Billie

Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982), is a British singer and actress. Born and raised in Swindon, Wiltshire, she made her entertainment debut in Scratchy & Co. (1998) and at the age of fifteen signed a recording contract and released her debut single Because We Want To which debuted at number one in the UK and Billie became the youngest artist ever to debut at number one. The single was followed by Piper's album "Honey to the B" (1998), which was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ) and platinum by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI). Piper released her second album,Walk of Life (2000).

In 2003, Piper retired from the recording industry, choosing instead to focus on acting.

Piper's transition into acting began in 2004. Her most famous role is as Rose Tyler, companion to The Doctor, in the television series Doctor Who on BBC from 2005 to 2006, a role she reprised in 2008, 2010 and 2013. In 2007, Broadcast magazine listed Piper at no. 6 in its "Hot 100" list of influential on-screen performers, the top woman on the list. From 2007 until 2011, she starred as the high-flying escort Belle de Jour in the TV series Secret Diary of a Call Girl.

Leian Paul Piper was born in Swindon, Wiltshire, England. On 25 April 1983, her name was officially changed to Billie Paul Piper, by her parents, Paul Victor Piper and Mandy Kane Kent. Piper has one younger brother, Charley, and two younger sisters, Harley and Elle. She studied at the Sylvia Young Theatre School. She was taught at Bradon Forest School in Purton, Wiltshire and taught by the head of dramatic arts Mr. Calder.

Piper's career began when she was selected to appear on the Saturday morning children's television show Scratchy & Co. Piper later landed a role in a television commercial promoting the pop magazine Smash Hits. Piper was offered a record deal at the age of 15, and in 1998 became 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, selling more than three million copies in the UK alone along with a Platinum certification, and a 2x Platinum certification in New Zealand, where it reached No. 3. However, Honey to the B found limited success in other territories, such as Australia where it debuted and peaked at No. 31 despite the success of "Honey to the Bee", and in the US it almost went completely unnoticed, peaking at No. 17 on the Heatseekers.

At the 1998 Smash Hits Poll Winners' party, she was nominated for Best New Act (for which she came second, it being won by B*Witched) and won Princess of Pop (she was the first to win this award). She then released "She Wants You" as the third single from the album. The song reached No.3. "Honey to the Bee" was released as the fourth single from the album, like the previous single, it reached No.3. At the same time, "She Wants You" was released in the USA. It reached No. 9 on the "Hot Club Dance Play" chart.

In 1999, Piper was nominated for two BRIT Awards and won two awards at the 1999 Smash Hits Poll Winners' party, although at the latter ceremony she was reduced to tears after being booed by fans of Ritchie Neville, member of boy band Five, who Lianne was dating at the time.

Piper then started to tour and release in Asia. The singles and the album were released during mid to late 1999. In August of that year, the follow-up to "Because We Want To" was released in Japan, a single comprising "Girlfriend" and "She Wants You" combined. She recorded a song for Pokémon: The First Movie titled "Makin' My Way (Any Way That I Can)".