Danniella Westbrook says she will NOT prosecute paedophiles who abused her as a child
Says experience left her 'emotionally numb'
EASTENDERS actress Danniella Westbrook has revealed that despite being approached by Operation Yewtree, she won’t press charges against those who molested her for eight years from the age of seven.
The 42-year-old appeared on Loose Women today ahead of the airing of new Channel 5 show In Therapy, where she lifts the lid on this dark period of her life for the first time.
Speaking to Loose Women panellists Coleen Nolan, Andrea McLean, June Sarpong and Jane Moore, Danniella described how the abuse had left her “emotionally numb”.
While her descent into cocaine addiction has been well documented, Danniella – who shot to fame as Sam Mitchell age 16 in the BBC One soap – had previously kept this aspect of her life secret.
Talking about her decision to go public after all these years, she said: “I decided to stop being the keeper of peoples secrets and strip it back to where the problem first begun for me – long before addiction.
“Addiction was just something that came in to play as I grew up into a young woman. I started to meet boys and everything else and it went back to my abuse as a child and that was my way of coping.
"I never wanted to go there. I thought if I scratched the surface I would never work in this industry again."
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Elaborating further on how keeping this quiet had affected her, she said: ";I was completely emotionally numb to all relationships.
"Even in my marriage I've never actually loved or felt anything. I was numb privately and publicly.
"It wasn't until I met [boyfriend] George and I started this process...
"I feel love for my children but I've never felt love for a man that way.
"I was always paranoid about them staying at other people's houses, other people bathing them as children...people always thought i was funny about it."
Asked if she now wanted to see those responsible brought to justice, she said no.
"I'm going to leave it where it is. I was contacted by Yewtree but I don't want to go down that road.
"To anybody who is watching this and has been through something similar, it's so surprising how many people get in touch. It's ok to speak up. It not only helps you, it helps other people."
Danniella Westbrook: In Therapy airs tonight at 10pm on Channel 5.