Eastenders’ Danny Dyer to take a break to appear in high-brow plays alongside Hollywood star Martin Freeman

DANNY Dyer is to take a break from EastEnders to appear in a series of high-brow theatre productions.

The cockney actor, 40, will take at least six weeks away from Albert Square to appear in two plays written by Harold Pinter, alongside Martin Freeman.

The legendary British writer had a career spanning more than 50 years and penned productions including The Birthday Party and Betrayal.

And Danny, who has played pub landlord Mick Carter since 2013, became a close friend and protege of Pinter after appearing in his debut production of Celebration in 2000 — his first play in 15 years.

An EastEnders show source said: “Danny will need to take at least a month and a half away from the soap.

“He needs to spend a considerable amount of time in rehearsals and on stage so it only makes sense to give him a break from filming.

“He’s a huge part of the show and viewers love him so obviously nobody wants to see him away for too long.

"But this is something he’s really passionate about.”

He will star opposite Martin Freeman, 46, in productions of A Slight Ache, about a mysterious figure entering a country home, and The Dumb Waiter, about two hit-men awaiting their next job, from January 31 to February 23 2019

It will be part of a series of shows which will run at the Harold Pinter Theatre in London from September to February 2019, marking ten years since the renowned playwright passed away.

Speaking about Harold in 2013, he said: “I miss him, you know, he was a good influence on me. He was the only person who I feared but loved.”

It isn’t Danny’s first dabble with high society after he was revealed as a descendant of royalty including William the Conqueror and Edward III on BBC show Who Do You Think You Are?.