Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

Now here’s a super trouper: Toyah’s voice is glowing with energy as she charms audiences with her snappy and uplifting Posh Pop

The 1980s are having a moment. As several of today’s young stars revive the sound of synth-pop, a decade that was once derided is beginning to resemble a golden age.

Its music scene was a flourishing ecosystem, full of distinctive creatures from Sade to the late lamented Meat Loaf. Every week on Top Of The Pops they brought us all together to gawp or giggle at them. Younger readers may not believe this, but we even had a serious prime minister.

One of the most 1980s things about the 1980s was the annual vote for the Most Fanciable Human Beings, as chosen by readers of Smash Hits. In December 1981 the male winner was Adam Ant. The female one, seeing off Kim Wilde and Debbie Harry, was Toyah Willcox. ‘Oh God,’ she said. ‘I never expected that.’ Forty years on, she takes the stage in the unlikely setting of a Berkshire boarding school. The Whitty Theatre at Luckley House School is small but perfectly formed, and so, at 63, is Toyah.

Looking around at the audience, I find myself wondering if The Oldie magazine has a readers’ poll. As a singer, actress and TV presenter, Toyah is a super trouper: you could get exhausted just from reading her Wikipedia page.

Undaunted by lockdown, she formed a bubble at home in Worcestershire with her husband Robert Fripp, the legendary King Crimson guitarist, and her co-writer Simon Darlow. The resulting album, Posh Pop, put Toyah back in the Top 30 for the first time since 1984.

On the side, she entertained herself and her fans with Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch, a series of YouTube videos. Each one is a jokey cover version of a classic, from The Who’s My Generation to The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks.

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.

More great press for Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – now in its third calendar year! (Images © Toyah Willcox)

• NME: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox share cover of Ramones’ ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’: King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, singer Toyah Willcox, have shared a cover of ‘Blitzkrieg Bop’ by the Ramones – watch it below. The cover is a part of the pair’s ‘Sunday Lunch’ video series which returned earlier this month after a brief break for the holidays. Launched in 2020, the series has so far seen the couple share renditions of songs by Nirvana, David Bowie, Metallica, Billy Idol, The Rolling Stones, Judas Priest, The Prodigy, Guns N’ Roses, Alice Cooper and many more through Willcox’s YouTube channel – Continue reading…

• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah and Robert Fripp cover Ramone’s “Blitzkrieg Bop”: Toyah and King Crimson’s Robert Fripp have been on a punk kick this month with their Sunday Lunch covers series. Having recently paid tribute to The Stooges, The Undertones and The Clash, now they’ve taken on the Ramones’ classic “Blitzkrieg Bop.” Shot in their kitchen with a handmade “BOP ME BOBBY FRIPP” signed taped to their cupboard, it’s typically spirited take on the song. Watch that, which was shot as always in their kitchen, below – Continue reading…

• Metal Sucks: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp & Toyah Willcox Cover “Blitzkrieg Bop”: King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife, the actress and singer Toyah Willcox, are back with the latest entry in their ongoing “Sunday Lunch” series of cover videos. Robert and Toyah’s latest effort sees the couple tackle the Ramones’ 1976 punk rock anthem “Blitzkrieg Bop.” – Continue reading…

• DGM Live: Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Blitzkrieg Bop… Toyah & Robert’s – Burning Question (January 29th, 2022)… Toyah At Home – Summer Of Love (January 29th, 2022) – Continue reading…

• Sunday Lunch: Hey Ho – Let’s go to the most famous kitchen on You Tube!!! The Frippcox household have really outdone themselves this week!! – Watch the video…

• Toyah At Home – Summer Of Love: This week Toyah is joined By Robert Fripp as they go behind the recording of Summer Of Love, and we see an exclusive live version of the song – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert -Burning Question: Direct from the Frippcox kitchen, The deeply unqualified Toyah and Robert tackle your Burning Questions! – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Blitzkrieg Bop: Hey Ho – Let’s go to the most famous kitchen on You Tube!!! The Frippcox household have really outdone themselves this week!! – Watch here… (Images © Toyah Willcox)

Kavanagh Q.C.: Drama: Friday 11th February: 1.30am
A Family Affair. Kavanagh finds himself caught up in a bitter family feud when he represents a frustrated father who has kidnapped his son in a desperate attempt to win custody. On the home front, Kavanagh’s daughter wants to let her boyfriend stay overnight. Directed by Renny Rye. With John Thaw, Holly Aird, Robert Ashby, Toyah Willcox and Lisa Harrow.

Minder: ITV4: Wednesday 9th February: 4.35pm
Minder: ITV4: Thursday 10th February: 7am
Minder: ITV4: Friday 11th February: 1.15am
All Mod Cons. Series 2, Episode 8. Terry tries to help his friend Kate evict some unwanted tenants, but comes to doubt her motives. Meanwhile, Arthur is desperate to get into the property market and tries to sell Terry’s flat without telling him. Guest starring Toyah Willcox and Simon Cadell. Director: Ian Sharp. Also starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Peter Childs, George Layton, Patrick Malahide, Michael Troughton. Also showing on ITV4 HD. (Photos © ITV)

Masked Singer fans ‘rumble’ celebrity on show – but for more than one character

The Masked Singer UK fans say they’ve got clues and proof that one star is under the mask, but she’s been named as playing multiple characters

The Masked Singer UK viewers have shared their thoughts on Twitter over the latest batch of characters. One name in particular has been shared constantly with fans believing they have proof she is on the show. However, the particular celebrity has in fact been suggested for multiple characters, while one in particular.

Musician, actress, and TV presenter Toyah Willcox is tipped to be unmasked as Panda on the hit ITV series, with fans convinced it is her. That said, she’s also been thrown into the mix for Rockhopper and Mushroom, as well as Firework.

Basically, fans are convinced the vocals and clues match her for all of the characters, but she can’t possibly be playing all of them can she? While we wouldn’t put it past the double-bluffing bosses on the show, the characters have all appeared on stage at the same time at one point, or at least most of them have. It is also very unlikely they have one celebrity performing as more than one character, meaning someone else has to be the other characters.

It’s Panda that has had the most guesses as being Toyah by viewers, with many convinced the vocals gave the game away.

• Continue reading at The Mirror. NB. The Sun, Express, Independent and others have a similar story but they have Cyndi Lauper as Panda. The Masked Singer continues this Saturday evening on ITV at 7pm. Have a listen…. Definitely not Toyah but it does sound sort of like Cyndi!

Toyah is one of six celebrities appearing in the fourth series of Help! My House Is Haunted, airing soon on Discovery +

Singer, actress and 80s icon Toyah Willcox has experienced persistent paranormal activity in her Worcestershire home ever since she moved in 20 years ago. To lend a helping hand, the team undergo one of their most terrifying investigations to date and uncover a nearby medieval tragedy that could be linked to the hostile entity dwelling in the property. Toyah features in Episode 5 with broadcast details coming soon.

• Continue reading at toyahwillcox.com. (Photo © Discovery +)

Click below to watch Toyah introduce The Eyes Of An Angel + The Beast Looks Back… a brand new collectable art series by Toyah. Prints and tees available now in strict limited quantities. (Image © Toyah Willcox)

Quadrophenia Reunited – 40 Years On: Sky Arts: Saturday 5th February: 2.30am
Lauren Laverne hosts a one-off special bringing the stars of Quadrophenia together. Featuring reminiscing, interviews, a table-read of the script and plenty of surprises. (Photo © Sky Arts)

Sunday Lunch video star and Posh Pop queen Toyah to play Pocklington in March

Eighties’ pop star Toyah will play Pocklington Arts Centre on March 3 on her up-close-and-personal Posh Pop Tour.

Her “lively cinematic sound” will combine Toyah’s vocals with keyboards and stand-up bass in her arrangements of such hits as It’s A Mystery, Thunder In The Mountains and I Want To Be Free, modern-day works Sensational and Dance In The Hurricane and selections from last autumn’s Posh Pop album.

These will be complemented by stories from her colourful 40-year career that has gained YouTube momentum latterly with Toyah’s Sunday Lunch videos with husband Robert Fripp, drawing ten million views since being started in lockdown. A new season was launched last weekend with their quickfire take on The Undertones’ Teenage Kicks.

Toyah: Posh Pop Tour, Pocklington Arts Centre, Thursday, March 3, 8pm. Box office: 01759 301547 or at pocklkingtonartscentre.co.uk.

Ahead of her Pocklington show, Martin Hutchinson profiles Birmingham-born singer, actor, television presenter and writer Toyah Willcox

Once known as the “Punk Princess”, Toyah has proved that she is no one-trick-pony. She is an actor of note, featuring in films such as Jubilee, Quadrophenia and Ghosts Of Borley Rectory and the TV shows Shoestring, Minder, Kavanagh QC and Maigret.

She supplied her voice to the animated Mr Bean series and Teletubbies and has ‘done’ Shakespeare, playing Miranda in Derek Jarman’s 1979 film version of The Tempest.

To most of us, however, Toyah is a singer, who took the charts by storm when she first erupted on the scene in 1980. After five releases that failed to interest the mainstream Top 40, despite going top ten in the independent charts, Toyah broke through with the Four From Toyah EP, featuring the fantastic It’s A Mystery that propelled it to number four.

• Continue reading at Charles Hutch Press. Browse all of Toyah’s upcoming live gigs and festivals at toyahwillcox.com.

50 Wild Women Of The 80s!: NOW 80s: Saturday 29th January: 12pm
Brilliant songs, big voices, blazing hair & bags of attitude – the ladies of the 80s had the lot! From Toyah to Tina & Joan Jett to Janet Jackson.

Celebrity Catchphrase: ITV2: Monday 7th February: 6pm
Stephen Mulhern hosts a celebrity special of the classic game show, with Nicola Coughlan, Stephen Mangan and Toyah Willcox all trying to say what they see as they guess well-known phrases for the chance to win a £50,000 jackpot for their chosen charity.

Toyah is the latest guest on the My Time Capsule podcast.

Ep. 158 – Toyah Willcox

Toyah Willcox or “Toyah” is a musician, actor, and presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Toyah has had 8 top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays and 10 feature films, and voiced and presented numerous television shows.

Toyah Willcox is guest number 158 on My Time Capsule and chats to Michael Fenton Stevens about the five things she’d like to put in a time capsule; four she’d like to preserve and one she’d like to bury and never have to think about again.

• Listen at My Time Capsule.

Toyah Willcox – Live Music Review

It’s a mystery. It really is. How can a 63-year-old dressed to kill in a glittery gold dress bounce around a stage like a manic teenager and still look divine in the process?

It’s exactly what Toyah Willcox did on Friday night (January 21) as she shook a rather polite and conservative Wokingham audience out of their torpor and (eventually) onto their feet. Thrillingly so. Toyah was born to perform and age ain’t going to get in the way. Whatever she takes, I want.

It’s A Mystery was a massive hit for Toyah in 1981 and in introducing it at the impressive Whitty Theatre (Lucklow House School) she admitted it changed her life. A song she was reluctant to take on board when she was first approached to sing it because of her connection with the punk scene, but one which received immediate widespread approval from her supporters.

Toyah, a pocket dynamo on stage, is as much a raconteur as a singer – she’s done some mean acting in her time, starring with Katharine Hepburn in the 1979 film The Corn Is Green. And her show is all the better for the fun insight she gives on an artistic career spanning more than 40 years – and a long-standing marriage to King Crimson founder Robert Fripp that goes back to 1986. If you read her latest blog on her website (Toyahwillcox.com) you can tell straightaway that they remain very much in love.

• Continue reading at Close Up Culture.

Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch series continues to be phenomenally successful, but overall Toyah’s You Tube channel is performing amazingly in itself. In the past two years the channel has gained 149K followers and each Sunday Lunch video receives hundreds of thousands of views each week. Although as the trilogy of retrospective Sunday Lunch collections from the beginning of the year testified, some of these cover clips have been viewed in their many millions!

Toyah At Home, Burning Question and sporadic other content such as Toyah promo videos or announcements all attract big audiences, with Sunday Lunch the cherry on top of the icing on the Toyah & Robert cake! Sunday Lunch also hits the You Tube Top 10 Trending For Music almost every week, which is, frankly, an amazing reach. (Image © Toyah Willcox)

More great press for the second Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch of 2022! (Images © Toyah Willcox)

• NME: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox share cover of The Clash’s ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’: It’s all “tease, tease, tease” for this week’s Sunday Lunch cover. King Crimson founder Robert Fripp and his wife, singer Toyah Willcox, have shared a cover of The Clash‘s ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ – Continue reading…

• Guitar.Com: Fripp and Toyah Go Punk with Cover of The Clash’s Should I Stay Or Should I Go: Robert Fripp and Toyah Willcox’s Sunday Lunch cover series has returned, and this time the pair take on a punk classic – The Clash’s Should I Stay Or Should I Go. Willcox wrote in the video’s description: “They are back for another edition of Sunday Lunch. It’s always tease, tease, tease, you’re happy when I’m on my knees…. I don’t think we need to say anything else :-)” – Continue reading…

• Brooklyn Vegan: Watch Toyah and Robert Fripp cover The Clash’s “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”: This week on their saucy “Sunday Lunch” series, Toyah and King Crimson’s Robert Fripp take on The Clash’s 1982 hit. They take the lyric “It’s always tease, tease, tease / You’re happy when I’m on my knees” as inspiration and run with it – Continue reading…

• Classic Rock/Louder: Breaking: Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp show no sign of letting up: Toyah and Robert Fripp’s kitchen comes alive as the frisky duo cover The Clash’s Should I Stay Or Should I Go: Alternative national treasures Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp have once more stepped into the breach to lift the spirits of an embattled population. At the end of a week in which the flood of Downing Street chaos became a deluge, the pair have released a performance video in which they cover of The Clash’s Should I Stay Or Should I Go, presumably in “tribute” to under-pressure UK Prime Minister Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson. – Continue reading…

• Metal Sucks: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp & Toyah Willcox Cover “Should I Stay Or Should I Go”: After a few weeks devoted to holiday-themed songs and recapping their greatest hits of 2021 (part one, part two, part three), King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and his wife, the actress and singer Toyah Willcox, have returned to their usual “Sunday Lunch” cover video hi jinx – Continue reading…

• Ultimate Guitar: Toyah and Robert Fripp Are Back With the Breast Cover of The Clash’s ‘Should I Stay’ Out There: “Sunday Lunch” is back on the menu!: The series of lockdowns that first bestraddled the world in 2020 saw a couple of unlikely heroes rushing in to help combat the lockdown blues with music and laughs. So far, the King Crimson guitar mastermind and his post-punk trailblazing spouse have released scores of covers on Toyah’s YouTube channel, ranging from Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” to Eurhythmics “Sweet Dreams” – Continue reading…

• Metal Injection: Watch: King Crimson’s Robert Fripp & Toyah Willcox Cover The Clash: Vocalist Toyah Willcox and her husband King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp are back once more, this time with a cover of the 1981 classic “Should I Stay or Should I Go” by The Clash – Continue reading…

• DGM Live: Toyah & Robert’s Weekend: Toyah And Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Should I Stay… Toyah & Robert’s Burning Question (January 22nd, 2022)… Toyah At Home – Zoom Zoom (January 22nd, 2022) RF: Toyah interviews an aproned Robert regarding his soloing on Posh Pop’s Zoom Zoom… – Continue reading…

• Sunday Lunch: They are back for another edition of Sunday Lunch. It’s always tease, tease, tease, you’re happy when I’m on my knees…. I dont think we need to say anything else :-) – Watch the video…

Toyah onstage at The Whitty Theatre in Wokingham last Friday (21st January). The set list included Thunder In The Mountains, Dance In The Hurricane, Levitate, Summer Of Love, Good Morning Universe, Rebel Run, Rhythm In My Heart, Brave New World, Danced and Take Me Home. This was an “Acoustic/Electronica Up Close & Personal” gig! Please click on the photos below to view larger versions. (Thanks to Ian | Photos © Ian Davis)

• Toyah At Home – Zoom Zoom: This week Toyah is joined by Robert for a very special insight to Zoom Zoom – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert -Burning Question: More of your social, emotional and music tuning predicaments are addressed with care and attention by the deeply unqualified Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp in this Saturday’s Burning Questions – Watch here…

• Toyah & Robert’s Sunday Lunch – Should I Stay: They are back for another edition of Sunday Lunch. It’s always tease, tease, tease, you’re happy when I’m on my knees…. I dont think we need to say anything else :-) – Watch here… (Images © Toyah Willcox)

The 1981 POWER Hour!: NOW 80s: Saturday 29th January: 12pm
60 minutes of power pop & rock! Earplugs at the ready as we rewind to 1981 with Toyah, Genesis, Rick Springfield & Meat Loaf.

Hazel O’Connor’s team are helping fundraise to support her recovery and recuperation. If you’re able to support this iconic artist, you can do so at this page.

80s Stars – Then & Now!: NOW 80s: Sunday 30th January: 4am
Where are they now? Classic hits, followed by some recent songs – Including Pet Shop Boys, Kylie, Toyah, The Stones, Gary Numan, The Pretenders, New Order, Rick Astley & T’Pau!