EastEnders star Danny Dyer heads to Sunderland to explore changing views of masculinity for Channel 4

Actor and former EastEnders star Danny Dyer has been visiting the University of Sunderland to speak with psychology expert and lecturer Dr Rebecca Owens as part of a new Channel 4 documentary exploring modern British masculinity.

‘Danny Dyer: How To Be A Man’ sees Danny step out of his tough guy persona to embark on an insightful journey into the evolving landscape of masculinity.

The modern interpretation of traditional traditional masculinity is seen by many as a dated and ‘toxic’ concept.

During the two part documentary Danny will ask men across Britain what they think it means to be a man in modern society, and what the future is for the male identity.

As part of discussions around the topic, Danny travelled to Sunderland to meet with students from the city.

The episode covers the male and female students taking part in go-karting as part of an experiment looking at gender differences in competitiveness.

Danny also speaks at length to Dr Owens, Head of the School of Psychology at the University, and the master-mind behind the world’s first male psychology module.

The module explores factors exclusively or disproportionately affecting men and boys, or factors that may affect them differently to how they affect women and girls. 

Dr Owens said: "I feel so grateful that Danny linked in with us at the University of Sunderland to highlight the importance of considering male psychology. We had a great day – the karting experiment worked like clockwork and the students had a fabulous time, they really did us proud.”

Following the go-karting, Danny and Dr Owens attended a lecture by Martin Seager, one of the leading advocates in the area of male psychology at the University of Sunderland.

Dr Owens added: "Danny was very forthcoming and open when discussing with me his own interests in this area and motivation for doing so.

“Danny clearly recognises the challenges males are facing in the 21st century UK and is working hard to raise awareness of it and highlight potential opportunities for us as a society to ensure our men and boys aren’t being lost and overlooked."

Across both films Danny will be exploring gender stereotypes, male attitudes to mental health, and the changing roles of men in society. He engages in conversations that challenge perceptions and open up a dialogue on what it means to be a modern man in Britain today. The series also features interviews with men, including a politician, psychologists, a mental health expert, a fitness expert, a sex therapist, an influencer, male victims of domestic abuse and members of the Brighton Gay Men’s Chorus. Danny said: “As an actor, I've played countless characters, but now I am making a documentary about what the evolving place of men really is.

“If you were to look on social media, it might seem like people are either completely embracing or rejecting traditional gender roles, without much room for nuance.

“That’s why we wanted to chat to real men that are representative of the UK today, to hear their thoughts on what being a modern man is to them.

“To me, being a man isn’t about trying to fit a mould, it's about showing a bit of heart and respecting yourself and others so I'm hoping this documentary gets the geezers talking.”

Danny Dyer: How To Be A Man premieres on Tuesday April 16 at 10pm on Channel 4, with both episodes available for streaming on All4 immediately after the broadcast. Episode two follows on Channel 4 on Wednesday April 17 at 10pm.