Danny Dyer says people looked at him ‘like scum’ while he sold the Big Issue in London

TV legend Danny Dyer has revealed that his experience selling copies of the Big Issue in London had been a “joy” – despite the public looking at him “like scum”. 

Speaking on the Live and Let Dyers podcast, which he hosts alongside his daughter Dani, he explained that selling the magazine in London earlier this year had been a “really humbling experience”. 

“The Big Issue, I’ve always been fascinated by… they asked me if I would go and sell it,” he told his daughter on the podcast. “Of course, I was like, ‘Oh, fucking hell. Like, really?’ They was like, ‘It would really mean a lot to the vendor,’ which is what you call the guy called André, who’s homeless.”

Paired up with Big Issue seller André Rostant in September, Dyer explained that he had taken to Tottenham Court Road on a day that was “pissing down with rain” and sold several copies of the magazine over 45 minutes. 

“This guy André was a bit older than me; he’s got two teenage daughters. So, he’s in a hostel. And so, I went along with him to Tottenham Court Road, pissing down with rain,” Danny said. 

“Of course, I can’t moan – the geezer is fucking homeless! How can I fucking get tricky about… you know, I’ve got a wonderful life.”

He explained that he was shocked by the public’s reaction to him while he was selling the magazine, especially from tourists who “don’t know who I am”. 

“They was looking at me like scum. So, I had this weird thing that I was trying to navigate through people looking me up and down like scum,” he said. 

Dyer added that he’d also had several passersby recognise him while he was selling the Big Issue, explaining: “Then the others that were going, ‘Oh my God, it’s Danny Dyer. What the fuck!’ They’re going, ‘Have you fell on hard times?’ I’m going, ‘No, no.’ Like, people actually thought I was homeless!”

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Dyer added that despite the difficulties he encountered selling the magazine, it was a “humbling experience”, and that the Big Issue “gives hope” to its vendors.

“I stood there and I did about three quarters of an hour. And you know, it was a joy, because every time someone bought one, I could tell that André was earning some money,” he explained. “But it was a really humbling experience.”

He added: “If you’re homeless, you have to raise some money to buy the Big Issue off them for two quid, and then you sell it for four.

“They sell it for you cheaper, and then you get a nice big batch. Because it gives hope. Because if you’re homeless, you can’t get a job, because you’ve got no fixed abode, and you need to have an address to work, which is fucking bull shit, innit!”

The Big Issue caught up with Danny Dyer as he sold copies of the magazine alongside André on 30 September this year, finding that he had sold around 10 magazines in total, a result he was “buzzing” with.

“There’s a lot of very kind people out there,” Dyer told us. “I understand they were probably buying because of who I am – I was signing a few copies and stuff. I think it’s really interesting to be out here on the streets. 

“There’s not a lot of money about from anybody, everyone’s struggling at the moment, so I’m really happy we sold a few – I didn’t think we’d sell one, so I’m over the moon, I’m buzzing.”

André explained at the time that the TV star “did a good stab” at selling the magazine.

“But as enormously famous as he is, still people walked past and ignored him,” he explained. “The expression on his face when people did walk past, and tried to ignore him or avoid him, was interesting because I’m sure he’s not used to being ignored or avoided!”

“[The Big Issue] is giving people who don’t have many opportunities the chance to earn some money,” André said. “It’s a good publication. Buy the Big Issue, it’s important.”

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