Billie and baby 'may be in hospital for week'

New mother Billie Piper may have to spend another seven days in hospital, her husband said today.

The actress, 26, gave birth to a son by emergency Caesarean at 1am yesterday after a 26-hour labour.

Her husband, actor Laurence Fox, said the mother and baby were “good”.

But speaking outside the private Portland Hospital in central London today, he added: “She had a Caesarean. It was quite a major thing wasn’t it.”

He said doctors told the couple she might not be ready to go home for “five days to a week”.

The couple named their newborn son, weighing 6lb 11oz, Winston James Fox.

Fox said: “It’s a good name, isn’t it?”

Winston, the name of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill, derives from an expression meaning “joyful stone”.

Both Churchill and Fox, who belongs to an acting dynasty that includes his father James and uncle Edward, went to Harrow School.

But when asked if the name was inspired by the former prime minister, Fox said: “Who knows? Who knows?”

Visibly tired as he left the hospital to smoke, Fox said he had not changed his jeans and jumper for three days.

He said he hoped to find out more about when his wife and newborn son would be able to return home later in the day.

Bunches of flowers arrived at the hospital addressed to the family.

Fox and Piper married at the Parish Church of St Mary’s in Easebourne, near their home in West Sussex.

They met when they starred together in the West End stage play 'Treats in late 2006.

The former pop singer and 'Doctor Who' actress was previously married to Chris Evans and remains good friends with him.

Her ex-husband was among the first non-family members to visit the baby yesterday.

Piper turned to acting after a successful pop career during her teenage years.

At the age of 15, Piper was the youngest artist to debut at Number One in the UK singles chart with 'Because We Want To'.