Billie Piper (Various)

Here are various Billie Piper quotes, covering everything from her early days as a singer to the fact that she’s unlikely to be returning to ‘Doctor Who’, although perhaps if there’s a movie…

On her singing career

I liked singing, but I never thought I had the strongest vocals. And so, I was kind of reluctant, but you’re offered that opportunity at fourteen, you’re like ‘What? I don’t have to go to school any more? Yeah!’. I mean, I was freakishly ambitious, and that’s kind of calmed down now. I still have ambitions, but they’ve slightly changed. I’m happy as an actor, I must prefer that.

On watching ‘Doctor Who’ when she was younger

I had to have. I remember it being on, because the theme tune is really spooky. But I would never really settle down to it. It was just never my thing. But you knew it. If you were English, British, you know ‘Doctor Who’. But I had no idea what I was getting into.

On getting the role of Rose

I’d done a few things. I did ‘Canterbury Tales’. But ‘Doctor Who’… the part was written so well, it gave me an opportunity to really kind of showcase what I had, and I know that people liked it, so that was the one that got me started, really.

Rose is the one showing the kids what the Doctor is like. She’s human, he’s an alien – he’s a Time Lord – and she makes the kids think that they could be there. Because she’s sort of the domestic side of sci-fi, you know?

On being replaced by Freema Agyeman

Doctor Who Magazine had the new girl on the cover. I threw it across the room. I wanted to scratch her eyes out. It’s like seeing your ex’s new girlfriend!

On The End of Time

I didn’t have a full script and I had to do it in three hours. It was after filming ‘Secret Diary of a Call Girl’ in the day, and it was too short! I didn’t know anything about the story. I wish I’d been there for the whole episode – but that would have been a bit tedious.

I haven’t seen it yet! I went away for Christmas and New Year, so it would have been a bit weird trying to sly off and watch an episode of ‘Doctor Who’ on my own! I definitely will, though.

On Matt Smith

He called me, ‘What am I going to do?’. It’s really hard. Your life just completely changes, and it’s such a huge show, especially in Britain. It’s about the biggest show on TV. And it’s frightening, you know, being in that type of production, and having people suddenly know everything about you. He’s just about to embark on that.

On playing the Doctor herself

Dr. Who should be a man. It’s a guy’s job. Plus, there’s nine months’ filming in Wales, and it’s full on. You really have to give it your life, and it can get quite suffocating. I loved the show, and I’m grateful to it, but you’re taking on more than a role, just because of the obsession with it.

On returning to Doctor Who

I think it’s done now, isn’t it? I think that ship has sailed. That old, wooden ship! I really loved doing it, but ‘Doctor Who’ has moved on – it’s different people, different crew, different production team and I can’t keep going back. It’s ridiculous! It’s time to move on…

On Doctor Who: The Movie

I’ve heard that they’re doing it, and I know that they want David to do it. I think David’s slightly anxious that there’ll be big American producers on board and they’ll try to hijack it and cast someone like Johnny Depp.