Johnny Depp Tells How His Daughter Beat Death Bug

Johnny Depp has spoken for the first time of his daughter's battle against a serious illness.

Seven-year-old Lily-Rose was rushed into hospital at the end of February while the actor was shooting the film Sweeney Todd at Pinewood Studios.

She was suffering from potentially fatal E.coli poisoning.

Depp, 43, said: "It was a very bumpy patch but she has come through it beautifully and unscathed and she is now as healthy as she always was. She is wonderful.

"It was a reminder to us of how lucky we are to be able to breathe, walk, talk, think and surround ourselves with people we love." Lily-Rose is Depp's daughter with long-term girlfriend Vanessa Paradis, 34. They also have a fouryear-old son, John Jack.

He told the Daily Mirror: "What got us through this wasn't the strength of Vanessa or me but our daughter and her incredible ability to make us feel OK even though she was very unwell. She was superstrong." The Hollywood star is staying at the Dorchester hotel while filming the Tim Burton-directed movie which also stars Helena Bonham Carter and Alan Rickman.

Depp said his role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean series had been a "big flip" for his career.

"When I decided to take the role it was pure instinct.

I didn't know it was going to be such a huge hit."

Source: The Evening Standard