Dad will be an emotional wreck at my wedding – he’s going to Jarrod’s stag do in Vegas too, says Dani Dyer

DANI Dyer cannot keep the smile off her face. And it’s no wonder, bearing in mind the rather large sparkler on her ring finger.

The 28 year old got engaged to boyfriend of three years, England and West Ham footballer Jarrod Bowen, on a romantic boat trip in Ibiza this summer.

photographed for fabulous by Mark hayman

photographed for fabulous by Mark hayman

The pair escaped for a minibreak, leaving their 18-month-old twin daughters Star and Summer at home with family, along with Dani’s son Santiago, three, from a previous relationship.

She reveals: “It was so special, as we hadn’t really seen each other properly for nearly two months, as Jarrod was at the Euros.

“It was just the perfect trip. On the day he proposed, he put a little shirt on and said: ‘You should put a cute dress on.’

“I thought: ‘Maybe it’s gonna happen!’ But then you don’t want to think: ‘This is it,’ in case it isn’t,” she laughs.

“You don’t want to get your hopes up. But we were on the boat and it was just lovely. I was actually speechless.

“I was so overwhelmed. Afterwards, he said: ‘I didn’t know when to do it, because the boat was really rocky,’ then as we got off we both nearly fell over. But it was all so special.”

And the 27-year-old forward thrilled Dani by seeking her dad Danny Dyer’s permission to ask for her hand in marriage.

“I always said to him: ‘If you ever propose, you have to ask my dad.’ So I love that he did. My mum knew for months, because she helped him with the ring. He rang my dad.

“He would have liked to have done it face to face, but he was away with football. And my dad was over the moon. He is an emotional man and he said: ‘I’ve done my job now.’”

If Jarrod returns with a tattoo on his face, the wedding is off

Having a fiancé who is a Premier League footballer, not to mention in the England squad, means they have a narrow window to tie the knot and have set the date for next summer.

“We’ve found the venue, which is beautiful. It’s giving Bridgerton vibes. I want violins. I’m just praying it doesn’t rain. We’re getting married in the UK, so you never know!”

Dani is also planning a nod to Jarrod’s footballing achievements on the day to amuse the guests.

“Jarrod is very shy, so I’ve said: ‘You know when you walk into the reception after you’re married and everyone sings?

“We should walk into ‘Bowen’s On Fire’ [a football chant that’s a take on Gala’s Freed From Desire that West Ham fans sing when he scores].”

Of course, when it comes to Dani, who shot to fame when she won Love Island in 2018 with Jack Fincham, family is at the centre of everything she does.

“The wedding is very family-focused. The twins are gonna be the flower girls.

“Jarrod’s little brother and my little Santi will be page boys. My brother Arty is going to be a groomsman.

“Then I’ve got six bridesmaids. Knowing Dad, he will be an emotional wreck.

“He’s already planning his speech, too, but I’m not worried. I’m more concerned about Jarrod’s best man. He’s very cheeky.”

And those six bridesmaids will have their hands full planning an extravagant hen do for their bride.

“There are 17 of us going to Ibiza – O Beach, for sure. I need to send Wayne [Lineker, who owns the beach club and is the brother of Gary Lineker] a DM,” she laughs.

Photographed for fabulous by Mark hayman

“I want willy straws. I’m thinking it should be chaotic and fun, but a bit classy.

“I’m worried about my friends, though. I’m going to be in a football kit, I just know it. My legs are too short for those socks. I’ll look ridiculous.”

Meanwhile, Jarrod is heading to Las Vegas for his stag.

“If he comes home with a tattoo on his face then the wedding is off. My dad and Jarrod’s dad Sam are going, too.

“I just keep thinking of Dad standing in a beach club with his top off with Jarrod and the lads.

“I try to imagine him, pushing 50, at a nightclub with champagne and sparklers, so I said: ‘I don’t mind if you don’t go.’ But he said: ‘I’m going.’”

One decision Dani hasn’t made yet is what to do about her name – will she ditch Dyer for Bowen?

And if she does, she might have to change the title of her new podcast that she hosts with her dad called Live And Let Dyers.

“I know, it’s very fortunate my surname lends itself to so many puns,” she laughs. “We’ve really had some good headlines over the years.

But we’ve had ‘Dyer-bolical’ a couple of times, too. Years ago, Dad said he really wanted to do something called Live And Let Dyer and it’s never happened till now. So the podcast is basically us just having a little catch-up.

“A lot of people love our bond and hearing how our lives differ. We do a lot of plays on words, like Tumble Dyer, which has different topics in it and we give it a spin to decide what to talk about.

“It’s basically just us. We say all the time that if people like us and they get our relationship, they’ll like the podcast. If they don’t, they probably won’t want to listen.”

The other girls taught me what a Birkin was – I didn’t know!

Dani’s relationship with Jarrod has only deepened her relationship with her dad, who is a huge West Ham and England fan, and even starred in a tongue-in-cheek Paddy Power ad at the start of the Euros this summer.

Dani was of course there, with the rest of the wives and girlfriends, to support Jarrod – who may not have featured in Gareth Southgate’s starting line-up, but certainly made an impact when he was brought on as a substitute.

“It was a great experience,” she says. “The girls are all so lovely – it can be really scary meeting new partners, but they were all gorgeous.

“Although they had to teach me what a Birkin was, as I didn’t know. They were all talking about them and I said: ‘Yeah, I’ve got Birkenstocks.’

“And they all laughed, going: ‘It’s a handbag.’ I was so embarrassed!

“I came home and said to my friends: ‘Why didn’t anyone tell me about the Birkin? I really need to change my style.’

“But they were so welcoming. It was nice to have friends you can relate to [on being in a relationship with a footballer], whereas I’ve got my friends at home who have babies and I love I can chat to them about being a mum.

“We were all in it together, and then some of their partners had moved clubs over the summer, so we all offered support. It was such a great experience.”

Dani also lent her support to Lauren Fryer, the long-term partner of Declan Rice, after she was horribly trolled for her appearance, causing her to delete her social media.

Dani says: “I love Lauren. She’s just so nice and I feel like I’ve known her for years.

“We got to know each other as Declan played for West Ham, but definitely built more of a bond in Germany, because you spend so much time together.

“It was so hard for her, the trolling, as she doesn’t put herself out there. I think it’s harder when you are not in [the celebrity world] and you are being personally attacked.

“I found that hard. She is a really good mum, who keeps to herself. No one deserves to be criticised like that. It was so cruel.

“We didn’t speak about it a lot. What we did talk about is how she is so nice and so great and looks absolutely gorgeous.

“Plus, she’s Dec’s childhood sweetheart and you can see how much he adores her.

“So, attacking a girl because of what she looks like, in this day and age, I don’t agree with it. She got a lot of support from all of us, which she definitely needed, 100%.”

Of course, because they were back in Germany, there were comparisons to the 2008 Baden-Baden World Cup that famously featured WAGs Victoria Beckham, Cheryl Cole and Coleen Rooney.

“Times have changed, though,” says Dani. “Back then, it was a big deal to get a photo, but with social media, most of us are on Instagram.

“I knew there would be pictures, so I thought: ‘I’ll get a blow-dry,’ but then the heavens opened, so I have my hair scraped back in a plait in lots of the photos!”

It’s not just having another baby – you lose yourself and feel all this guilt

What was it like for Dani when Jarrod spent so much time on the bench during the tournament, and then England lost to Spain in the final?

“It was hard, but you always sort of expect that when you go away to England camps, because you are fighting for a space, and you are going against the best in the world.

“I told him even being included in the squad was incredible. He’s such a positive person. I wish I was a bit more like him.

“He just absolutely loves to play. I said to him: ‘You’ve done everything you could. You’ve achieved so much.’”

She continues: “They got to the final! To not win is one of those situations, and it’s really sad. No one knows what to say or do. But they all pulled through and had a bit of time off and it’s on to the next thing.”

photographed for fabulous by Mark hayman

And now Jarrod is back scoring goals for West Ham in his new role as captain. “I always said he should be captain, because he’s so good. No one deserves it more.

“He’s so passionate about it and the team. Even when he’s not playing, he’s kicking a ball around.

“I’m shouting: ‘Stop playing football in the house!’ like he’s one of the kids. Santi plays it with Jarrod. He loves wearing his West Ham kit.”

Speaking of children, Jarrod recently said he’d like one more baby. . . “I know. I told him: ‘Babe, my car can’t get any bigger.’

“I miss my Mini Cooper. I was looking at one the other day and he said: ‘Where are you going in that?’ I thought I’d drive myself to Morrisons.

“He keeps saying: ‘One more,’ but it’s  hard for a woman. You sacrifice two years of your life. It’s not just having a baby  – you lose yourself and you want to be the best mum and have a career, and there’s all that guilt.

“I feel like we’re finally getting out of that. I’m terrified we could have more twins, too. Five kids? We’d be like the Cheaper By The Dozen film. 

“So, definitely not before the wedding, but you never know what the future holds!”  

• Live And Let Dyers is available on Global Player and all podcast providers now.