Billie Piper

Billie Piper is an English singer and actress, born in Swindon, Wiltshire, UK.

Studying at the Sylvia Young theatre school, her career kicked off in the 1990s as a pop singer. Offered a record deal at the age of fifteen she was the youngest artist ever to debut at number one in the UK singles chart with Because We Want To, released under the stage mononym "Billie". Her follow-up single Girlfriend also debuted at number one.

Her debut album Honey to the B was released immediately afterwards, and debuted and peaked at Number 14 in the UK album charts, gaining a Platinum certification in the UK, and a 2x Platinum certification in New Zealand, where it reached #3.

At the 1998 Smash Hits Poll Winners' party, she was runner up to B*Witched as Best New Act. In 1999, Piper was nominated for two BRIT Awards and won 2 awards at the 1999 Smash Hits Poll Winners' party.

In 2000 she recorded her second album under her full name, Billie Piper. She hit the Number 1 spot with Day & Night. 

In May 2001 Piper married businessman, DJ and television presenter Chris Evans in a secret ceremony in Las Vegas. Their marriage attracted much comment due to the sixteen-year age gap between the two. The couple separated in 2004 and later divorced in May 2007.

In May 2004, Piper was cast as Rose Tyler, a travelling companion to The Doctor in the revised series returning to BBC Television for a full series after a break of 15 years. 

Piper won the Most Popular Actress category at the 2005 and 2006 National Television Awards for her work on Doctor Who and BBC News named Piper as one of its "Faces of the Year" for 2005, primarily due to her success in Doctor Who.

At The South Bank Show Awards on 27 January 2006 Piper was awarded The Times Breakthrough Award for her successful transition from singing to acting. In March 2006, the Television and Radio Industries Club named Piper as best new TV talent at their annual awards ceremony. In September 2006, Piper was named Best Actress at the TV Quick and TV Choice Awards.

On 15 June 2006, the BBC announced that she was to depart in the final episode of the second series, Doomsday. Piper's decision to leave had been taken a year previously, but remained a secret until news of her departure became public.

She reprised her role as Rose in the fourth Doctor Who series for three episodes. Later, it was confirmed by Russell T Davies in Doctor Who Magazine that this return had been planned since she left. She returned for the show's 50th Anniversary special The Day of The Doctor playing the Moment, who took the form of "Bad Wolf" from the Doctor's future memories.

Immediately after Doctor Who she starred as Sally Lockhart in Philip Pullman's The Ruby in th Smoke and the following year's The Shadow in the North - her co-star was future Doctor Matt Smith. She also starred as Hannah Baxter/Belle de Jour in The Secret Diary of a Call Girl, an ITV2 adaptation of Belle de Jour's The Intimate Adventures of a London Call Girl, a memoir detailing the life of a high-class prostitute. More recently she has appeared in Penny Dreadful as Brona Croft/Lily.

In 2007 Piper married actor Laurence Fox, son of actor James Fox at St Mary's Church in Easebourne, West Sussex. Their first child, Winston James, was born in October 2008 and their second, Eugene Pip, was born in April 2012.