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

This is the startling tale of Danniella Westbrook, one of the most well-known soap opera stars in television history.

A lowered jaw

Daniella Westbrook, then a household figure on EastEnders, enthralled viewers with her fiery portrayal and rose to prominence as one of the most adored soap performers in the United Kingdom.

However, her ascent to popularity came at a high cost behind the scenes. The actress now has to deal with the painful effects of her past, including broken cheekbones, a collapsed jaw, and decaying bones after years of fighting addiction.

How, then, did this gifted actor get here?

Dreamed of being famous

Born in 1973, Daniella Westbrook was raised in the suburb of Loughton, which is just outside of London. She dreamed of being famous since she was a little child, and she started modeling when she was seven years old. Daniella didn’t have a showbiz background like many people in the entertainment sector do; her mother was a shop clerk and her father drove a cab.

Her career took off early in spite of this. She got jobs as a kid model for well-known international companies including Opel and Coca-Cola. After one chance led to another, Daniella quickly found herself entering the performing business, which would eventually make her a household name.

She even appeared in the West End production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as a child, and she played a little robber in Melvyn Bragg’s London Programme.She also starred in the music video for Queen’s song “The Invisible Man” and had a brief appearance in Grange Hill.

Perhaps the most ironic instance, though, was when she roller-skated across Albert Square as a background extra in EastEnders when she was only eleven years old.

Her photo was even published in her local newspaper with the following caption: “Who knows? She might become the show’s star one day! They had no idea how accurate that prognosis would turn out to be.

A harmful addiction

Daniella’s childhood aspiration of becoming a famous person was on the verge of becoming a reality by the time she turned sixteen. Sam Mitchell, Phil and Grant’s feisty younger sister, was proposed for a significant part in EastEnders. She made her official debut on the soap opera in July 1990 following a successful audition.

Daniella’s on-screen persona and innate charm made her a fan favorite right away, and she participated in several of the show’s most significant plots. She startled many, however, by leaving after only three years in 1993, eager to pursue other acting chances.

But fame wasn’t finished with her just yet. Producers from EastEnders approached her once more in 1995, offering her the opportunity to reprise the part that had made her famous. It was supposed to be her big break. Behind the scenes, however, Daniella was struggling with a deadly cocaine addiction that was gradually starting to affect her life and work.

In actuality, Daniella Westbrook’s decline started long before she gained widespread recognition. On a night out at a club when she was just 14, she used cocaine for the first time. Her drug use rapidly worsened, and she was already a fixture on London’s party scene when she was 16 years old and got the part of Sam Mitchell in EastEnders. Daniella later acknowledged using “half a gram” of cocaine “maybe once a week,” indicating that what had begun as an occasional indulgence quickly turned into a habit.

Everyone was drinking Coca-Cola in the clubs I frequented, and it seemed glamorous—but it wasn’t at all.” 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,” she added.

Over $300,000 was spent on her addiction.

The repercussions increased as the addiction did. Her formerly bright job was beginning to elude her, she started to arrive late to work, and her conduct became unpredictable.

She checked herself into the London-based Charter Nightingale Clinic in 1995 after her cocaine addiction reached a breaking point. Michael Jackson is among the well-known celebs who have received treatment at this rehab center.