DANNIELLA Westbrook has revealed she was rejected for a job at supermarket chain Aldi because she was too famous. The former EastEnders actress, 47, was left desperate for work when jobs dried up after her exit from the BBC soap. Speaking to the Mirror, she said: “When you’re in a low place you go home […]
DANNIELLA Westbrook has revealed she was rejected for a job at supermarket chain Aldi because she was too famous.
The former EastEnders actress, 47, was left desperate for work when jobs dried up after her exit from the BBC soap.
Speaking to the Mirror, she said: “When you’re in a low place you go home and sob and it makes you not want to be an actor sometimes, but by then the whole country knows you and you can’t just go and get a job in Asda.
“Trust me, I’ve tried. When I was on the breadline I tried to get a job at Aldi and people were like: ‘we can’t really give you a job, because you’ll be a liability because people will be coming in taking pictures of you.”
Danniella was one of the soap’s biggest names of the 90s, playing Sam Mitchell – the sister of hardmen brothers Grant and Phil.
While she was a hit on the screen, away from it her personal life was in turmoil, and she blew £100,000 on her cocaine addiction.
Her troubled personal life began affecting her work and she was axed in 1996 due to her unreliability. An ill-fated second spell in 1999 only lasted a year as her drug issues persisted.
Last week we revealed the reformed drug addict has moved to the Welsh seaside to “feed her soul”.
She shared a pic of rolling countryside to announce her move to Aberystwyth.
She told fans: “Life’s good, soul will be fed and spiritually topped up in no time”.
A local replied: “Welcome to God’s country.”
Danniella, who left Essex, has befriended a neighbour’s sheep, calling them Gemma, Arg and Obama.
She has also done promotional work for Borth Zoo. She meditates by her stream at 7am each day, shares “gratitude” video diaries from her garden and posts inspiring self-help quotes.
In a video after a morning jog she said: “Still smashing the running and herbal life.
“I have dealt with my demons and I’m out and living.”
A source said: “It’s a far cry from her ’90s partying but it seems she might have found balance.”
Danniella recently clashed with ex Brian Harvey, claiming he got her fired from Hollyoaks in 2015.
Her agents confirmed her break from the spotlight, saying she “needs time to breathe”.
