:Frankie Fryer
{{Orphan|date=June 2024}}
Frankie Fryer (also spelled as Franky Fryer) is a character on the British Sky Sports association football television programme, Soccer AM. He is played by Adam Smith.
Design
The character is designed as an imitation of London born actor, Danny Dyer.{{cite web |url=http://www.abertawe.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=50652 |title=Arwr pêl-droed Frankie (Fryer) yn dweud bod Abertawe'n lle gwych i ymweld ag ef |publisher=Abertawe.gov.uk (in Welsh) |date= |accessdate=2013-01-08 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130423182834/http://www.abertawe.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=50652 |archive-date=2013-04-23 |url-status=dead }} The character speaks with a cockney accent and uses cockney rhyming slang. The character also wears a wig, brown jacket and jewellery.{{cite web|url=http://www.socceram.com/crew/0,21662,13878_2947032,00.html |title=Franky Fryer |publisher=Soccer AM |date=2012-10-25 |accessdate=2013-01-08}}
Fryer hosts Soccer AM's "Away Days" segment,{{cite web|url=http://www.thisissussex.co.uk/Andre-s-cafe-TV-sketch/story-17210723-detail/story.html |title=Andre's cafe in TV sketch |publisher=This is Sussex |date=2012-11-01 |accessdate=2013-01-08}} where the character visits various football locations in the United Kingdom{{cite web|author=Martin Kelner |url=https://www.theguardian.com/football/blog/2012/apr/29/soccer-am-football-focus-martin-kelner |title=Soccer AM's raspberry blowing the perfect remedy for pre-match tension |work=The Guardian |date=2012-04-29 |accessdate=2013-01-08}} and abroad{{cite web|url=http://go.sky.com/vod/content/SKYSPORTS/content/videoId/ed59e4b00ed7a310VgnVCM1000000b43150a________/content/default/videoDetailsPage.do |title=Away Days - Warsaw |publisher=Sky |date=2012-10-20 |accessdate=2013-01-08}} and gives an overview of attractions in the city where Away Days is being filmed. The character's usage in the segment was viewed by Swansea's cabinet member for regeneration, Nick Bradley as a way to encourage visiting football fans to spend the night in the city after football matches after Away Days was filmed to cover Swansea City.{{cite web|url=http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/Soccer-s-Frankie-Fryer-checks-Swansea/story-16752721-detail/story.html |title=Soccer AM's Frankie Fryer checks out Swansea |publisher=This is South Wales |date=2012-08-23 |accessdate=2013-01-08}}
The character is also used on t-shirts which were sold by Soccer AM during the 2012–13 football season for charity. The shirt's design includes the slogan, "Franky says: Keep Me Nut Daan".{{cite web|url=http://www.worldsportingnews.net/2012/10/soccer-am-say-keep-me-nut-daan-for.html |title=Soccer AM say 'Keep Me Nut Daan' for charity t-shirts |publisher=World Sporting News |date=2012-10-03 |accessdate=2013-01-08}}
Reception
Thom Gibbs in the Daily Telegraph called the character "an offensively weak impression of Danny Dyer with a side order of Del Boy’s French malapropisms."{{cite web|first=Thom|last=Gibbs|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/football/8787792/Soccer-AM-an-inexplicably-popular-show-that-somehow-makes-football-fun.html |title=Soccer AM: an inexplicably popular show that somehow makes football fun |publisher=Telegraph |date=25 September 2011 |accessdate=2013-01-08}} In October 2012, Reggae band, Wilcko released a single about the character entitled "Oy, Oy, Oy, It's Franky Fryer!" The single reached a peak of 3rd on the iTunes UK charts.{{cite web |url=http://www.music-chart.info/song/1043566/Oy-Oy-Oy-Its-Franky-Fryer- |title=Oy, Oy, Oy, It's Franky Fryer by Wilcko |publisher=Music Chart Archive |date= |accessdate=2013-01-08 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130218152224/http://www.music-chart.info/song/1043566/Oy-Oy-Oy-Its-Franky-Fryer- |archive-date=2013-02-18 |url-status=dead }}