Billie Piper reveals she thinks social media is ‘terrifying’ as it amplifies worst elements of fame

Billie Piper has revealed that she thinks social media is ‘terrifying’ as it has amplified the worst elements of fame.

The 37-year-old actress and singer, who released her debut single at just age 15, has said she would hate to be in the limelight now because of the pressures of online platforms.

‘Let’s put it this way, I wouldn’t have wanted to be a famous pop star now. The social media element of it all is terrifying because it’s continuous, it’s in your bed, next to your bedside table every night,’ she told The Sunday Times‘ Culture magazine.

She added: ‘In my pop career there were moments that were horrible to experience as a teenager, but they came and went. 

‘But the thought of having that constantly on your person – I wear my phone round my neck like some weird slave – and with one simple click you’re able to see what millions of people think about you or other people, or just about anything… 

‘I would argue that it’s got worse.’

Billie also spoke about the 2014 iCloud hack which saw several celebrities’ private pictures surface online, and although she wasn’t impacted by the leak, she said she could relate to the situation.

The Secret Diary of a Call Girl star said: ‘I don’t know what that’s like [having pictures stolen], but I certainly know what it means to live your life publicly. I’ve done that since I was 14. 

‘What’s really interesting and slightly depressing is on some level we all do that now – everybody has an online profile and everything you do on some level could be seen to be incriminating, even if it’s actually quite innocent.’ 

In recent weeks, Billie has been seen alongside many stars attending the Black Lives Matter protests in London, following the tragic killing of George Floyd at the hands of police in the US.  

But elsewhere, Billie’s ex Lauren, from whom she split in 2016, seems to have no intention of protesting, and has recently faced fury from fans and followers. 

Addressing his 183,000 followers, he wrote: ‘Instagram seems to be broken.’ The comment sparked an inevitable wave of criticism, with many followers condemning Fox for being ‘twisted, racist’ and missing the point. 

The actor son of celebrated screen star James Fox has been targeted for his outspoken political views following a controversial appearance on BBC show Question Time in January.

Laurence accused black university lecturer Rachel Boyle of ‘being racist’ on Question Time after she called him ‘a white privileged male’ for denying Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex was hounded from Britain for being mixed-race.

Billie and Laurence share two sons Winston James, 11, and Eugene Pip, eight.

In 2019 she welcomed a daughter, Tallulah, with musician boyfriend Johnny Lloyd, who she has been dating since 2016.