Danniella Westbrook has taken another major step in her long and painful road to recovery, after undergoing extensive facial reconstruction surgery that saw surgeons use cartilage taken from her rib to repair her nose.
The former EastEnders star, 51, was photographed leaving hospital with a bandage covering her nose following the complex procedure, which doctors hope will finally restore both structure and function after years of damage.
A Long, Gruelling Operation — And a New Beginning
Danniella, who was supported by her boyfriend, bare-knuckle fighter Charlie Symonds, underwent the surgery on Thursday. The operation involved removing cartilage from her rib to perform a bone graft across the bridge of her nose, rebuilding areas that had collapsed over time.
Ahead of the operation, she told fans candidly:
“Big day for me heading down for a very long surgery right now to rebuild my face.
Then I can get back to work.”
A source later confirmed she is now recovering and being closely cared for.
“Danniella is recovering after the surgery and is being supported by Charlie,” the insider said.
“She is so grateful for the support from her fan base.”
The Damage Left Behind by Addiction
Danniella has spoken openly for years about the devastating impact of drug addiction on her life and health.
She previously revealed she became hooked on drugs at just 14 years old, shortly after finding fame as Sam Mitchell on EastEnders. At the height of her addiction, she admitted to wasting £250,000 on cocaine and taking up to five grams a day, even while pregnant with her son, Kai.
The damage was catastrophic.
Her cocaine use became so severe that her septum — the cartilage separating the nostrils — completely collapsed, leaving her face permanently altered and requiring repeated reconstructive surgery.
‘The Wheels Fell Off’
In 2023, Danniella reflected on her time in Celebrity Big Brother in 2017, admitting she was deep in addiction during filming.
“When I went on Big Brother, my kids were thinking, ‘Oh my God, how’s she going to be?’
Because I went on there doing 11 grams of gear a day.”
She later explained how desperate she became during relapses:
“I’m an addict and the wheels fell off. I was dabbing cocaine in my mouth and rubbing it around my gums to numb the pain.
“People think I was hoovering cocaine up my nose again, but I wasn’t. I was wiping it around my gums.”
Despite periods of sobriety, she suffered further relapses in 2021 before getting clean again.
More Than £500,000 Spent Rebuilding Her Face
Since then, Danniella has spent over £500,000 attempting to repair the physical damage caused by years of substance abuse.
In 2023, she travelled to Turkey for her fifth facial reconstruction surgery, undergoing a dramatic surgical thread lift that involved inserting 1,200 threads into her face.
The procedure also included liposuction, with fat removed from other parts of her body and injected into her cheeks and lips to improve symmetry.
A Chance at a Fresh Start
Now, with surgeons once again rebuilding her nose using rib cartilage, Danniella hopes this latest operation marks a turning point — not just physically, but professionally and emotionally.
After decades defined by addiction, illness, loss and recovery, the actress is determined to move forward.
As she told fans before going under the knife, this surgery is about getting her life — and her career — back on track.
