Former EastEnders star Danniella Westbrook has hit back at previous rumours of her going bankrupt. The 51-year-old actress, best known for her very memorable portrayal of Sam Mitchell in the BBC soap, denied ever running out of funds but has admitted that she was once "terrible with money" as she shared what she had learnt along the way.

Speaking exclusively to Express.co.uk, on behalf of casino.org, when asked if she had ever been bankrupt, the former BBC star said: "I've never been bankrupt in my life. By the grace of God, I’ve never been bankrupt." However, she went on to admit that she was once "terrible with money", sharing: "When I first joined EastEnders, I was good. I had an account, my agent would put my wages in, and I’d split it all up, tax, VAT, and then spending money. So I always knew exactly where I stood and how much I had.

"But then I started spending more, and honestly, if the money was there, I’d spend it. I was terrible for it back then. I'd be thinking, Well, there’s money in the bank… what can I buy today?"

The EastEnders star has learnt a lot over the years and advised others to save their money. She said: "Oh my God, save your money. Seriously - save, save, save.

"I’m not so bad now, but I really was awful with it for a while. I was working six days a week, earning more than I could actually spend, so I just didn’t think about saving the way I should’ve. So yeah - save, save, save!"

Danniella entered the world of showbiz at just 16 years old. She first appeared on EastEnders for a few years at a time.

The first time was in 1990, again in 1995 and then one more time in 1999 after bosses decided to give her another chance despite her drug use causing problems on set.

The star's addiction to cocaine was so severe that her septum fell out, causing her to need reconstructive surgery. She has also appeared on I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! in 2003 and Dancing On Ice in 2010.