Danniella Westbrook has revealed she has undergone the first of four major reconstructive surgeries as she continues her long-awaited journey to rebuild her face — and her confidence — following years of health struggles.
The 52-year-old actress showed off her new look in a glamorous selfie on Wednesday, taken as she relaxed in the sun following recent surgery in Dubai.
Danniella posed wearing a gold knitted beach cover-up, paired with a straw hat to shield her face from the heat, proudly displaying the early results of the extensive procedure.
Sharing the update with fans, she wrote: “Three more nose operations to go. So we’re over halfway there now. Facelift has really changed me and given me my confidence back.”
The former soap star recently underwent reconstructive surgery at Gargash Hospital in Dubai, where she received a full face, neck and brow lift, along with lip and nose reconstruction.
The operation marked a significant milestone for Danniella, who has battled for years with a collapsed septum and severe facial damage linked to her past cocaine addiction and osteoporosis.
Over the years, she has undergone multiple reconstructive procedures in an attempt to repair what she previously described as her “collapsing” face, after drug abuse left her jaw deteriorating.
For the latest surgery, Danniella once again placed her trust in surgeon Dr Parviz Sadigh, who has treated her in the past and is now overseeing the multi-stage reconstruction.
In an Instagram post shared last month, she praised him publicly, writing: “A massive amount of love and respect to my amazing surgeon @parvizsadigh for all his hard work.
“Every day I grow and glow. Thank you — and roll on February for the next operation.”
Despite the positive progress, Danniella’s ongoing health issues have impacted her career. She was due to return to filming for her new movie role Tales From The Trap, marking her long-awaited comeback to the screen.
However, she was later recast amid health complications linked to breathing difficulties caused by her collapsed septum.
Speaking exclusively to the Daily Mail at the time, insiders revealed that the actress — who has not appeared in a TV show or film since mid-2016 — was forced to seek urgent medical attention.
Tales From The Trap, in which Danniella had originally been cast opposite Love Island star Liv Hawkins, would have seen her play a gun-selling “gangster granny”.
The role ultimately went to Slow Horses actress Kim Tiddy after Danniella was unable to continue.
A source close to the star said in December: “Danniella was rushed into hospital with breathing difficulties and had to pull out of filming.
“It’s really disappointing — everyone was looking forward to seeing her make her movie comeback.”
Danniella first found fame aged just 16 when she joined EastEnders, but her career was repeatedly derailed by addiction. Producers terminated her contract in the 1990s after her cocaine use spiralled, and she was written out of the soap in 1996.
She has since spoken candidly about how her addiction began, admitting she was young, naïve and unprepared for the pressures of sudden fame.
“I was always in clubs and everyone was doing coke — it seemed glamorous,” she said previously. “Except it wasn’t at all. I was very young, very stupid, and very easily led.”
She has estimated that she spent around £250,000 on drugs during that period of her life.
In recent years, Danniella revealed she waited seven years to find a surgeon willing to attempt facial reconstruction due to the fragile condition of her septum.
In 2023, she admitted she was unhappy with the results of an earlier operation, but last year confirmed she was finally embarking on what she described as a “very long” and complex rebuilding process.
Danniella last appeared on television in 2016, when she reached the final of Celebrity Big Brother, finishing in fifth place.
Now, with several more operations still ahead, she says she is finally beginning to feel hopeful again.
