Sunday, 14 September 2008

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Billie Piper criticised by women's charity

Actress branded 'obscene' for glamorising prostitution

Billie Piper has been criticised by women's charity POPPY Project

Billie Piper has been accused of glamorising prostitution in Secret Diary Of A Call Girl.

The actress, who plays Belle de Jour in the ITV show, has become famous for her explicit sex scenes and raunchy underwear.

But women’s charity POPPY Project, which supports women forced into prostitution, has criticised the programme.

‘She is an actress who has certain choices. She is not a jobbing actress,’ chief executive Denise Marshall tells the Sunday People.

‘She appeared in Doctor Who, a programme watched by lots of young people. To then give endorsement to a programme like Secret Diary is obscene.

'For this privileged young woman to misrepresent the reality of prostitution is appalling.'

Billie, 25 – who is expecting her first baby with Laurence Fox, 29 – returns to our screens as Belle this Friday.

A spokesman for maker Tiger Aspect defends the show: ‘The programme in no way seeks to condone or normalise prostitution.’

Secret Diary Of A Call Girl is on ITV2, Thursdays at 10pm. 

Alison Adey