Piper series up for adult award

Billie Piper took lessons from a dominatrix to prepare for her role

Earlier this month actress Billie Piper was shortlisted for an Evening Standard theatre award for stage play Treats.

Her latest nomination, however, may not be quite so prestigious: Best soft core production at the UK Adult Film Awards.

That is the prize Piper's ITV2 show The Secret Diary of a Call Girl could win when the awards - now in their second year - are presented on 29 November.

Piper plays a high-class prostitute in the show, adapted from the best-seller pseudonymously penned by Belle de Jour.

The eight-part series is the only mainstream production to receive a nomination at the UK Adult Film and Television Awards.

'Changing attitudes'

"The sheer fact that the series was aired is a reflection of the changing attitudes in British society," said organiser Phil Black, who commended Piper for her "brave" performance.

"Series such as this help a nation move closer to an understanding of itself."

Other categories include most outrageous scene, best fetish film and pay-per-view channel of the year.

This year's ceremony will take place at the Troxy nightclub in east London.