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Billie Piper has broken her silence on the controversies surrounding her ex-husband Laurence Fox.
The actors, who have two sons, married in 2007, and divorced nine years later, telling a judge their marriage had “irretrievably broken down”.
While Piper, 41, has remained silent on the subject of her right-wing activist ex, who has been embroiled in several high-profile controversies in recent years, Fox, 45, said in November 2023 that the former Doctor Who star “was concerned” that their children “were no longer safe in my house” due to Fox’s extreme views.
Piper addressed the elephant in the room in a new interview and when asked if she had “feelings” on the subject of her ex-husband, who was reportedly dropped by his acting agent over the phone, she said: “Of course I have feelings on that. I’m not dead inside.”
The I Hate Suzie and Rare Beasts actor and writer revealed she often asks people to strain from telling her about Fox’s views, and said those interested in her opinion on the subject were more likely to get a good insight into his behaviour if they asked his family members, including his sister Lydia Fox and brother-in-law Richard Ayoade.
“Look, if people want to try and understand the workings of the guy, they ought to either ask him or his family,” piper told Vogue, adding: “Ask Richard Ayoade what he thinks, or his wife Lydia. They might have a more interesting take.
“I try to keep people from telling me stuff but it’s really, really hard. I don’t read it but everyone wants to talk about it. Sometimes I have to say to people, ‘Please don’t bring this to me, now or ever.’”
Piper said the situation has made her “feel stronger in many ways”, but acknowledged that co-parenting has become “enormously difficult”.
Billie piper said it’s ‘enormously difficult’ to co-parent with ex Laurence Fox
(Getty Images)
She said: “I close everything down and keep a very strict routine with the kids so that there’s consistency. I keep them close. That’s all I can do.
“I’ve learnt I have a lot of resilience I didn’t know I had. I’ve had to learn the hard way that you can only control yourself and how you react to things. It’s really f***ing hard.”
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Fox has caused uproar numerous times over the past few years. One instance occurred in 2020, when a BBC Question Time appearance saw him accuse a woman of colour of racism after she called him a “white privileged male”.
More recently, the actor lost a High Court libel battle with two people he referred to as paedophiles on social media, and it was also revealed earlier this year that media watchdog Ofcom ruled that Fox’s “misogynistic” comments about female journalist Ava Evans on Dan Wootton’s GB News show broke broadcasting rules.
Laurence Fox and ex-wife Billie Piper photographed in 2012
(Getty Images)
The interaction, which was the most-complained about TV moment of 2023, led to his firing from the channel.
Piper’s interview can be read in full in the April issue of British Vogue, available via digital download and on newsstands from 19 March.
