Swindon actress Billie Piper is seeing precious little of her husband, DJ and TV presenter, Chris Evans, according to a national newspaper.

Rumours of a marriage rift are afoot after the couple were last seen together in public at the BAFTA awards on February 15.

Former Bradon Forest School pupil Billie, 21, went home by herself, while Chris carried on drinking before leaving with another woman, TV news presenter Claudia Winkleman.

The couple have been staying with friends at a London flat since Chris sold his lavish Tudor mansion for £10 million to a Russian tycoon.

But Billie has hardly been home as she pursues her new career in TV and films. On Wednesday night Chris, 37, was spotted drinking alone in London's Covent Garden.

Billie's acting career is forging ahead and she has had rave reviews for her roles in a TV adaptation of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales, a drama called Bella And The Boys and upcoming movie The Calcium Kid, starring Orlando Bloom.

Billie's agent was unavailable for comment.

Billie is also said to have had a meeting at The Ivy restaurant in London with executives from record label Innocent, home of chart toppers Atomic Kitten and Blue.