Billie and Chris try again

A month ago their three-year marriage was said to be in tatters. Now, Chris Evans and Billie Piper have told friends they have patched up their differences.

The actress, who at 22 is 16 years younger than Evans, says they are 'giving it another go'.

'We are reconciled and spent the night together - it was great,' she told a friend. 'We're talking on the phone again and hoping to stay together.'

A friend of Evans told the Daily Mail: 'When Chris and Billie broke up last month, it was only for a cooling-off period.

'They always intended to try to make a go of it again. They never gave up hope of saving their marriage.' The reconciliation-began ten days ago with a meeting at the Groucho Club in Soho.

The next day, after a heart-toheart at a pub in Primrose Hill, North London, they decided to try again.

The couple met in 2001 when Miss Piper was a guest on Evans's Channel 4 show TFI Friday. They married in Las Vegas after a whirlwind romance.

Their separation followed rumours that Evans, whose career had nosedived since his sacking from Virgin Radio in 2001, was finding it impossible to deal with his young wife's success as an actress. While

Miss Piper has been filming in Cardiff for her role in the new series of Doctor Who, the DJ-turnedbroadcasting tycoon remained in London.

Friends said that as well as the strain of a long-distance relationship, the age gap had also caused problems.

At the time of the break-up, a friend said: 'Billie is young and wants to go out and party with friends her own age. But Chris tends to hang around with a much older crowd and is happy listening to Radio 4.

' As a result, the tension has led to a number of rows and the pair simply drifting apart. There's no one else involved.'