From Rising Star to Personal Struggles
The story of Danniella Westbrook is a captivating and, at times, heartbreaking account of a young woman who experienced the intense highs of fame and the devastating lows of addiction. In the early 1990s, millions of viewers watched her character grow and develop on television, but just a few short years later, she faced a life-threatening battle with cocaine dependency. This is the detailed journey of Danniella Westbrook, a name that resonates with many as one of the most recognizable faces from British soap operas.
ADVERTISEMENT
From Rising Star to Personal Struggles
ADVERTISEMENT
Danniella Westbrook became a familiar face in households across the United Kingdom through her dynamic portrayal on the popular show EastEnders. Her compelling performances quickly made her a beloved figure on the program, establishing her as a prominent soap opera actress. However, behind the scenes of her burgeoning career, Danniella was grappling with significant personal challenges. The consequences of her past struggles have had a lasting impact on her health, including issues with her cheekbones, a collapsed jaw, and the deterioration of her bones due to years of battling addiction.
ADVERTISEMENT
So, how did this talented individual find herself facing such difficulties?
Early Dreams of Fame
Born in 1973, Danniella Westbrook spent her childhood in Loughton, a suburban area just outside of London. From a young age, she harbored aspirations of achieving fame, and she began her journey into the public eye through modeling at the age of seven. Unlike many in the entertainment industry, Danniella did not come from a family with showbiz connections; her mother worked in retail, and her father was a taxi driver.
Despite this, her career began to take off early in her life. She secured modeling opportunities with well-known international brands like Opel and Coca-Cola. One opportunity led to another, and Danniella soon found herself entering the world of acting, a path that would eventually make her a national celebrity.
Even as a child, she appeared in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat and played a small role as a robber in Melvyn Bragg’s London Programme. She also featured in the music video for Queen’s song “The Invisible Man” and had a brief appearance in the television series Grange Hill.
Perhaps the most ironic early experience was when, at just eleven years old, she worked as a background extra on EastEnders, roller-skating across Albert Square.
A local newspaper even published a photo of her with the prophetic caption: “Who knows? She might become the show’s star one day!” Little did they know how accurate that prediction would turn out to be.
The Grip of Addiction
By the time she reached sixteen, Danniella’s childhood dream of fame was on the cusp of becoming reality. She was offered a significant role in EastEnders as Sam Mitchell, the spirited younger sister of Phil and Grant. Following a successful audition, she made her official debut on the soap opera in July 1990.
Danniella’s on-screen presence and natural charm quickly made her a favorite among viewers, and she was involved in many of the show’s pivotal storylines. However, to the surprise of many, she left the show after only three years in 1993, eager to explore other acting opportunities.
But fame was not yet done with her. In 1995, the producers of EastEnders approached her again, offering her the chance to return to the role that had made her famous. This was meant to be her big return. Yet, behind the scenes, Danniella was battling a dangerous cocaine addiction that was increasingly impacting her life and her work.
In fact, Danniella Westbrook’s struggles with substance abuse began long before she achieved widespread recognition. At the young age of 14, during a night out at a club, she used cocaine for the first time. Her drug use escalated rapidly, and by the time she was 16 and landed the role of Sam Mitchell in EastEnders, she was already a regular in London’s party scene. Danniella later admitted to using “half a gram” of cocaine “maybe once a week,” indicating a swift transition from occasional experimentation to habitual use.
Reflecting on this period, she shared, “Everyone was drinking Coca-Cola in the clubs I frequented, and it seemed glamorous—but it wasn’t at all.” She poignantly added, “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.’”
The financial cost of her addiction was staggering, amounting to over $300,000 spent on her habit.
As her addiction deepened, the negative consequences mounted. Her once-promising career began to suffer; she started arriving late for work, and her behavior became erratic.
In 1995, when her cocaine addiction reached a critical point, she sought help at the Charter Nightingale Clinic in London, a rehabilitation center that has also treated other well-known figures, including Michael Jackson.
Danniella revealed that at the height of her nightclub-fueled addiction, she spent an astounding $311,300. However, the cost was not only monetary; her relationship with pop singer Brian Harvey also fell victim to her escalating substance abuse, adding another layer of tragedy to her personal struggles.
Broader Health Challenges
Danniella’s challenges have extended beyond her professional life and addiction. She has also faced significant health issues, including mental health disorders. In a 2017 appearance on the television show Loose Women, she openly discussed her diagnoses, stating, “I have a lot of different things, including bipolar disorder, [paranoid] schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.”
She has also experienced physical health scares. In 2018, following a misdiagnosis, she underwent treatment for what was believed to be womb cancer. Fortunately, she received the all-clear the following year. In 2022, she was unexpectedly admitted to the intensive care unit due to sepsis, but she made a full recovery thanks to prompt medical intervention.
Turbulent Personal Life
Danniella’s personal relationships have been equally dramatic. In the 1990s, she had a long-term relationship with East 17 singer Brian Harvey before starting a relationship with Robert Fernandez, with whom she had a son in 1996.
However, in 1998, tragedy struck when Danniella was involved in a serious car accident. After being thrown through the windshield at 85 mph, she sustained significant facial injuries, including a dislocated eye. Following corrective surgery, she miraculously avoided severe disfigurement.
Later that year, she married Ben Morgan, a van driver she had known for only eight weeks. Their relationship was short-lived; after moving to Australia, they divorced less than a year later.
Next, she married businessman Kevin Jenkins in 2001, just a few months after their daughter Jodie was born.
For a period, Danniella seemed to be settling into a more stable life. Following her appearance on the reality show I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! in 2003, she stated that she was stepping away from the pursuit of constant fame, saying, “I lead a normal life now. I do the school run, I do the washing, I cook dinner for my family, and I work now and again.”
However, her marriage to Kevin ended in 2014. Despite stepping back from the forefront of television, Danniella Westbrook’s life has continued to be anything but ordinary.
Ongoing Challenges and Reflections
As of 2025, Danniella remains in the public eye, though often now due to discussions about her appearance rather than her acting roles. At 51 years old, she has undergone several cosmetic procedures over the years, some of which have resulted in painful after-effects.
View this post on Instagram
Last year, following surgery in Turkey, she experienced severe pain while traveling to Portugal. Recounting the experience, she shared on Instagram, “Only after a hospital procedure could I travel to Portugal. It was the most excruciating agony I had felt in days. At the moment, I literally feel like I have a hole in my head.”
Danniella has faced criticism from fans regarding her cosmetic surgery, and she has openly admitted to feeling anxious about the outcomes. Following liposuction, fillers, and Botox, she confessed, “I can’t lie. 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 instance, she had to have her jaw reconstructed due to the bone deterioration caused by years of cocaine use. Reflecting on the impact of her past addiction, she remarked, “I just don’t look like me anymore. I didn’t need that, but it’s obvious that medications will cause me to age considerably more quickly.”
She even experienced a dramatic physical change when her cheeks appeared sunken. She described waking up one day to find the left side of her face completely collapsed, a stark contrast to her former appearance as a beauty icon.
Despite being considered a beauty icon at one point in her career, Danniella has navigated a multitude of emotional and physical hardships. Through it all, she continues to share her experiences with her followers and maintain her presence in the public sphere.
