Billie Piper says Spice Girls gave her cigarettes to smoke when she was 15

Piper spent time with the Spice Girls on ‘Top of the Pops’ in the Nineties

Billie Piper has recalled smoking cigarettes with the Spice Girls as a teenager.

The British actor first shot to fame as a singer, becoming the youngest artist ever to debut at number one in the UK singles chart when she was 15 thanks to her hit, “Because We Want To.”

Speaking on The Jonathan Ross Show, the Doctor Who actor and Spice Girl Melanie Brown remembered appearing together on Top Of The Pops in the Nineties.

Piper said: “I was such a huge fan so imagine being 15 in a dressing room with the Spice Girls, I used to smoke cigarettes with you guys in the dressing room, you’d give me fags.”

Brown said: “That would have been me and Emma [Bunton].”

Piper added: “Yeah, it was you and Emma and we would sit on the floor at Top Of The Pops smoking cigarettes and ashing in a plastic cup, it was heaven.”

Billie Piper (PA)

Piper, who appears in the new Netflix film Scoop about the Newsnight interview where the Duke of York was grilled over his relationship with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, also discussed the items she has taken from television sets.

The actress revealed she has the central console from the Tardis, a time-travelling vehicle from the BBC One programme Doctor Who, which she starred in alongside Christopher Eccleston, who was later replaced by David Tennant.

“I take things from set, I see things, I take them,” she said.

Revealing which items she has taken, she said: “Loads of things, rings, costume jewellery, I actually have a whip and some underwear from the Secret Diary Of A Call Girl.”

“I took loads of stuff from the Tardis – the main central console,” she added.

Piper also reflected on her music career, saying: “I was 14 when I signed my record deal, the same age as my eldest son which blows my mind but he isn’t that interested which I think is fine.”

Discussing her children’s reactions to her work, she added: “They have no interest in me being in Doctor Who but they will come to a convention where there’s access to real famous people, genuine stars if there is access to Stranger Things, Marvel or Lord Of The Rings.”

Also joining Ross on the chat show was Hollywood actor Paul Rudd, comedian and writer Leo Reich and singer Cat Burns, who performed at the end of the show.

The Jonathan Ross Show airs Saturday at 9.35pm on ITV1 and ITVX.