Danniella Westbrook - Early Life

Early Life

Westbrook was born in Walthamstow, London, but grew up in Loughton, Essex. Her father Andy was a cab driver, and later a carpet contractor, while her mother, Sue, was a shop assistant. Her parents were also successful property developers. Westbrook has two brothers, the eldest, Justin—her father's son from a prior marriage—and a younger brother, Jay, who is 8 years her junior. She has commented "I came from a very loving family - you know, 2.4 children with a Volvo".

As a child, she had a keen interest in horse riding, but she has said that she has always had aspirations to be famous. She started off modeling at the age of seven and then progressed to acting. She joined the Sylvia Young Theatre School when she was eight, attending Saturday classes. Throughout the early stages of her career, Westbrook attended a local state primary school, but she was bullied because of her television appearances, and after one bully cut off her hair, Westbrook's parents removed her from the school. She was sent to a local private school, until, at the age of 12, her parents allowed her to attend Sylvia Young Theatre School as a full-time student, where Denise Van Outen, Dani Behr and her future EastEnders co-star, Nicola Stapleton, were among her contemporaries.