Millions of people watched her grow up on television in the early 1990s, but a few years later, she almost died of cocaine addiction.
This is the startling tale of Danniella Westbrook, one of the most well-known soap opera stars in television history.
A lowered jaw
Daniella Westbrook, then a household figure on EastEnders, enthralled viewers with her fiery portrayal and rose to prominence as one of the most adored soap performers in the United Kingdom.
However, her ascent to popularity came at a high cost behind the scenes. The actress now has to deal with the painful effects of her past, including broken cheekbones, a collapsed jaw, and decaying bones after years of fighting addiction.
How, then, did this gifted actor get here?
Dreamed of being famous
Born in 1973, Daniella Westbrook was raised in the suburb of Loughton, which is just outside of London. She dreamed of being famous since she was a little child, and she started modeling when she was seven years old. Daniella didn’t have a showbiz background like many people in the entertainment sector do; her mother was a shop clerk and her father drove a cab.
Her career took off early in spite of this. She got jobs as a kid model for well-known international companies including Opel and Coca-Cola. After one chance led to another, Daniella quickly found herself entering the performing business, which would eventually make her a household name.
She even appeared in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as a child, and she played a little robber in Melvyn Bragg’s London Programme.She also starred in the music video for Queen’s song “The Invisible Man” and had a brief appearance in Grange Hill.
Perhaps the most ironic instance, though, was when she roller-skated across Albert Square as a background extra in EastEnders when she was only eleven years old.
Her photo was even published in her local newspaper with the following caption: “Who knows? She might become the show’s star one day! They had no idea how accurate that prognosis would turn out to be.
A harmful addiction
Daniella’s childhood aspiration of becoming a famous person was on the verge of becoming a reality by the time she turned sixteen. Sam Mitchell, Phil and Grant’s feisty younger sister, was proposed for a significant part in EastEnders. She made her official debut on the soap opera in July 1990 following a successful audition.
Daniella’s on-screen persona and innate charm made her a fan favorite right away, and she participated in several of the show’s most significant plots. She startled many, however, by leaving after only three years in 1993, eager to pursue other acting chances.
But fame wasn’t finished with her just yet. Producers from EastEnders approached her once more in 1995, offering her the opportunity to reprise the part that had made her famous. It was supposed to be her big break. Behind the scenes, however, Daniella was struggling with a deadly cocaine addiction that was gradually starting to affect her life and work.
In actuality, Daniella Westbrook’s decline started long before she gained widespread recognition. On a night out at a club when she was just 14, she used cocaine for the first time. Her drug use rapidly worsened, and she was already a fixture on London’s party scene when she was 16 years old and got the part of Sam Mitchell in EastEnders. Daniella later acknowledged using “half a gram” of cocaine “maybe once a week,” indicating that what had begun as an occasional indulgence quickly turned into a habit.
“Everyone was drinking Coca-Cola in the clubs I frequented, and it seemed glamorous—but it wasn’t at all.” I was simply too young, foolish, and easily influenced.When youths arrive at EastEnders, I believe someone should tell them, “Look, your life is about to change, you’re going to be invited places, and you’re going to be offered drugs,” she added.
Over $300,000 was spent on her addiction.
The repercussions increased as the addiction did. Her formerly bright job was beginning to elude her, she started to arrive late to work, and her conduct became unpredictable.
She checked herself into the London-based Charter Nightingale Clinic in 1995 after her cocaine addiction reached a breaking point. Michael Jackson is among the well-known celebs who have received treatment at this rehab center.
Danniella revealed that she spent an astounding $311,300 on her addiction at the height of her nightclub-fueled existence. However, the price was not only monetary; her romance with pop singer Brian Harvey was ruined due to her escalating substance misuse, which added yet another tragic chapter to her demise.
In actuality, Daniella Westbrook’s decline started long before she gained widespread recognition. On a night out at a club when she was just 14, she used cocaine for the first time. Her drug use rapidly worsened, and she was already a fixture on London’s party scene when she was 16 years old and got the part of Sam Mitchell in EastEnders. Daniella later acknowledged using “half a gram” of cocaine “maybe once a week,” indicating that what had begun as an occasional indulgence quickly turned into a habit.
“Everyone was drinking Coca-Cola in the clubs I frequented, and it seemed glamorous—but it wasn’t at all.” I was simply too young, foolish, and easily influenced.When youths arrive at EastEnders, I believe someone should tell them, “Look, your life is about to change, you’re going to be invited places, and you’re going to be offered drugs,” she added.
Over $300,000 was spent on her addiction.
The repercussions increased as the addiction did. Her formerly bright job was beginning to elude her, she started to arrive late to work, and her conduct became unpredictable.
She checked herself into the London-based Charter Nightingale Clinic in 1995 after her cocaine addiction reached a breaking point. Michael Jackson is among the well-known celebs who have received treatment at this rehab center.
Danniella revealed that she spent an astounding $311,300 on her addiction at the height of her nightclub-fueled existence. However, the price was not only monetary; her romance with pop singer Brian Harvey was ruined due to her escalating substance misuse, which added yet another tragic chapter to her demise.
Her struggles have not only been professional in nature. Danniella has experienced severe health problems, including psychological disorders. In a 2017 episode of Loose Women, she talked candidly about her illnesses, stating, “I have a lot of different things, including bipolar disorder, [paranoid] schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.”
There were more health scares. After a misdiagnosis, she received treatment for womb cancer in 2018. Fortunately, the following year she received the all-clear. She was then admitted to the intensive care unit in 2022 due to an unexpected episode of sepsis, but she recovered completely with prompt medical attention.
terrible vehicle collision
Additionally, Danniella has had equally dramatic relationships in her personal life. She dated East 17 singer Brian Harvey for a long time in the 1990s before moving on to Robert Fernandez, with whom she had a son in 1996.
However, tragedy struck when Danniella was involved in a horrifying vehicle accident in 1998. She suffered significant facial injuries, including a dislocated eye, after being flung through the glass at 85 mph. She miraculously avoided serious disfigurement following corrective surgery.
She married Ben Morgan, a van driver she had known for just eight weeks, later that year. After moving to Australia, their brief affair ended, and they got divorced less than a year later.
Next came businessman Kevin Jenkins, whom she married in 2001, a few months after their daughter Jodie was born.
Danniella appeared to be adjusting to a more sedate life for a while. Following her appearance on I’m a Celebrity… Leave Me Alone!She even stated in 2003 that she was done pursuing celebrity, stating, “I lead a normal life now.” In addition to doing laundry and the school run, I also make dinner for my family and work occasionally.
However, her marriage to Kevin ended in 2014. Furthermore, even though Danniella Westbrook may have left the small screen behind, her life has never been typical.
As of 2025, Danniella is still in the news, although more often now it’s because of her looks than her acting. She is currently 51 years old and has had several plastic procedures over the years, some of which have caused excruciating after effects.
She suffered from excruciating pain when she traveled to Portugal last year following surgery in Turkey. Only after a hospital procedure could I travel to Portugal. It was the most excruciating agony I had felt in days. At the moment, she posted on Instagram, “I literally feel like I have a hole in my head.”
Fans have harshly criticized Danniella for her cosmetic surgery, and she has freely acknowledged that she is nervous about the outcome. She admitted, “I can’t lie,” following liposuction, fillers, and Botox. I think the medical staff was fed up with me asking if this was normal because I was so swollen after the liposuction, fillers, and Botox that I feared I was going to explode.
However, some of her procedures have been more than just cosmetic; for example, she had to have her jaw rebuilt after years of cocaine usage caused her bones to deteriorate. She remarked, “I just don’t look like me anymore,” as she considered the effects of her previous addiction. I didn’t need that, but it’s obvious that medications will cause me to age considerably more quickly.
She even had a moment when her cheeks fell in. She talked about how, in sharp contrast to her former dazzling appearance, the left side of her face was totally sunken when she woke up.
Despite being viewed as a beauty icon at one point, Danniella has faced many emotional and physical challenges along the way. She continues to share her experiences with admirers and maintains her public profile in spite of everything.
