Showbiz
Billie Piper has spoken of her whirlwind romance with Chris Evans - explaining how it saved her from self destruction.
The in-depth revelations come in the latest part of her autobiography Growing Pains, currently being serialised in the Mail on Sunday.
Piper has already told how, as she shot to fame at 15, she became anorexic and developed serious cystitis. Then, in 2000, she came face-to-face with Evans, who she was later to marry.
"I was invited to appear on TFI Friday but although I'd always fancied Chris and loved his programme, I thought it would be a stitch-up", she wrote. "But as soon as I saw Chris's smiling face I started enjoying it. It was brilliant. He made it so easy for me that I even forgot to be nervous. That's his gift."
A few dates later, Piper explained, she had fallen for the presenter, and left her family to go on holiday with him - on Christmas Day. She recalled: "Just as Mum put the prawn cocktails on the table, I announced I was going on holiday with Chris. I know she was gutted. But, equally, I think she understood.
"We flew to Madeira and, just like that, "Billie" the pop princess disappeared. I'd finally kissed my prince and, in our special version of the old fairytale, he let me turn back into a frog."
Piper tells in the book how Evans forced her to try and resolve her problems. "But that sort of behaviour doesn't wash with a man like Chris, and he started asking questions I couldn't answer. When was my next album due? How much money had I made? How long was I contractually obligated to my record company? Why couldn't I drive? Why hadn't I taken any exams? Why was I ill? I was embarrassed by what I had become.
"What had happened to the laxatives and starvation? Out the window. I knew Chris wouldn't tolerate that sort of thing. And drugs? No more. I left it all behind. I couldn't be bothered with forcing myself to be something I wasn't any more. Namely a size 0. There were too many other things to try, to do, to see, to taste."
Months later, in Los Angeles, the pop star agreed to marry her new love.
The in-depth revelations come in the latest part of her autobiography Growing Pains, currently being serialised in the Mail on Sunday.
Piper has already told how, as she shot to fame at 15, she became anorexic and developed serious cystitis. Then, in 2000, she came face-to-face with Evans, who she was later to marry.
"I was invited to appear on TFI Friday but although I'd always fancied Chris and loved his programme, I thought it would be a stitch-up", she wrote. "But as soon as I saw Chris's smiling face I started enjoying it. It was brilliant. He made it so easy for me that I even forgot to be nervous. That's his gift."
A few dates later, Piper explained, she had fallen for the presenter, and left her family to go on holiday with him - on Christmas Day. She recalled: "Just as Mum put the prawn cocktails on the table, I announced I was going on holiday with Chris. I know she was gutted. But, equally, I think she understood.
"We flew to Madeira and, just like that, "Billie" the pop princess disappeared. I'd finally kissed my prince and, in our special version of the old fairytale, he let me turn back into a frog."
Piper tells in the book how Evans forced her to try and resolve her problems. "But that sort of behaviour doesn't wash with a man like Chris, and he started asking questions I couldn't answer. When was my next album due? How much money had I made? How long was I contractually obligated to my record company? Why couldn't I drive? Why hadn't I taken any exams? Why was I ill? I was embarrassed by what I had become.
"What had happened to the laxatives and starvation? Out the window. I knew Chris wouldn't tolerate that sort of thing. And drugs? No more. I left it all behind. I couldn't be bothered with forcing myself to be something I wasn't any more. Namely a size 0. There were too many other things to try, to do, to see, to taste."
Months later, in Los Angeles, the pop star agreed to marry her new love.
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