I Hate Suzie’s Billie Piper explains how her own ‘acute anxiety’ and ‘rude awakening of 30s’ inspired sex scandal drama
I HATE Suzie's Billie Piper has explained how her own 'acute anxiety' and 'rude awakening of 30s' inspired the sex scandal drama.
The 37-year-old stars as the titular Suzie in the Sky comedy drama, a former teen pop star-turned-actress who has intimate photos stolen from her phone by hackers who then leak them on the Internet.
Elements of the show mirror Billie's own career, having started as a teen pop star before moving into acting with roles in shows including Doctor Who as well as award-winning performances in the theatre.
Suzie's anxiety on the show is also something Billie has experienced in her own life, with the star telling : "I didn't think I had anxiety until seven years ago.
"I always remembered myself as quite a chilled child, and maybe that was true - my mum says that I was a sort of sunny, happy child - but I think I'm just coming to terms with the fact that I actually have quite acute anxiety, and I know I managed that as a kid.
"Also, nobody was talking about it, so you couldn't name it, and therefore it can often go unnoticed. I was like an obsessive cleaner when I was a kid, in a way that's beyond normal."
When asked what made her realise she had anxiety after all these years, Billie replied: "I think it's your 30s actually, if I'm honest.
"In your late-20s, early-30s you start looking at patterns of behaviour in your life. I'm keen to look at that and alter it, or at least try and understand it a bit better, and it usually comes out of traumas that happen in your life."
She continued: "I think your 30s are a massive turning point, like a rude awakening. I just don't know that people talk about that enough or dramatise it enough.
"You get to your 30s and you're like, 'I should be more established,' or, 'I'm a bit of a mess,' or, 'I haven't had a kid and maybe I should,' or, 'I've lived in bad relationships, why have I done that repeatedly?'
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"You know, it's just like, 'What the f**k is this?' This is your 30s."
Each 30 minute episode deals with a different emotion for Suzie as she processes what is happening, including denial, fear, shame, guilt and anger.
Billie stars alongside Daniel Ings - who plays Cob - and Leila Farzad, who plays Suzie's manager and best friend, Naomi.
All episodes of I Hate Suzie are available on Sky and NOW TV.