DANNIELLA Westbrook has revealed how she’d love to land a dramatic TV comeback – on Coronation Street or Emmerdale.
The former Eastenders favourite said she now accepts she wouldn’t be returning to Albert Square – but is looking to the future.
And in a candid new interview the actress, who has battled a high-profile drug addiction, said she now takes her recovery day by day.
The 48-year-old star also admitted she understands why people might think she doesn’t deserve any more chances.
Speaking about her ambitions she told GB News’ Mark Dolan: “I’m looking to the future. Eastenders was great, I grew up in front of the nation. But it’s in the past. I am so RIP Sam Mitchell! I would love to do Emmerdale or Corrie. I would also love to get back into stage acting where it all started for me. I will be 50 next year and I’d love to one day play Momma in Chicago.”
Danniella also addressed the reasons why she became hooked on drugs saying she was introduced to them when she was abused as a child. But she said she’s bored of talking about the infamous picture of her nose that illustrated how it had been left destroyed by cocaine addiction.
Speaking on Mark Dolan Tonight she said: “My drug abuse started well before I was famous. I was sexually abused as a child but I’ve managed to move on a lot with my life. And I don’t blame my addiction on that. It was where I was introduced to drugs but it wasn’t the cause. Because I am an addict, I would have a problem with lots of things whether it be coffee or something else. I can’t put my issues down to being abused or being famous.
“I am so bored of talking about that photo. I’ve been talking about it for 20 years now. I only really talk about it in therapy meetings now.
“I am happy today that I’m OK. I live for the moment, I live for today. If I don’t put my recovery first I don’t have a life and my children don’t have a mother and my parents don’t have a child. “I will never take my condition for granted. I had 14 years of being clean then relapsed so I will always say, every day, that I am in recovery. I look back sometimes and say ‘why did I throw that away?’. I beat myself up about it a lot. But in other ways it was a reminder.
“If I was sitting at home I’d be thinking why do I keep hearing about this girl, she’s had that many chances, why doesn’t she go away. I’d feel exactly the same. Now if I can’t get my crap together somebody needs to give me a good shake. So now I just do today, today, today.”
Danniella played the fiery daughter of Queen Vic legend Peggy Mitchell in 1990 and last appeared in the role in 2016.
But she has struggled with drug addiction since she was 14 and abused cocaine so badly it destroyed part of her nose.
The former Celebrity Big Brother is now training to be a therapist and yoga teacher.
Danniella also revealed how she is writing a third book and said she wants to use her training as a counsellor to help others with drug and alcohol abuse.
Offering her advice she said: “Get to a meeting. Get a sponsor. Get a 12 step. Don’t feel embarrassed or ashamed. There’s always someone who has done far worse. Get into recovery. It is possible to get better. In recovery everybody’s story is the same, but different.”
