Danniella Westbrook stepped back into the spotlight at the London premiere of Rise Of The Foot Soldier: Retribution, appearing glamorous in a chic white suit. The former EastEnders star, 52, returned to public view following another round of facial reconstruction surgery.
18 months of further surgery ahead
Behind the glamorous appearance lies a difficult road ahead, with Westbrook revealing she faces another 18 months of surgery as doctors continue efforts to rebuild her face. The actress has already undergone multiple procedures and admitted the process is leaving her physically and emotionally drained.
In a candid interview with Vanessa Feltz, Westbrook said she has reached the point where she sometimes wonders whether she can continue. She said: "I’m at that stage now where I come around from surgery with the last two and I’ve been like, no more."
Rib grafts and lip correction planned
Her next operation is particularly intense, with surgeons planning to take pieces of her ribs to help reconstruct and support her nose. Westbrook explained: "So that's when they redo, make this bit skinny and pull it up and they put the ribs in the side and stuff and everything to support it."
Surgeons are also planning another procedure to correct her upper lip, which has been pulled upwards by previous operations. Rather than leaving more visible scars, doctors plan to cut a flap from inside her cheek and use it to rebuild the area.
Six operations and exhausting recoveries
The former soap star has already undergone around six operations during her latest reconstruction journey. She told Feltz that each operation can last five or six hours, followed by a difficult recovery, leaving her feeling completely exhausted.
She said: "I trust my surgeon implicitly. I really do trust him" but she also admitted the physical demands are becoming increasingly difficult at 52, saying she has put her body through enough and is struggling with the effects of repeated anaesthetic and lengthy operations.
Health problems linked to past addiction
Her latest ordeal comes after years of health problems linked to her past cocaine addiction, which caused devastating damage to her nasal septum. Westbrook has spoken openly about her history with drugs, previously admitting that cocaine remains her "biggest regret" but insisting she has learned from the mistakes she made.
She has also spoken about osteoporosis and severe deterioration to the bones in her face, explaining that surgeons now need to rebuild parts of her facial structure. In June, she revealed doctors had told her one side of her face had "no bone" and that she needed further operations.
Her face may still be a work in progress, but stepping onto that red carpet showed the former Sam Mitchell star is determined to keep moving forward, one operation and one day at a time.
