Millions of people watched her grow up on television in the early 1990s, but cocaine addiction nearly killed her a few years later.

This is the stunning story of Danniella Westbrook, one of the most well-known soap opera performers in television history. Daniella Westbrook, a 16-year-old EastEnders actress, charmed fans with her fiery performance and rose to become one of the UK’s most popular soap stars.

However, her climb to prominence was not without cost. Today, the actress confronts the brutal reality of her past: disintegrating bones, a collapsed jaw, and a fractured cheekbone as a result of years spent fighting addiction.

Daniella Westbrook was born in 1973 and raised in Loughton, close to London. She had a childhood desire to become famous, and by the age of seven, she had already begun a modeling career. Daniella, unlike many in the entertainment industry, did not come from a show business family; her father was a cab driver, and her mother worked as a store assistant.

Regardless, her career took off quickly. As a child model, she worked with large worldwide companies such as Coca-Cola and Opel. One chance led to another, and Daniella quickly found herself in the world of acting, where she would become a household name.

As a kid, she portrayed a juvenile burglar in Melvyn Bragg’s London program and even appeared in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. She also appeared briefly in Grange Hill and starred in the music video for Queen’s The Invisible Man.

But probably the most ironic moment came when, at the age of 11, she appeared as a background extra in EastEnders, roller-skating around Albert Square.

Her local newspaper even ran a photo of her with the phrase, “Who knows? One day, she may be the show’s star!” They had no idea how accurate their prognosis would prove to be.

At the age of 16, Daniella’s childhood dream of becoming a celebrity was about to become a reality. EastEnders offered her a prominent role as Sam Mitchell, Phil and Grant’s feisty younger sister. Following a successful audition, she made her formal soap debut in July 1990.

Daniella rapidly became a fan favorite due to her innate charm and on-screen presence, and she appeared in several of the show’s most important stories. But, after just three years, she surprised many by opting to leave in 1993, eager to pursue other acting chances.

However, Fame had more in store for her. In 1995, EastEnders producers approached her again, giving her the opportunity to return to the part that had made her famous. It should’ve been her big return. Behind the scenes, Daniella was struggling with a deadly cocaine addiction that was gradually but steadily wreaking havoc on both her life and profession.

Daniella Westbrook’s downward trajectory started well before her rise to fame. She used cocaine for the first time at the age of 14 while out at a club. By the time she earned the role of Sam Mitchell in EastEnders at 16, she was already a regular in London’s party scene, and her drug usage had rapidly increased. What began as an occasional pleasure quickly became a habit—Daniella subsequently acknowledged using “half a gram” of cocaine “maybe once a week.”

“I was usually at clubs, and everyone was using cocaine, and it was glamorous—except that it wasn’t. I was young, ignorant, and easily misled.I believe there should be someone at EastEnders who tells young kids when they arrive, ‘Look, your life is about to change, you’re going to be invited places, and you’ll be offered drugs,'” she added.

As the addiction progressed, so did the repercussions. She started appearing late to work, her conduct became unpredictable, and her once-promising career was slipping away. In 1995, her cocaine addiction reached a breaking point, prompting her to seek treatment at the Charter Nightingale Clinic in London. This rehabilitation institution has treated various high-profile celebrities, including Michael Jackson.

Danniella admits to spending a whopping $311,300 on her addiction during the peak of her nightclub-fueled existence. But the cost was more than just money; her increasing substance misuse shattered her romance with pop sensation Brian Harvey, adding another painful chapter to her demise.

“I embody the nightmare of every parent.” I have done everything. “I’m constantly apologizing to my mother and father,” Daniella said after leaving treatment in 1995.

Despite this, she continued to use five grams of cocaine every day during her first pregnancy. At her lowest point, she claimed to have repeatedly attempted suicide, gripped by the depths of her addiction.

By 1996, EastEnders producers had had enough and made the painful choice to write her out of the show. Despite everything, Daniella received a second chance in 1999 when the showrunners chose to bring Sam Mitchell back to EastEnders. Rather than recasting the part, they gambled on her again.

But by then, her addiction had reached a new low: years of cocaine usage had ruined her nasal septum. In a frantic bid to keep her on television, the producers filmed her from angles that obscured the damage.

Throughout the 2000s, she alternated between portraying Sam Mitchell and Kim Medcalf on EastEnders.

Aside from the drama, she remained in the public eye, participating on reality series like Dancing on Ice and Celebrity Big Brother. And, after leaving television in 2016, she continues to create news in the British press.

Her struggles have not only been career-related. Danniella has experienced major health problems, including mental health challenges. In a 2017 interview on Loose Women, she spoke out about her illnesses, saying, “I have borderline personality disorder, I’m bipolar, [paranoid] schizophrenia, and I’ve got lots of different things.”

The health scares did not end there. In 2018, a mistake led to her receiving treatment for womb cancer. Fortunately, she received the all-clear the next year. In 2022, a sudden episode of sepsis led to her admission to the ICU, but prompt care enabled her complete recovery.

Danniella’s personal relationships have been as dramatic. In the 1990s, she was in a long-term relationship with East 17 singer Brian Harvey before meeting Robert Fernandez, with whom she had a son in 1996.

Tragically, Danniella was involved in a horrible vehicle accident in 1998. She was catapulted through the windshield at 85 mph and had serious facial injuries, including a dislocated eye. Fortunately, following corrective surgery, she escaped lifelong deformity.

Later that year, she married Ben Morgan, a van driver whom she had barely known for eight weeks. They moved to Australia, but their whirlwind passion withered, and they divorced in less than a year.

Then came Kevin Jenkins, a businessman whom she married in 2001, only months after the birth of their daughter, Jodie.

Danniella appeared to be settling into a more relaxed lifestyle for a time. Following her appearance on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! She declared in 2003 that her pursuit of celebrity was over, stating, “Now, I lead a routine life.” I work periodically, but I also drive the kids to school, do laundry, and cook dinner for my family.” But by 2014, her marriage to Kevin had ended. Danniella Westbrook’s life has never been ordinary, even after leaving the small screen.

Danniella continues to make news in 2025, but more often for her attractiveness than for her acting career. She is now 51 years old and has undergone several plastic procedures, some of which have resulted in serious consequences.

Last year, after undergoing surgery in Turkey, she moved to Portugal, where she suffered from tremendous discomfort. “I could only travel to Portugal after undergoing a medical procedure.” The ache was excruciating, the worst I’d felt in days. “I feel like I have a hole in my head,” she said on Instagram at the time.

Danniella has received harsh criticism from fans for her cosmetic treatments, and she has publicly acknowledged being concerned about the outcome. After undergoing liposuction, fillers, and Botox, she admitted, “I can’t lie.” After the liposuction, fillers, and Botox, I was so bloated I felt I was going to burst, and I think the medical team got sick of me asking whether this was normal.”

However, years of cocaine usage weakened her bones, forcing her to undergo jaw reconstruction. Reflecting on the effects of her former addiction, she stated, “I just don’t look like myself anymore.” It’s obvious that medications would cause me to age faster, but that wasn’t necessary.”

At one point, she felt her cheeks collapse. She recounted waking up with the left side of her face entirely sunken, in sharp contrast to her previous dazzling appearance.

Danniella was once regarded as a beauty icon, but her journey has been fraught with difficulties, both physically and mentally. Despite everything, she continues in the public eye, sharing her stories with followers.