Billie Piper with Chris EvansBillie Piper has proved that she and ex-husband Chris Evans are still very close after she needed a shoulder to cry on.

A source revealed that Chris dropped his plans with new girlfriend Natasha Shishmanian to comfort Billie at a cafe in London yesterday: “Chris rushed off when she rang.”

“Her eyes looked very puffy because of all the tears and Chris looked terribly concerned.”

“She was shaking as she spoke and … he spent more than an hour consoling [her]. But by the end of their heart-to-heart she seemed much perkier - Chris had obviously cheered her up.”

An onlooker revealed that that after making her laugh with a joke, the two hugged each other goodbye before Chris returned to his trip to the gym with Natasha. Billie then walked home alone: “She was talking to someone on her mobile phone for the whole of the ten minute walk to her house.”

“You could tell the conversation wasn’t bright and breezy as she certainly did not look happy.”

Billie and boyfriend/West End co-star Laurence Fox were reportedly seen looking “frosty” towards each other the night before, prompting split rumours but a spokesperson for the former Doctor Who star has said they are still together.