Billie Piper
- Profession: Actress
- Place/Date of Birth: Swindon, England, 22 September 2020
- Associated with: Chris Evans
The 24-year-old Doctor Who star suffered attacks of nerves in the run-up to her opening night in Treats last week, and was spotted apparently sobbing on the shoulder of her ex, Chris Evans.
She also missed performances through illness, and has told
"If I start to think about everything that everybody writes about me, I would probably break - I’m just trying something new and there’s nothing wrong with that and, yes, it’s hard," she said.
"It’s my first time on the
Asked whether she had considered quitting the show - as Stephen Fry did in 1995 when he walked out on Cell Mates and fled the country - the actress replied: "I didn’t once think of abandoning it, no. I couldn’t do that.
"But you know, I do understand maybe why [Fry] did. There have been times when I’ve thought: Oh God, I’d love to just hop in my car and drive away."
The former pop star blamed her recent absences from the play on gastric flu.
She denied crying in the recent photograph of her with Chris, claiming she was "squinting because the sun was so bright".
She also scotched rumours she is set to marry new boyfriend and co-star Laurence Fox saying: "No. I’m not even divorced yet, so that would be impossible."
Billie leans on Chris - Mar 6 2007
Billie Piper is using ex-hubby Chris Evans as her personal "agony uncle", it seems.
The singer-turned-actress is feeling the strain as her show Treats prepares to open in the
Billie, who is now romancing Lewis star Laurence Fox, apparently calls the DJ at all hours of the day and night for advice and a friendly ear.
"Billie and Chris may have been apart for nearly three years but they’re closer than ever. Hardly a day goes by without Billie speaking to Chris about something or other. When Billie’s under stress these calls become more frequent and emotional and recently she’s been under a lot of pressure," a source told the paper.
"Chris was always more than just a husband, he was like a father figure, best friend and big brother all rolled into one.
"Billie has been under immense pressure in the build up to her play and she’s been using Chris as some kind of agony uncle just recently. She finds it easier to talk to Chris than other people - he’s always willing to listen."
Billie to wed again? - Mar 1 2007
Doctor Who actress Billie Piper is apparently set to tie the knot with her boyfriend Lawrence Fox, according to her pals.
The couple are smitten with each other and despite the fact they have only been dating since the end of last year, they reportedly plan to announce their engagement "any day now".
Lawrence, 28, who is currently treading the boards with Billie in West End play Treats, is part of the Fox acting dynasty - which includes his cousin Emilia, father James and uncle Edward.
A source told The Sun: "The Fox family is buzzing with the news that an engagement announcement is imminent. It seems a little sudden but everyone who’s seen them knows how incredibly in love they are.
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Billie Piper was born September 22 1982 and propelled into stardom at the young age of 15.
Her fame began when she became the youngest female solo artist ever to debut at number one in the UK charts, with the feisty ’Because We Want To’ in the summer of 1998. Three months later she repeated the feat with the follow-up ’Girlfriend’, a slower R&B-tingle tune, which proved that this was one pop baby who could sing. In October 1998, the platinum-selling album ’Honey To The B’ took Billie’s career a step on and silenced the cynics who had said her success was sure to be short lived.
Throughout 1999 she took a step out of the limelight to work on her second album, whilst playing house with Five singer Ritchie Neville. Then in early 2000 Billie made her comeback with the single ’Day & Night’, an up-tempo song that hit the top of the charts.
Accompanying this comeback was a total image overhaul that offered up a far raunchy and overtly sexy individual. However, still in her late teens, the new image created quite a lot of press, and not all of it good, launching the debate as to whether it was suitable for young girls to copy her style.
Billie’s rock’n’roll lifestyle continued at great apace with a stalker, suspected drugs issues and her eventual marriage to, 16 years her senior, Chris Evans. The relationship that followed saw Billie’s demise from the public eye and the couple became more famous for their extreme partying, which as well as costing Chris his job at Virgin, also saw Billie flounder about with seemingly not much to do other than get drunk.
In 2003 she returned to her roots and polished her acting skills in the sunny climes of Los Angeles. On her return to the UK she quickly earned roles in television and film productions, her first being The Canterbury Tales that stunned viewers and changed their perception of her from a young pop princess to that of professional actress.
She later appeared in The Calcium Kid, Spirit Trap, Much Ado About Nothing, The Ruby in the Smoke and Mansfield Park, however it was her character Rose Tyler that awarded her the most acclaim.
In 2004 Billie signed to work on the new series of Doctor Who, as sidekick and companion of the good Doctor. She won Most Popular Actress category 2005 and 2006 for her work on the series, alongside Best Actress at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards 2006 and Breakthrough Award at the Southbank Show Awards 2006, however on June 15, 2006, it was announced by the BBC that she was to depart in the final episode of the second series.
In October 2004 Billie and Chris began a trial separation that was to end in divorce, however the couple remain close friends, living just two houses away in the desirable Belsize Park area on London.
read more on Chris Evans
December 2007