Billie Piper's life - popstar fame, wild age gap marriage and huge net worth
New Doctor Who Billie Piper has had an eventful and dramatic life off screen - including teen pop success followed by death threats and two controversial marriages
It's fair to say Billie Piper has had a very rocky road to achieving stardom as a critically acclaimed actress, and her love life hasn't been easy either. But she's also amassed an impressive net worth and has welcomed three children.
The 42-year-old, who hails from Swindon, first became famous almost thirty years ago - as a mid-teens pop sensation. She then reinvented herself as an actor, playing companion Rose Tyler to Christopher Eccleston's Doctor in the 2005 reboot of Doctor Who. Surprising critics and viewers with her screen talent, she continues to do so today.
And now, 20 years later, she has shocked us again. In this series finale, Ncuti Gatwa's current Dr Who was regenerated to reveal Billie as the new doc. It's a stunning return to the series that first made her acting name.
But off screen, Billie has endured some tough times. Here, the Mirror looks back at her life so far, from her difficult teenage years, popstar fame, turbulent romances and impressive net worth...
School friends with Amy Wineh
Billie's gifts were evident at a young age, and at 12 years old she made the move from Swindon to London to attend the prestigious Sylvia Young Theatre School. Aimed at nurturing future talent, the institution has produced many household names, but not all pupils had an easy time of it - including Billie's childhood friend Amy Winehouse.
During a recent episode of Jessie Ware's Table Manners podcast, Billie offered some insight into what Amy was really like as a young girl. Remembering her as 'super clever, super bright', Billie revealed: "She was always cheeky. She was always like that, you know. She would do abstract stuff, and I really loved it."
Sadly, Amy's differences didn't always go down well with her fellow pupils, and Billie remembers the iconic singer being badly bullied. She continued: "She got bullied quite a lot at school because she was doing her own thing, and she liked to push buttons, and do weird stuff. And I had a lot of space for that, but not many of the girls did. It wasn't the easiest ride."
Teenage fame struggles
Billie skyrocketed to pop stardom at the age of just 15 with her infectiously catchy 1998 anthem 'Because We Want To'. She became the youngest artist to debut at number one in the UK Chart with the hit, and singles 'Honey to The Bee' and 'Girlfriend' followed.
Although many '90s teens would have been green with envy, topping the singles chart at such a young age came with its challenges.
During a 2021 episode of Desert Island Discs, she recalled how strange it felt moving to her own flat before her 16th birthday, all while dealing with the surrealness of overnight fame. Speaking of her regrets, Billie told Lauren Laverne: "At the time, it felt really exciting and liberating and satisfied me with this quest to be a grown-up. It also felt extremely desperate and lonely sometimes.
"I was seeing and experiencing a lot of life at a very young age. Now, when I look back at it now that I have my own children, it seems unbelievably unsafe and plays in unhealthily to my parenting."
Death threats
Billie also endured a horrific campaign of harassment in her younger years as a star. In 2001, a woman penned abuse-laden messages which she then read down the phone to Billie's record company, Blackfriars Crown Court was told in 2001.
She called the teenage chart-topper a "whore" and warned of decapitation, dismemberment, burning, flogging and shooting. The abuse reportedly began because the woman thought the performer had given her a "dirty look" during a recording of a TV show, which she attended as an audience member.
Boyband heartache
Billie met Five singer Ritchie Neville when they were teenagers, having just been thrust into the spotlight with their respective pop careers. They were love's young dream until Ritchie broke Billie's heart when he cheated.
Ritchie said he was full of "regret" over his betrayal with a Russian beauty while on tour in the country - who subsequently sold her story to a British newspaper in 2000.
Speaking on the BBC documentary Boybands Forever he said: "It massively hurt somebody that I loved. I regret any pain I caused but equally I was 19 you know? I made a mistake. It ended a relationship."
Wild age gap marriage
Billie married her first husband, Chris Evans, in 2001 when she was just 18 years old, a mere five months after their first date. Given that Chris was 16 years her senior, the age gap romance raised eyebrows at the time, but Billie looks back on their time together as a period of fun and healing.
Opening up with her former Doctor Who co-star on David Tennant Does A Podcast With..., Billie reflected: "I went and got completely hammered for three years with Chris Evans. So much fun - just living very hard. But with a lot of love and a big dose of curiosity and just, yeah - amazing time.
"It's funny because everyone framed that period in my life as these sort of horribly debauched, irresponsible, me falling apart looking like s***, putting on weight. That was really important to me, that period of my life. I needed that. Me not looking perfect every day in a tabloid was the best way for me to heal.
"Every time there would be a picture of me looking completely groomed and manicured within an inch of my life, I can tell you I was completely unhappy and starving and dark on the inside. And I haven't brushed my hair since!"
She added: "We really had a really amazing time together. I imagine it's what your uni years feel like - sort of reckless, but you're learning a lot. It was an incredible time and, not to undermine our relationship because we also had a very loving relationship. It wasn't just 'oh, we're going out and getting f*****' - we had a very caring and loving relationship."
Their whirlwind marriage came to an end in 2004, amid rumours of 'screaming rows', but Billie and Chris are said to remain close friends to this day.
Kids and splits
In 2006, Billie entered into a relationship with Lewis actor turned right-wing activist Laurence Fox, with the couple tying the knot one year later. They went on to welcome two sons, Winston and Eugene before calling time on their marriage in 2016.
In a recent interview with British Vogue the mother-of-two said of her controversial ex: "I've had to make some choices and a divorce speaks for itself. Or at least it should." Laurence is often in the spotlight for his much-criticised views.
In the interview, she added: "I close everything down and keep a very strict routine with the kids so that there's consistency.
"I keep them close. That's all I can do. I try to keep people from telling me stuff but it's really, really hard. I don't read it but everyone wants to talk about it. Sometimes I have to say to people, 'Please don't bring this to me, now or ever'."
She went on to have a relationship with former Tribes frontman Johnny Lloyd, and they welcomed their daughter, Tallulah, who they welcomed in 2019. After eight years together, they split in 2023, citing that their 'relationship ran its course'.
In a candid chat aired on Fearne Cotton's Happy Place podcast in 2021, Billie spoke about the difficulties of juggling motherhood with a hectic career. Billie shared: "Striking a balance is unachievable and as soon as you let go and just accept that, there are useful changes... I cry at the end of every day and spend an hour in bed saying, 'I'll be better tomorrow, I swear. I'm going to read my parenting manual tonight and everything will be better tomorrow.'"
In an open letter to Tallulah, published in Stylist, Billie reflected that she'd been so fearful of having a daughter, anguished by all she didn't want her to experience, that she didn't realise just how overjoyed she'd be by her arrival.
She wrote: "You have restored – without knowing it – all my faith in strong female energy. I want to learn from you and revel in your beauty. You are not just female, you are other. And from listing all of my anxieties above (there are many and I promise to always work on myself), I'm at my most calm and able around you. You are powerful."
Huge net worth
After her time on Doctor Who in 2005, Billie picked up leading roles in Secret Diary of a Call Girl and I Hate Suzie, which she co-created alongside playwright Lucy Prebble, as well as starring in the Netflix drama, Scoop.
Not to mention her glittering stage career - winning Best Theatre Actress for Great Britain in 2014 and being honoured with a Laurence Olivier Award among countless other accolades for her lead performance in Yerma in 2017.
Following her impressive career, she has amassed an impressive net worth. The actress is estimated to have a net worth of $12 million (around £9 million), according to Celebrity Net Worth.
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