted, and his natural personality shines through: when he spears a watermelon, on horseback, he declares: “I, Danny Dyer, 30-times great-grandson of William the Conqueror, ’as got the ’ump with an Anglo-Saxon watermelon, and it is gonna get it.”

At times, it’s even surprisingly moving – Dyer seems to have a genuine pride in each of his ancestors, especially the pious Louis IX, and is overwhelmed when shown his old clothes, complete with blood stains and the whip he used to self-flagellate. “Fuck,” he whispers. “Is that his claret? Wow. Bless you, grandpa. Bless you.” Well. God bless the BBC for this perfect commission. 

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU

Content from our partners
The promise of prevention
How Labour hopes to make the UK a leader in green energy
Is now the time to rethink health and care for older people? With Age UK

This article appears in the 23 Jan 2019 issue of the New Statesman, Who’s running Britain?

Select and enter your email address Your weekly guide to the best writing on ideas, politics, books and culture every Saturday. The best way to sign up for The Saturday Read is via saturdayread.substack.com The New Statesman's quick and essential guide to the news and politics of the day. The best way to sign up for Morning Call is via morningcall.substack.com Our Thursday ideas newsletter, delving into philosophy, criticism, and intellectual history. The best way to sign up for The Salvo is via thesalvo.substack.com Stay up to date with NS events, subscription offers & updates. Weekly analysis of the shift to a new economy from the New Statesman's Spotlight on Policy team. The best way to sign up for The Green Transition is via spotlightonpolicy.substack.com
  • Administration / Office
  • Arts and Culture
  • Board Member
  • Business / Corporate Services
  • Client / Customer Services
  • Communications
  • Construction, Works, Engineering
  • Education, Curriculum and Teaching
  • Environment, Conservation and NRM
  • Facility / Grounds Management and Maintenance
  • Finance Management
  • Health - Medical and Nursing Management
  • HR, Training and Organisational Development
  • Information and Communications Technology
  • Information Services, Statistics, Records, Archives
  • Infrastructure Management - Transport, Utilities
  • Legal Officers and Practitioners
  • Librarians and Library Management
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • OH&S, Risk Management
  • Operations Management
  • Planning, Policy, Strategy
  • Printing, Design, Publishing, Web
  • Projects, Programs and Advisors
  • Property, Assets and Fleet Management
  • Public Relations and Media
  • Purchasing and Procurement
  • Quality Management
  • Science and Technical Research and Development
  • Security and Law Enforcement
  • Service Delivery
  • Sport and Recreation
  • Travel, Accommodation, Tourism
  • Wellbeing, Community / Social Services
Visit our privacy Policy for more information about our services, how New Statesman Media Group may use, process and share your personal data, including information on your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications.
THANK YOU