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GOING WEST-BROOK

How old is Danniella Westbrook and when was she in rehab?

DANNIELLA Westbrook has had a colourful life and has often hit the headlines thanks to addiction to cocaine.

Here's all you need to know about the former EastEnders star and what she is up to now.

 Danniella Westbrook's name is never far away from the headlines
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Danniella Westbrook's name is never far away from the headlinesCredit: Rex Features

How old is Danniella Westbrook and who did she play on EastEnders?

A true east Londoner, former EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook, 47, was born in Walthamstow in 1973.

Her mum was a shop assistant and dad a cab driver.

With an early interest in the limelight, she started modelling at seven years old before taking the step into acting, joining the capital's famous Sylvia Young Theatre School.

The door opened for Danniella to take on her first acting job at the age of 11, when she played a small role as an extra in EastEnders, roller skating across Albert Square.

Her first appearance as Sam Mitchell, the younger sister of soap bad boys Phil and Grant and the most iconic of her roles to date, came in 1990.

But her time on the show was not without drama as Danniella's cocaine use started to affect her work.

She was written out of the popular show in 1996, but later went on to return another two times.

Between 2012 and 2013, the actress enjoyed a stint on Hollyoaks playing former jailbird Trudy Ryan. A return to the show in 2015 was cancelled over a "breach of agreement".

 Danniella shot to fame playing Sam Mitchell in EastEnders
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Danniella shot to fame playing Sam Mitchell in EastEndersCredit: PA:Press Association

When did Danniella Westbrook leave rehab?

In June 2019 Danniella revealed she's training to become a therapist now after battling cocaine addiction - which started in her 20s and has ravaged her face.

She told the BBC that the only way she feels she can stay off the drug is by helping others.

Speaking to Victoria Derbyshire, she said: "I think personally for me the only thing that's going to stop me is keeping to the programme, helping others, helping the newcomer and getting involved with the treatment centre.

"I'm hoping this September to start my therapist course so I can become a therapist."

Danniella completed her latest stint in rehab in April 2019 and is now going to AA everyday.

 Daniella was on The Jeremy Kyle Show on February 8
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Daniella was on The Jeremy Kyle Show on February 8Credit: Splash News

Why doesn't Danniella Westbrook talk to her daughter?

In an interview on the Jeremy Vine show in January 2019, Danniella revealed that she hasn't spoken to her daughter for three years.

Jody moved to live with her dad, and Danniella's former husband, Kevin Jenkins following Danniella's stalker ordeal and her troubles with addiction.

Danniella said: "Jody is with her dad and that's just a whole different issue because of different things but the stalker did play a huge part in that as well for her own safety.

"I haven't spoken to Jody for three years. She's 17, she's gorgeous. It's very difficult for me, especially since I've been ill.

"Jody is doing her life and she's doing very well, she's done brilliantly at school and she's in college and she's doing great. And her dad is a great dad and he's doing what's best for her, right now."

 She previously dated E17's Brian Harvey
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She previously dated E17's Brian HarveyCredit: Rex Features

When was Danniella Westbrook diagnosed with womb cancer?

In September 2018 Danniella said she had been diagnosed with womb cancer and would undergo a hysterectomy within three weeks.

The mum-of-two spoke of her fears at battling a similar cancer to that which killed Jade Goody.

She told : "I've always said I am not scared of dying. But when the doctor said, 'You have the cancer', straight away my thoughts turned to Jade and that I don't want to die."

Danniella began experiencing symptoms of womb cancer in 2017.

What has Danniella Westbrook said about her face?

In 2016, Danniella suffered from a bout of septicaemia after a botched dental procedure for Channel 5’s Celebrity Botched Up Bodies.

The infection was so bad that friends feared her nose may collapse if it spread and eroded her septum.

The former EastEnder appeared on This Morning after spiralling into depression following a difficult break-up and a series of operations.

She has since revealed that one of the key reasons for her struggles was a miscarriage she suffered when trying for a baby.

In January 2017 the actress admitted she wanted to take her own life due to botched cosmetic dental surgery.

She appeared on Good Morning Britain in May 2018 and revealed that she is facing surgery as she has no bone left in one of her cheeks.

Due to Danniella's battle with osteoporosis, she admitted that doctors plan to fix her face using a piece of her rib.

Is Danniella Westbrook married?

She has been married twice - she tied the knot with van driver Ben Morgan in 1998 after knowing each other for eight weeks - they divorced a year later.

Her second marriage was to businessman Kevin Jenkins with whom she had her daughter Jody.

Danniella and Kevin wed in 2001, a year after she went to rehab in Arizona and she stayed off drugs for more than ten years.

But their marriage broke down in 2014, with Kevin blaming her addiction issues.

In 2017 she got engaged to Alan Thomason after a few weeks of dating.

They suffered a miscarriage and Danniella said she would be leaving him.

It also emerged she cheated on him - it's not clear if they're still together.

At the end of 2018, she begged fans to find her a date after being single for a year.

She's also mum to 23-year-old Kai, from a two-year relationship with Robert Fernandez.

During her earlier career, Danniella also dated E17's Brian Harvey.

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