Billie Piper Billie Paul Piper ( born Leian Paul Piper on 22 September 1982 ) began her career as a pop singer in her teens , but is now best known for her part as Rose Tyler , companion to the Doctor , in " Doctor Who " . Pop career . After studying at London - based Sylvia Young Theatre School , Billie Piper ' s first break in the entertainment world came as a teenager , when she was selected for a television commercial promoting the pop magazine . Her role was to run up to the camera , blow a bubble and shout " Pop ! " Soon after , she was offered a record deal at the age of fifteen . In 1998 she became the youngest artist ever to debut at number one in the with " Because We Want To " , released under the single name " Billie " . Her follow - up single , " Girlfriend " , also debuted at Number One and her first album , ( released immediately afterwards ) debuted at Number 14 in the UK album charts and was certified Platinum for album sales . She released two further singles off the album , " She Wants You " and " Honey to the Bee " ; both songs debuted at Number 3 . Piper then took a year to record her second album . She decided to release further records under her full name , Billie Piper . She returned to the Singles Chart in May 2000 with a new , sexier sound . She hit the Number 1 spot with " " . She waited until the following September to release " " . That reached Number 4 in the UK Singles Chart , but her success wasn ' t to continue . In October 2000 , Piper released her second album , . " Walk of Life " reached the same chart position as her debut album ( # 14 ) , but was only certified silver . The song " " , the final single off this album , was released in December 2000 and reached Number 25 in the UK Singles Chart due to poor promotion . This proved to be Piper ' s last musical release , a low - key exit from the world of pop . In 1999 , Piper was nominated for two and was named Best Female Star at the " Smash Hits " Poll Winners ' party , although at the latter ceremony she was reduced to tears after being viciously booed by jealous fans of , member of boyband , whom she was dating at the time . Acting career . In 2003 , Piper decided to end her pop career and return to her original ambition , acting . She took acting lessons while living in Los Angeles and , still a high - profile figure , quickly earned roles in the BBC Television series ( modern retellings of Chaucer ' s stories ) and the one - off drama . Despite the negative reaction usually given to singers who attempt to act , Piper gained very positive reviews for these appearances . Critics seemed to feel that she was a far better actress than a singer . In 2004 , she appeared in the films , as the romantic interest of Orlando Bloom ' s character , and . Shortly before starting work on " Doctor Who " she filmed a starring role in the horror movie , released in the summer of 2005 to generally poor reviews . In November 2005 , she starred as Hero in a BBC adaptation of , updated in a manner similar to the " Canterbury Tales " series in which she featured , with Hero a weather presenter in a television station . After she finished filming for the 2006 season of " Doctor Who " , she began work on " The Ruby in the Smoke " , a BBC adaptation of ' s historical novel . Piper played protagonist , a Victorian orphan . Future Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith co - starred . The BBC planned to film all four of Pullman ' s Sally Lockhart novels , presumably with Piper continuing in the role . " Doctor Who " . In May 2004 , it was announced that Piper was to play Rose Tyler , companion to the Ninth Doctor in the revived series of " Doctor Who " , beginning in 2005 . On 25 October 2005 , Piper won the Most Popular Actress category at the National Television Awards for her work on " Doctor Who " . BBC News named Piper as one of its " Faces of the Year " for 2005 , primarily due to her success in " Doctor Who " . At 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 in their annual Tric awards . During an October 2006 appearance on " Friday Night with Jonathan Ross " , Piper indicated that she was never a fan of " Doctor Who " as a child , but her involvement with series had made her enough of a fan that she was now a subscriber to " Doctor Who Magazine " , which she said she loved . ( She proceeded to defend the magazine against jibes made by Ross . ) This interview can be heard on the CD release " " . Media rumours that Piper was leaving the show were confirmed when Piper said she ' d be leaving at the end of Series 2 in 2006 . However , unknown to the public at large , as Piper later confessed in a 2008 instalment of " Doctor Who Confidential " , it was already agreed that she would return to the series and she gave misinformation to media about her plans regarding the series . Piper ' s last regular appearance on " Doctor Who " occurred in " Doomsday " , which concluded with Rose and the Doctor sharing an emotional farewell as Rose was trapped on a parallel Earth . After " Doctor Who " . Following " Doctor Who " , Piper continued to act and was soon cast in the lead role in the sexually explicit drama " Secret Diary of a Call Girl " which garnered more praise for her acting work . One episode of the series featured an appearance by future Eleventh Doctor Matt Smith . The series was a ratings success on both sides of the Atlantic , with its third season broadcast in 2009 . Although she was featured in major US media in relation to that series , little reference there has been made to her star - making work on " Doctor Who " . Despite having moved on to new projects , Piper did not stay away from " Doctor Who " for long . As noted above , even before her departure in 2006 it had already been arranged for her to return to the series at some point ( and there was even a short - lived plan to produce a one - off special featuring her entitled " " which was authorised by the BBC but vetoed by Russell T Davies ) . A short flashback clip of Piper had been included in " The Runaway Bride " , an illustration of her had appeared in " Human Nature " and much of the 3rd and 4th series dealt with the Doctor coming to terms with the loss of Rose Tyler . In 2007 , rumours began circulating that Piper was to return as Rose Tyler in series 4 , rumours that appeared to be confirmed by paparazzi photographs of her taken on the set of " Doctor Who " . The BBC finally confirmed that Piper would be returning as Rose in the new series and even included her image in the official advance cinema trailer ( though her episodes came at the end of the season , they were filmed near the beginning of production ) . Her first return appearances on " Doctor Who " were surprise cameos in " Partners in Crime " , " The Poison Sky " and " Midnight " . She returned in earnest for the three - episode finale . Her full - out return in " Turn Left " coincided with the American debut of " Secret Diary of a Call Girl " . Following her appearance in " Journey ' s End " , Piper again bade farewell to " Doctor Who " and returned to her work on " Secret Diary of a Call Girl " . However , in 2009 , rumours again began circulating of yet another return to the series as David Tennant prepared to film his final appearances as the Doctor . Piper made a cameo appearance as a younger version of Rose from before she met the Doctor in " The End of Time " , which first aired on 1 January 2010 . In 2013 , Piper played the sentient operating system of the Moment , which took on the image of Rose , in the 50th anniversary episode " The Day of the Doctor " . The character was credited as " Rose " . Personal life . Piper was born in Swindon , Wiltshire , England to Paul and Mandy Piper . Her parents changed her given name from " Leanne " ( originally Leiane ) three weeks after registering her birth . Billie has one younger brother , Charlie , and two younger sisters , Harley and Ellie . Piper married businessman , television presenter , and DJ in May 2001 in Las Vegas . Their marriage attracted much comment due to the sixteen - year age gap between the two . In October 2004 , the two began a trial separation . In spring of 2005 it was confirmed that they would be divorcing . The two remain friends and in November 2005 Piper was a guest on the first episode of her ex - husband ' s show . As of 2014 Piper and Evans live two houses away from each other . She still refers to her ex - husband as " Mr . E " ( a subtle reference to her " Mystery " marriage ) . She married actor Laurence Fox , son of James Fox , on 30 December 2007 , at St Mary ' s Church in Easebourne . Her son Winston James Fox was born on 21 October 2008 . On 28 October 2011 , Piper and her husband announced that she was 15 weeks pregnant with their second child . Piper gave birth to their second son , Eugene Pip Fox on 5 April 2012 . In 2006 , a few months after leaving " Doctor Who " , Piper published an autobiography , " Growing Pains " , in which she discussed her musical career and her time on " Doctor Who " . Facts . Billie Piper shares her birthday , 22 September , with former " Doctor Who " actor Frazer Hines , who played the Second Doctor ' s companion Jamie McCrimmon . The occasion of her birthday is mentioned in the audio story " The Gathering " .