No. 5: Billie Piper

Name: Billie Piper

Date of Birth: 22 September, 1982

Hometown: Swindon, Wiltshire, England

Selected Career Credits:

• Doctor Who (2005-2010)... Rose Tyler
• Secret Diary of a Call Girl (2007-2008)... Belle
• Mansfield Park (2007)... Fanny Price
• The Ruby in the Smoke (2006)... Sally Lockhart

Harem Role: Chief Time/Space Traveller 

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Billie Piper is one of those women who has always been on my radar. When I was young and first venturing into pop music and Top 40 radio, Ms. Piper made an impression on me with her catchy lyrics and cute, bubble gum image. Yes, indeed -- she started her career at the tender age of fifteen as a singer targeted toward the international tween set. Songs like "Because We Want To" and "Girlfriend" filtered their way to Canada via countdown shows (e.g. YTV's Hit List) right at the time when the Spice Girls, All Saints, and a host of other female-fronted pop groups were dominating the airwaves. I suppose she left her imprint on me back then, really.

And, it wasn't until this year that she found her way back to my attention and found her rightful place in the Harem Proper.

As I mentioned early, I am an outspoken and total nerd when it comes to all things sci fi. The Advocate, a close friend of mine since high school, managed to lure me into the world of Doctor Who over this past winter. I mean, heck -- aliens? Time AND space travel? Sharp, witty writing with complex plot lines? BRITISH ACCENTS??

I never stood a chance.

And there she was -- Billie Piper starred as Rose Tyler, the first of Doctor Who's travelling companions introduced for the revamped British classic. 

She lived through the first regeneration of the new Doctor.

She travelled to the furthest reaches of the Universe and won the heart of a troubled, lonely wanderer haunted by his past.

She battled the Cyber Men, the Daleks, and an entire host of other alien life forms threatening residents of London and the entire global community.

Heck, she even destroyed the MIND of SATAN and later infused herself with the time vortex to rescue the Universe even though it almost BURNT HER MIND OUT.

It's no wonder Who fans were devastated at the end of Season Two. I won't go into details because I think you, dear reader, should seek it out and watch it for yourself. I admit, I had trouble accepting the Doctor's companions after Rose. Her dedication, her fearlessness, and her impish sense of adventure were entirely endearing. It's a telling sign when the Doctor, a man who has travelled beyond all sense of the word, is still in love Rose two seasons AFTER her exit. 

In her latest project, Secret Diary of a Call Girl, Billie Piper strips down her notorious 'girl-next-door' image and asserts herself as a sarcastic and sophisticated London escort attempting to balance her working life with the confines of the 'normal' world. While there's no doubt I was led to this show for less than noble reasons (I mean, hey -- I'm not dead to the world, I fancy women in delicate lingerie like any gay gal should), I can assure you that the Belle de Jour of the infamous blog/book would be proud of Billie Piper's work.

This post is making me want to abandon my job tomorrow and re-watch all of Season 1 and 2 of the new Doctor Who series. Confound you, Thursday. And confound your insistence on 8-5 office work.

In honour of her sheer loveliness (and hopefully to bait you into watching the show, too), I give you a small sampling of Rose Tyler. Oh, Billie Piper -- thank goodness you are in the Harem Proper.