Bye bye Billie!
PAIN is etched in Chris Evans' voice as he forces out two sentences that simply don't belong together.
"I still love Billie. We're going to divorce."
The TV and radio legend is clearly distraught as he reflects on his split with pop singer-turned actress Billie Piper. "It's very painful," he tells me.
"I thought we were going to be together forever. We were going to grow old together but somewhere along the way it just didn't happen."
How typical of the irrepressible star to use an event filled with sorrow as the launchpad for an unexpected career move...as a market stall-holder.
Chris has opened up under the arches at north London's famous Camden market with £1million-worth of goods that were part of his life with Billie.
He explains: "I'm clearing all my stuff from all my homes and making a fresh start. All my stuff around here has painful memories. I'm just doing this to get rid of the headache.
"It's about clearing the table and starting afresh. All these things were bought when were together and did have sentimental value.
"Of course the furniture here has memories. Everywhere I look I see Billie. There are the treadmills that Billie used to work out on.
"I used to watch her, so all that kind of thing has all gone. All the stuff here at the moment is mostly from LA. We spent a year together there.
"There's a black leather sofa that used to belong to Bob Dylan where we sat and cuddled and watched TV.
"That's definitely one of my favourite items I'm selling off. That and the teak table which we had in the dining area and had guests around.
Gorgeous
"This place will be running maybe until Christmas, I'm not sure. We've got so much stuff—four times as much as is here still to sell."
The treadmill has already gone...for £850.
At the back of his lock-up are 17 TVs and two giant toothbrushes from his Channel 4 show Don't Forget Your Toothbrush. Vintage TV and film posters line the walls, including a rare portrait of 60s siren Raquel Welch.
Chris says: "My favourite item is the Raquel poster—just look at it, it's gorgeous. It's selling for £300.
"The stall is the one thing I've done in the last couple of years that's me. It's not contrived and I think it will work. It's got the right vibe about it. Nobody teaches you how to be wealthy."
Our touching pictures on the right show Chris and Billie sharing a last kiss at the very place where he is starting the latest chapter in his life.
Billie paid a 20-minute visit to the stall on Friday afternoon to wish him well. Both were clearly upset as they spent what Chris called "our last time together as man and wife."
However neither tried to hide their last tender moments of affection for each other. Our photographer said: "They just held each other and kissed. It was a lovely moment."
Chris admits: "We had an emotional time when she popped in. It was a private moment. It was an emotional hug. Everything seemed final. We didn't have to say anything."
Before she went, Billie left Chris a touching memento of their last meeting—a slogan on the whitewashed wall which reads: "Be a happy chappy. XX."
On another part of the wall, wacky Chris has written "Gaby"—a reference to his former Big Breakfast pal Gaby Roslin. There's another message on the door, from Richard & Judy star Richard Madeley, which says simply: "Nice one Chris, Richard Madeley."
He bought a fireplace candlestick holder for £49. Richard said: "Chris is a real mate and I've come to support him today. I'm going to put this in our fireplace in Cornwall."
Chris's stock comes from many houses around the world. He explains: "I wouldn't buy another big house. I used to have six five-storey houses which is quite repugnant.
"I've sold three houses, in Surrey, LA and London. I've still got six houses and all of them bar one are for sale.
"Now in the kitchen at the house I'm at in Belsize Park there are no kitchen chairs—they're here for sale."
Chris has been hanging out in London's West End, drinking with pals including Johnny Vegas while working on new projects.
I met him at 9.30am yesterday after a heavy night's boozing which had taken him to a couple of pubs and members' bar The Groucho Club.
That's how Chris and his market partner Pete Winterbottom celebrated after setting up the stall on Friday.
Chris whispered: "We were out till 5am. We got so p***** I lost my house keys so we had to stay in a hotel.
"The other night we were drinking again and I had to smash the window in my house to get in. But I couldn't do it again, so we got a room.
Roses
"I'm just getting on with things and I'm working on a new show with Johnny Vegas. We start filming in January. In fact we signed the contract here at the stall. I do all my business here now. It's like my office."
Chris, 38, and Billie, 16 years his junior, started dating in December 2000 after she was a guest on his hit telly show TFI Friday.
He was so smitten with the young singer he wooed her with a £100,000 Ferrari filled with roses, even though she couldn't drive. Their romance was revealed by the News of the World. They married just five months later in a quickie wedding in Las Vegas.
Both quit their jobs and spent the next 18 months travelling. Since returning from their mammoth holiday, Billie has kicked off her acting career.
She is filming the new series of Doctor Who as the timelord's sexy sidekick which has meant spending long periods away from Chris filming in Cardiff.
The marriage hit the rocks in September. At the end of the month they announced they were separating.
Since the split, Billie has been linked to a string of guys, including Brit actor Danny Dyer and Doctor Who co-star Noel Clarke.
Meanwhile, Chris has been seen in the company of Heart FM DJ Harriet Scott, funnygirl Hattie Hayridge and Scots beauty Angela Horne, who he met in a north London pub.
But he insists: "There will always be a special place in my heart for Billie. I will always be there for her."
Additional reporting: Gemma Calvert
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