Billie Piper — who came back for the show when the 15th Doctor was introduced
Ncuti Gatwa
rebuilt – became famous in 1998 at the age of 15 following the release of her first pop single Because We Want To.
The top-charting song was succeeded by yet another number-one hit called “Girlfriend,” along with her platinum-selling debut album titled “Honey To The B.”
However, she subsequently shifted focus towards an acting career, where she eventually stated that this was her true passion. Her big break arrived when she landed the part of the companion to Doctor Who in 2005.
Piper, from
Swindon
, portrayed Rose Tyler, the companion to the ninth and tenth
Doctors
,
Christopher Eccleston
and David Tennant.
Rose was a spirited shop assistant who formed a close connection with the Time Lord and shared a kiss with him at some point.
Piper received the accolade of Most Popular Actress at the National Television Awards in both 2005 and 2006 due to her role.
She went on to appear in the ITV show “Secret Diary of a CallGirl” from 2007 through 2011, portraying an escort based in London.
In 2019, she directed her first film with “Rare Beasts,” a dark comedy drama that she both scripted and acted in herself.
Last year, she portrayed
Newsnight
producer Sam McAlister in Netflix’s Scoop, which delves into the backstage narrative of Emily Maitlis’s pivotal encounter with the Duke of York.
Piper was nominated for Best Leading Actress at the 2025 Bafta TV Awards because of her performance.
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