EastEnders’ Danniella Westbrook reveals she applied to work at Aldi but they refused to hire her

‘You go home and sob!’ EastEnders’ Danniella Westbrook reveals she applied to work at Aldi when she was broke but they refused to hire her ‘because she was too famous’

Ex-EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook has admitted she was turned down for a job at Aldi, because of her fame.

The soap star, 47, has revealed she applied for work at the supermarket chain when she was broke, but they refused to hire her, telling her she was ‘a liability because people will be coming in taking pictures’ of her.

Danniella has suffered a public battle with substance abuse, and struggled to secure acting work ever since her turbulent time while working on the BBC soap as Samantha Mitchell, on-screen daughter of the late Barbara Windsor.

Breadline: Ex-EastEnders actress Danniella Westbrook has admitted she was turned down for a job at Aldi, because of her fame

‘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,’ she told Girl Talk hosted by Ruthless Women author Melanie Blake.  ‘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!”

‘I said people would get bored after a couple of days and they’d be used to it and that I had to earn money. But they said they couldn’t give me a job.

‘I tried everywhere to get work and I just couldn’t get a normal job, but when you sign up to a soap it’s very hard to work on anything else, so you’re not going to get onto a Downton Abbey unless you’re very lucky.’

Thanks, no thanks! The soap star, 47, has revealed she applied for work at the supermarket chain when she was broke, but they refused to hire her, telling her she was 'a liability because people will be coming in taking pictures' of her

Thanks, no thanks! The soap star, 47, has revealed she applied for work at the supermarket chain when she was broke, but they refused to hire her, telling her she was ‘a liability because people will be coming in taking pictures’ of her

Back in the day: Danniella has suffered a public battle with substance abuse, and struggled to secure acting work ever since her turbulent time while working on the BBC soap as Samantha Mitchell, on-screen daughter of the late Barbara Windsor.

Back in the day: Danniella has suffered a public battle with substance abuse, and struggled to secure acting work ever since her turbulent time while working on the BBC soap as Samantha Mitchell, on-screen daughter of the late Barbara Windsor.

MailOnline has approached Aldi for comment. 

Danniella first appeared in EastEnders in 1990 at the age of 16 and acted on the soap for three years.

She returned in 1996 but her time was cut short when her off-screen behaviour got her sacked. 

No luck: '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,' The Mirror writes. 'Trust me, I've tried'

No luck: ‘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,’ The Mirror writes. ‘Trust me, I’ve tried’

She returned again shortly after, but was axed again in 2000 after further disruptive behaviour, admitting she blew £100k on cocaine at the time. 

The part was recast between 2002 and 2005, and played by Kim Medcalf, but Danniella returned to the role once more in 2009 until 2010. 

She was back once more in 2016 for the storyline surrounding on-screen mother Peggy Mitchell’s death, which is to date her final appearance.

Danniella was talking to author Melanie about her new novel Ruthless Women, already a Sunday Times Best Seller is set in the world of fictional TV soap Falcon Bay which sees the show’s stars involved in a vicious battle of the sexes, as well as being brutally betrayed and undermined by their soap bosses.

Danniella said: ‘I can totally relate so much the book. I didn’t realise just how traumatic it was at the time, because I just rolled with it.

‘When people say to me – I’m dying to be an actor, what advice have you got? I’d say – read this book. This is how it rolls, this is the industry.’