If you happened to be wandering through East London on Wednesday and thought you were seeing double—or even triple—of Danny Dyer, don’t worry, you weren’t hallucinating.
Shoreditch’s Hoxton Square turned into the ultimate battleground of cockney charisma, as more than a dozen blokes showed up dressed in tracksuits, beards perfectly trimmed, all gunning for one crown: the best Danny Dyer lookalike in Britain.
The Call That Started It All
The whole thing kicked off after Ryan Sampson and Harriet Webb, co-stars of Danny’s show Mr. Bigstuff, threw down the gauntlet online over the weekend.
Their hilarious callout asked, “Do you look like Danny Dyer?
Do you smoke a lot of fags?” That was all the encouragement needed for a flood of Dyer doppelgängers to descend on London in full swagger.
Hoxton Square Becomes the Land of Dannys
When competition day rolled around, Hoxton Square was swarming with men who all looked like they’d just walked off the set of The Business or strolled out of the Queen Vic.
Most were rocking classic Sergio Tacchini jackets, their hair gelled back just right, and a stubble level that screamed ‘authentic geezer.’
Among them was one particularly uncanny lookalike—the official Danny Dyer double, even signed with an agency due to his near-perfect resemblance.
From the beard to the hair, the guy looked like Danny’s long-lost twin.
But shockingly, he didn’t take home the title.
The Crown Goes to an Underdog
Instead, the winner turned out to be another bloke whose resemblance may have been a little lighter in the face but stronger in the wardrobe.
Clad in a white and maroon Sergio Tacchini jacket that paid homage to Danny’s iconic The Business look, he clinched the title of “Best Danny.”
Complete with a novelty crown and a ribbon draped across his chest, he proudly posed for a victory photo alongside judges Ryan and Harriet—and, naturally, a cardboard cutout of Danny himself.
Danny Dyer Wasn’t There, But He Was Watching
While the man of the hour couldn’t make it in person, Danny gave the whole thing his blessing.
He reposted a fan’s video on Instagram, showing someone claiming they were skipping work just to attend the competition.
Clearly, Danny was just as entertained by the tribute as everyone watching.
The Rise of Celebrity Doppelgänger Contests
This isn’t the first time a lookalike contest caused a stir.
Back in December, London was overrun by Harry Styles lookalikes, each strutting their stuff in outfits that channeled the singer’s famously flamboyant fashion.
Judged by RuPaul’s Drag Race UK’s Ryan Lanji and author Bonnie McLaren (The Book of Harry), that contest featured wild prizes—from hair products to organic wine and even a cheap beer consolation for the worst lookalike.
Even Losing Came With a Prize
The eventual Harry Styles contest winner was 22-year-old musician Oscar Jorneaux, who casually admitted he entered just for the publicity.
But even those who didn’t win walked away with prizes, proving that sometimes just showing up dressed like a pop star is reward enough.
Timothee Chalamet Stuns Fans in New York
And across the pond, the craze isn’t slowing down.
A recent Timothée Chalamet lookalike contest in New York had fans going wild—especially when the real Timothée showed up unannounced.
Flanked by security, the actor took selfies with curly-haired fans, some of whom were dressed as his famous film characters, from Willy Wonka to Dune’s Paul Atreides.
Fans Thought He Was the Real Deal
The impersonators were so convincing that some fans actually mistook them for the actor himself—until the real Timmy emerged.
“It was insane,” 23-year-old attendee Noah Wildie told DailyMail.com, describing how hundreds screamed when Chalamet surprised the crowd.
What’s Next in the Lookalike World?
With these quirky contests gaining momentum, it seems like only a matter of time before another celebrity’s fanbase throws their hats (and matching outfits) into the ring.
As for Danny Dyer’s unofficial army of lookalikes, they’ve certainly proven one thing: there’s only one Danny—but there are plenty of lads ready to step into his Reebok Classics for a day
