16 March 2024 , 16:18
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Billie Piper has sparked feud claims between her ex Laurence Fox and his brother-in-law Richard Ayoade.
It comes after the Doctor Who actress claimed Richard would have an "interesting take" on her ex husband. She married Fox back in 2007 and welcomed two children together. However, their marriage failed to stand the test of time as they divorced in 2016. They went on to have an ugly custody battle over their sons.
Billie broke her silence following Fox's recent High Court libel case against a former Stonewall trustee and drag artist he called paedophiles. She explained that it has been incredibly hard for her and said co-parenting with Fox is done with "enormous difficulty." The actress said she isn't the best person to ask about Fox, saying Richard - who is married to his sister Lydia - would offer an "interesting" take.
Her comment comes after Fox confessed he'd fallen out with Richard following his Question Time race row. Fox had accused academic Rachel Boyle of "being racist" after she called him "a white privileged male". Following the remarks, Fox's girlfriend of five months Sara McKinnon dumped him and sparked tension with Richard.
Richard is married to Laurence's sister Lydia (Ash Knotek/REX/Shutterstock for BAFTA)
Billie and Laurence divorced in 2016 and co-parent their sons (Getty Images)He said in an interview with The Sunday Times: "[Richard] was furious. He told me I have never encountered racism. I responded 'Yeah, of course I have'. I've encountered racism from black people towards me, when I was working in Kenya [as a safari driver] for seven months. It's the way you're spoken to. Racism can be deferential." Fox claimed Richard didn't attend Sunday lunch at his house for a few weekends as a result of their feud, but since became friends again.
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Lydia is the only daughter of successful '60s actor James Fox and wife Mary Piper and has four brothers - Laurence, Jack, Robin and Thomas. She also has famous cousins Emilia and Freddie Fox. When Billie was probed about her ex husband in a chat with British Vogue, she said: "Look, if people want to try and understand the workings of the guy, they ought to either ask him or his family. Ask Richard Ayoade what he thinks, or his wife Lydia. They might have a more interesting take."
Richard and Lydia married in 2007 after meeting while at university. The IT Crowd star studied at St Catharine's College at the University of Cambridge while Lydia studied at Newnham College. She is said to have watched him perform at a university theatre production.
They have rarely shared details of their relationship, but have welcomed three children together. Billie admitted she was co-parenting with Fox, "with enormous difficulty". She shared that she sticks to a "very strict routine" with her children and "keeps them close". The mum-of-two admitted the privacy and anonymity of her children is "paramount" to her. She added: "They deserve not to be extensions of the parents and to forge their own identities."
The Mirror has contacted Richard Ayoade and Lydia Fox's representatives for comment.