Danniella Westbrook opens up on how sex abuse has left her empty
The brave actress revealed she had been targeted when she was just seven
CANDID Danniella Westbrook has confessed being sexually abused as a schoolgirl means she feels "absolutely nothing" when making love.
The ex EastEnders star opened up about her childhood trauma as she revealed the long-running impact it has on her sex life.
Danniella, who is all loved-up with toyboy George Arnold, said: "Sex doesn't mean anything to me ... I feel absolutely nothing."
Now a proud mum-of-two, she has bravely lifted the lid on her darker days for new Channel 5 show Danniella Westbrook: In Therapy and said: "I was sexually abused as a child.
"I was seven years old, it was within the workplace and that continued for a lot of my life."
In the TV chat she added: "At seven I was like a fourteen-year-old.
"There were certain things going on with me that shouldn't have been... I was betrayed by lots of people - for me, I've been the keeper of people's secrets for a long time and I don't want to do that any more."
The actress got her first break doing modelling campaigns aged seven and admitted shooting straight into the world of work meant she missed out on kid pleasures like birthday parties.
She then became a public name after starring as EastEnders' Sam Mitchell when she was 16.
She recently returned to Albert Square for emotional scenes in the run-up to Mitchell matriarch Peggy's death from cancer yet her stint wasn't a permanent one.
While her career was on the up, she battled a cocaine addiction which eventually left her needing surgery to re-build her nose.
In a chat with therapist Mandy Saligari for her new show she said: "I'm ashamed of the drugs - it's not the person I am, but it's how I fix myself and it's the quickest way to medicate myself into a death because I haven't wanted to be here.
"This last year has been tough; I've tried to kill myself - but I don't feel like that today."
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Danni, 42, went public with her relationship with George, 24, who is nearly 20 years her junior, back in December.
The cute couple recently sparked engagement rumours when they were spotted shopping for rings in jewellery stores around London's Hatton Garden.
Thought the TV star has since taken to Twitter to deny they will be getting hitched in the near future.
She posted a message which said: "We did shop for a ring BUT we are not engaged as yet.
Meanwhile her love with her new man has put a smile back on her face.
In the Channel 5 show she added: "I can change my life - I don't have another relapse in me ... I've made my mistakes and I've made them publicly but I've reclaimed my life and I'm holding it back up."
Danniella Westbrook: In Therapy airs on June 28 at 10pm, on Channel 5.
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