Matt Smith left dripping wet as he jumps into pool fully clothed to film The Death Of Bunny Munro - after Kieran Hayler branded him a 'bully' for having him cut out of show
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Matt Smith found himself soaking wet as he took a fully-clothed dip in a swimming pool at Saltdean Lido in Brighton while filming for The Death Of Bunny Munro.
The actor, 41, who plays the titular role in the drama, pulled a number of funny faces as he dived into the water for one of the story's most memorable scenes.
His costume saw him sporting an open-collared smart shirt and a pair of matching navy blue trousers.
Surrounded by the film crew, Matt then got into the water and could be seen flailing around and gasping for breath.
He squinted against the sun and playfully stuck his tongue out between scenes, with his long hair slicked against his face.
Matt Smith found himself soaking wet as he took a fully-clothed dip in a swimming pool at Saltdean Lido in Brighton while filming for The Death Of Bunny Munro
The actor, 41, who plays the titular role in the drama, pulled a number of funny faces as he dived into the water for one of the story's most memorable scenes
His costume saw him sporting an open-collared smart shirt and a pair of matching navy blue trousers
Having his own James Bond moment, Matt then pulled himself out of the pool, dripping with water.
The Doctor Who star sat by the edge as he was given further notes and direction, before a crew member handed him a towel.
The star was quick to dry himself off and wasted no time in dashing over to a nearby tent to get changed.
He later emerged having dried off and slipped in jogging bottoms and a zip-up hoodie, while holding an espresso for extra warmth.
Seemingly wanting some time to himself, Matt pulled up his hood as he walked off for a break.
The scene in question appeared to be portraying Bunny's memory of Butlins holiday camp in the 1990s.
To recreate the atmosphere of the era, the lido had been decked out to look like Butlins, with a Hawaiian style bar being set up, decorate with bamboo and colourful leis.
Other actors could be seen in swimwear on the upper levels, relaxing on yellow-coloured deckchairs.
Surrounded by the film crew, Matt then got into the water and could be seen flailing around and gasping for breath
He squinted against the sun and playfully stuck his tongue out between scenes, with his long hair slicked against his face
Having his own James Bond moment, Matt then pulled himself out of the pool, dripping with water
The Doctor Who star sat by the edge as he was given further notes and direction, before a crew member handed him a towel
The star was quick to dry himself off and wasted no time in dashing over to a nearby tent to get changed
He later emerged having dried off and slipped in jogging bottoms and a zip-up hoodie, while holding an espresso for extra warmth
Seemingly wanting some time to himself, Matt pulled up his hood as he walked off for a break
The scene in question appeared to be portraying Bunny's memory of Butlins holiday camp in the 1990s
To recreate the atmosphere of the era, the lido had been decked out to look like Butlins, with a Hawaiian style bar being set up, decorate with bamboo and colourful leis
Other actors could be seen in swimwear on the upper levels, relaxing on yellow-coloured deckchairs
While cardboard cutouts of rabbits could be seen, reading: 'Welcome! No bunny does it better!'
While cardboard cutouts of rabbits could be seen, reading: 'Welcome! No bunny does it better!'
It comes after Matt was branded 'mean' and a 'bully' by Kieran Hayler after the actor reportedly requested he be 'edited out' of the show.
The dancer, 37, signed up to an extras agency this year and got to film a brief scene earlier this month, but Matt was said to be 'embarrassed' to be on screen with him and his casting was a 'mistake'.
Kieran, who is best known for his former marriage to Katie Price, was spotted filming with a blonde actress in Brighton at the same time as The Crown star, but the pair were not seen together.
Reacting the reports, Kieran fumed to The Sun: 'I'm not embarrassed, I'm more hurt somebody like that would say something when they don't even know me.
'For him to say what he has apparently said . . . It doesn't give much hope to young actors. I'm probably in 0.5 seconds of a scene with him. For me, it's like, f***ing hell! It's like bullying. It's mean.'
The father-of-two added that he thinks 'everyone should support each other' within the industry.
A Sky spokesperson issued a firm denial that Matt had requested Kieran be removed from the series, after a source close to the Sky production had previously said: 'Kieran doesn't have a role in the show. He came via an extras agency and was in the background of one scene as an extra. No one on production knew who he was.'
Matt's character Bunny is a sex addict in the drama, which Kieran previously claimed he suffered with, during his relationship with Katie.
It comes after Matt was branded 'mean' and a 'bully' by Kieran Hayler (pictured in 2022) after the actor reportedly requested he be 'edited out' of the show
The dancer, 37, signed up to an extras agency this year and got to film a brief scene earlier this month, but Matt was said to be 'embarrassed' to be on screen with him and his casting was a 'mistake'
Kieran, who is best known for his former marriage to Katie Price, was spotted filming with a blonde actress in Brighton at the same time as The Crown star, but the pair were not seen together
Reacting the reports, Kieran fumed to The Sun : 'I'm not embarrassed, I'm more hurt somebody like that would say something when they don't even know me'
'For him to say what he has apparently said . . . It doesn't give much hope to young actors. I'm probably in 0.5 seconds of a scene with him. For me, it's like, f***ing hell! It's like bullying. It's mean'
The father-of-two added that he thinks 'everyone should support each other' within the industry
Matt's character Bunny is a sex addict in the drama, which Kieran previously claimed he suffered with, during his relationship with Katie
In 2018, he said: 'Sex addiction is very complicated to deal with. It could strike at any time. It's when I'm feeling low or if Kate does something I'm not happy about, it's a way of making myself feel better.'
Katie previously accused Kieran of having an affair, and later said in 2015 he was in therapy for sex addiction.
Speaking at the time, she said: 'He is in therapy... it is ongoing for him. When someone is a drug addict or they are an alcoholic addict... no one ever things someone could have a sex addiction.
'I didn't think there was but with him it is more about the adrenaline and the thrill. I just thought he was a young guy but I'm pleased he did it with two of my friends as it is just sex... not a relationship.'
Matt was said to be shocked when he discovered the former stripper was due to appear in The Death Of Bunny Munro.
The 'embarrassed' BAFTA nominee reportedly requested Kieran be edited out of all scenes he had filmed, after it was revealed he was apparently cast by mistake.
A Sky source told the Mail: 'When Matt realised Kieran was on the same show, he was quite surprised.
'Both men have been on the set now and they have filmed scenes, but Matt's team decided that he couldn't possibly appear alongside someone like him so asked production staff to edit him out.'
Matt was said to be shocked when he discovered the former stripper was due to appear in The Death Of Bunny Munro
The 'embarrassed' BAFTA nominee reportedly requested Kieran be edited out of all scenes he had filmed, after it was revealed he was apparently cast by mistake
A Sky source told the Mail: 'When Matt realised Kieran was on the same show, he was quite surprised'
'Both men have been on the set now and they have filmed scenes, but Matt's team decided that he couldn't possibly appear alongside someone like him so asked production staff to edit him out'
The source added: 'It is amazing to think that Matt would be in the same show as Kieran who, as far as anyone knows, hasn't acted before'
'It's a high-quality production with not only Matt but also Robert Glenister on the roster. So Matt's team couldn't just stand by and allow this to go on'
'They intervened and asked that he was removed. You can hardly say it would have been good for Matt's reputation'
The source added: 'It is amazing to think that Matt would be in the same show as Kieran who, as far as anyone knows, hasn't acted before.
'It's a high-quality production with not only Matt but also Robert Glenister on the roster.
'So Matt's team couldn't just stand by and allow this to go on. They intervened and asked that he was removed. You can hardly say it would have been good for Matt's reputation.'
While another source close to the production at Sky said: 'Kieran doesn't have a role in the show.
'He came via an extras agency and was in the background of one scene as an extra. No one on production knew who he was.'
Kieran married Katie in 2013 and they welcomed a son, Jett, that same year, before having daughter Bunny the following year.
Within months, their marriage faltered when Katie accused him of having an affair and said they could only try again if he had therapy for sex addiction.
But the former glamour model later accused him of another affair and they divorced in 2021.
While another source close to the production at Sky said: 'Kieran doesn't have a role in the show'
'He came via an extras agency and was in the background of one scene as an extra. No one on production knew who he was'
Kieran married Katie in 2013 and they welcomed a son, Jett, that same year, before having daughter Bunny the following year, but then divorced in 2021 (pictured together in 2017)
The Death Of Bunny Munro follows a misogynistic middle-aged salesman as he takes his son on a road trip around after his wife's suicide - at the same time as a serial-killer is inhabiting the area.
As Bunny bounces from one sales pitch to the next, trying to seduce any woman he meets, Bunny Junior tries to talk to the ghost of his mother and distract himself from the realisation his father's life is crumbling around him.
Bunny soon starts to unravel, but he realises he must do something to rescue his son from his own outdated notions of what it is to be a man.
The Sky Atlantic series will have six episodes and it is based on the book of the same name by Nick Cave.
Nick is best known for being the lead singer of rock band Nick Cave And The Black Seeds and serves as one of the series' executive producers along with Matt.
Matt has said of the series: 'To work alongside Nick Cave on The Death of Bunny Munro feels like a great honour. It's a brilliant exploration of love, grief, and chaos.
'At its heart a deep, difficult, and tender story about a father and son, coping with loss and change.'
Nick added: 'Finally, someone with the courage to take on this unholy tale. I am thrilled that Sky and Clerkenwell Films are bringing Bunny to life, in all his flawed glory, and I can think of nobody better than Matt Smith to play him.'
The Death Of Bunny Munro follows a misogynistic middle-aged salesman as he takes his son on a road trip around after his wife's suicide - at the same time as a serial-killer is inhabiting the area
As Bunny bounces from one sales pitch to the next, trying to seduce any woman he meets, Bunny Junior tries to talk to the ghost of his mother and distract himself from the realisation his father's life is crumbling around him
Bunny soon starts to unravel, but he realises he must do something to rescue his son from his own outdated notions of what it is to be a man
The Sky Atlantic series will have six episodes and it is based on the book of the same name by Nick Cave
Nick is best known for being the lead singer of rock band Nick Cave And The Black Seeds and serves as one of the series' executive producers along with Matt
Matt has said of the series: 'To work alongside Nick Cave on The Death of Bunny Munro feels like a great honour. It's a brilliant exploration of love, grief, and chaos'
'At its heart a deep, difficult, and tender story about a father and son, coping with loss and change'
Nick added: 'Finally, someone with the courage to take on this unholy tale. I am thrilled that Sky and Clerkenwell Films are bringing Bunny to life, in all his flawed glory , and I can think of nobody better than Matt Smith to play him'
