Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

First seen in 1981, Pop Quiz was the BBC’s Saturday night smash hit music quiz show.

Over 30 years later it’s back, with the original presenter Mike Read hosting two special celebration editions where the biggest pop stars from the 1980s will go head-to-head in a test of their Eighties music knowledge – this is Pop Quiz The Comeback!

Tickets will be allocated by random draw. You can register at any time until 10pm on Wednesday 7 December. You can apply for a maximum of two tickets per recording and should you be successful in the random draw you will only receive tickets for one recording. Good luck!

Thursday 15 December, 3.30pm: Guests include Nick Heyward (Haircut 100), Carol Decker (T’Pau), David Grant (Linx), Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston (Bucks Fizz) and Ranking Roger (The Beat).

Thursday 15 December, 6.00pm: Guests include Toyah Willcox, Tom Bailey (Thompson Twins), Andy McCluskey (OMD), Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Mari Wilson and Leee John (Imagination).

• Continue reading/Apply for tickets at BBC Shows and Tours.

Another of Toyah’s festive Vintage TV specials, Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo which originally aired in 2012, is being repeated this month.

Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV
Thursday 15th December: 11.30pm
Cosy up with family and friends as Toyah Willcox brings you 30 of the finest Christmas songs and a sprinkling of festive stories, surrounded by an extraordinary variety of creatures great and small.

Toyah Willcox stars in new film about an aspiring stand-up

Toyah Willcox is to appear in a new film about an aspiring comedian, written by playwright John Godber.

Filming has wrapped on dark comedy The Last Laugh, in which Nick Figgis portrays Martin, a theatre lecturer and would-be screenwriter who finds catharsis in performing stand-up when his wife discovers his affair and takes his family away.

Willcox (pictured above with Godber) is Pam, Martin’s ‘Judi Dench-like’ mother-in-law, a hugely successful actor of stage and screen – including sitcom – whom he yearns to impress.

Bouncers writer Godber makes his acting debut as Martin’s father, with his real-life wife Jane playing his onscreen spouse. Based on the writer’s 1997 play Weekend Breaks, the film cuts between Martin struggling to reconnect with his working-class parents in an isolated farmhouse in Whitby and him recounting the experience on stage.

• Continue reading at Chortle. Check out all of Dreamscape’s The Last Laugh news.

Keith at Smile – A Look at the Iconic Fashion & Hairstyles of the 70s & 80s

Keith Wainwright is a celebrity hairdresser known for creating era-defining hairstyles for musicians, artists, fashion designers, actors and other celebrities throughout the 60s, 70s, 80s and onwards. These include David Bowie, Elton John, Toyah Willcox, Blondie, Paul McCartney, Roxy Music, Madness, Vivienne Westwood and more. In 2011 he was awarded an MBE for his irrefutable ‘distinctive and significant contribution to the success of British music, fashion and design’.

In this video, presenter Jessye Bloomfield looks at his influential life and career with interviews from Toyah Willcox, Duggie Fields, Michael Costiff and Keith himself.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas… With airings of of A Very Vintage Christmas, with Toyah and Roy Wood, scheduled for later this month on Vintage TV.

A Very Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV
Mon 12th Dec: 11pm/Sun 18th Dec: 8pm
Toyah Willcox and Wizzard’s Roy Wood are cosying up by the fireplace with two guest artists as they talk Christmas and sing favourite festive songs.

• BBC Media Centre: Pop Quiz returns packed full of 80s stars: It’s time to dig out your leg warmers, ra-ra skirts and grab your Walkmans as BBC Four revives the classic 80s programme, Pop Quiz: The Comeback, for two specials in celebration of 80s pop music – Continue reading…

• ATV Today: Pop Quiz returns to the BBC: 1980s music based game show Pop Quiz is being revived by the BBC once more. The series has previously seen short-lived revivals in the 1990s and 2000s – Continue reading…

Quadrophenia: Sky Cinema Greats: Tuesday 13th December: 11.50pm
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone. (Sky Cinema Greats is on Sky Channel 304)

• Official Toyah: Toyah To be Honoured On The Birmingham Walk Of Stars: Toyah Willcox and Don Maclean are to be honoured with a star on Birmingham’s Walk of Stars in Broad Street. The pair will be awarded their stars during a special show hosted by Walk of Stars’ chairman Jasper Carrott at the Birmingham Rep from 2.30pm on Sunday 11 December (Photo © Official Toyah) – Continue reading…

• The Edinburgh Reporter: Paul Young chats to the Edinburgh Reporter about 80s Invasion Tour: Due to overwhelming public demand after this year’s hugely successful run, the ‘80’s Invasion’ tour is back in 2017 with four iconic artists from the decade performing on the same bill. The new line-up features Paul Young – one of the most popular solo artists from the era, legendary pop punk princess Toyah, Liverpool’s finest guitar duo China Crisis and for the first time performing in the UK in over 25 years, flying in especially from the USA the gorgeous Martika! – Continue reading…

• Live 2016: Toyah @ Twitter: “SpikesSASBand sounded awesome in rehearsals yesterday” – Continue reading…

• Star Magazine: Leslie Ash returning to Quadrophenia ‘follow-up’ – report: Quadrophenia star Leslie Ash is reportedly returning to star in a ‘follow-up’ to the mods and rockers movie classic – Earlier this year it was revealed that To Be Someone, a new film featuring Quadrophenia stars Phil Daniels and Toyah Willcox, would begin filming in 2016 – Continue reading…

BBC Four is set to revive the classic TV show Pop Quiz for two Christmas specials in celebration of ’80s pop music.

Original presenter Mike Read is set to host alongside teams of competing ’80s pop stars.

Guests will include Toyah Willcox, Nick Heyward (Haircut 100), Carol Decker (T’Pau), Tom Bailey (Thompson Twins), Andy McCluskey (OMD), Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), David Grant (Linx), Cheryl Baker and Jay Aston (Bucks Fizz), Ranking Roger (The Beat), Mari Wilson and Lee John (Imagination).

“I’m delighted to be working with a great BBC team to bring back the classic TV series Pop Quiz,” said Read. “Once again the brows of the famous will be furrowed, lips pursed and eyes narrowed as we test their music knowledge, watch some great classic footage and have some fun along the way.”

• Continue reading at Music Week.

Check out some fantastic, and colourful, items of jewellery – owned by Toyah – for sale at Lovely’s Vintage Emporium. Get festive by clicking below.

Heather Phillipson has won the coveted annual Film London Jarman Award, announced at a special event at London’s Whitechapel Gallery. She receives £10,000 prize money, as well as a commission for Channel 4’s Random Acts strand.

The Award was presented by charismatic and outspoken performer Toyah Willcox, who began her film career in 1977 when film director Derek Jarman offered her the role of ‘Mad’ in his seminal punk epic Jubilee.

Heather Phillipson was chosen from a distinguished shortlist of artists featuring Sophia Al Maria, Cécile B. Evans, Shona Illingworth, Mikhail Karikis and Rachel Maclean. All six artists will receive a film commission for Channel 4’s short-form arts strand Random Acts.

• Continue reading at Film London. More photos at Film London Twitter. (Photo © Film London)

Another airing on BBC4 for the retro episode of Top Of The Pops with Toyah performing the euphoric Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)…

Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Thursday 8th December: 7.30pm
Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Friday 9th December: 1am
Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Saturday 10th December: 10.30pm
21.10.1982. Peter Powell presents the weekly pop chart show, first broadcast in October 1982. Includes appearances from The Piranhas, Toyah, The Kids from Fame, Imagination, Kool and the Gang, Bauhaus, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Sharon Redd and Shakin’ Stevens.

Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home: Monday 12th December: 8am
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home: Monday 12th December: 5pm
Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home: Tuesday 13th December: 1am
Celebrities hunt for a new home. Gaby Roslin helps punk-pop princess Toyah Willcox search for a second home, in Richmond upon Thames, with a budget of £650,000.

Toyah’s final ever Top Of The Pops studio appearance is repeated on BBC4 in early December. The band perform Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard).

Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Thursday 8th December: 7.30pm
Top Of The Pops: BBC4: Friday 9th December: 1am
21.10.1982. Peter Powell presents the weekly pop chart show, first broadcast in October 1982. Includes appearances from The Piranhas, Toyah, The Kids from Fame, Imagination, Kool and the Gang, Bauhaus, Spandau Ballet, Culture Club, Sharon Redd and Shakin’ Stevens.

‘I hardly see him!’ Toyah Willcox reveals the secret to her thirty year marriage is separate houses… but insists she and her husband are still ‘very naughty in the bedroom’

She’s been happily married for three decades.

And Toyah Willcox has a pretty unorthodox way of keeping the spark alive, admitting on Thursday’s Loose Women that she and her husband have separate houses.

The 58-year-old, who wed Robert Fripp back in 1986, commented: ‘The secret is – please don’t quote me – I hardly see him!’

Speaking to the Loose Women, Toyah revealed that she and Robert have two houses, so although they spend much of their time together, there is somewhere to escape to.

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.

Take on the purple trend in a midi dress like Toyah

Nineties rocker, Toyah Willcox, looked a far cry from her former punk self earlier today when she made an appearance on Loose Women wearing a demure midi dress!

Wearing a jersey wrap dress by Pure (click right to buy it now), Toyah accessorised her look with a statement coin necklace and a chunky arm cuff. With its wrap-around style, thigh-slit, side-ruching and jersey fabric, Toyah’s dress is perfect balance of classy and comfy! Make like Toyah and utilise the plunging neckline by stacking up with statement jewels.

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail. (Photo © ITV.com)

Oh Yes It Is! Toyah Willcox and the Great British Panto

What: Evening events
When: Tuesday, 13 December 2016
Where: The Lydia & Manfred Gorvy Lecture Theatre

Toyah Willcox’s career has encompassed chart-hits, novels and roles on stage and screen, from working at the National Theatre to cult-classic Quadrophenia. She is also a celebrated pantomime performer, having spent many a season playing a variety of roles from Principal Boy to Wicked Queen. Join her as part of the V&A’s Christmas Festivities as she celebrates one of her and Britain’s best loved artforms.

Toyah will be in conversation with Senior Curator and Pantomime Editor of the British Theatre Guide, Simon Sladen.

Tuesday 13 December: 19.00 – 20.00 (talk); 20.00 – 20.45 (refreshments)

• See further info at www.vam.ac.uk.

A special Birmingham Walk of Stars gig at Birmingham Rep, Sunday 11th December.

Walk Of Stars Presentation: Toyah Willcox & Don Maclean

Join host Jasper Carrott as Toyah Willcox and Don Maclean take their place on the Birmingham Walk Of Stars. Birmingham Council Leader, Councillor John Clancy, will present Walk of Stars Awards to singer and actress Toyah Willcox and to comedian and actor Don Maclean. Both artists will also perform at the show.

• See further info at www.birmingham-rep.co.uk.

Check out Toyah’s Official Twitter for lots of updates on the Broad Street Walk Of Stars news, and other recent appearances, including a visit to Our Disappearing Planet and the arrival of Christmas at Fripp/Cox Towers! (Photo © Official Toyah)

Loose Women: ITV:
Thursday 24th November: 12.30pm
The Loose Women chat about the issues that have everyone talking today and are joined by singer and actress Toyah Willcox.

Don Maclean and Toyah Willcox to be honoured on Broad Street’s Walk of Stars

Panto dame and punk princess are to be given Broad Street stars at same ceremony

Punk princess Toyah Willcox and panto dame Don Maclean are the latest celebrities to be given a star on Birmingham’s Walk of Stars in Broad Street.

The pair will be awarded their stars during a special show hosted by Walk of Stars’ chairman Jasper Carrott at the Birmingham Rep from 2.30pm on Sunday, December 11. As well as performing at the show, Toyah and Don will receive their stars from Birmingham City Council leader Coun John Clancy.

More than 30 celebrities and achievers have been recognised with a star on Broad Street since Ozzy Osbourne received the first one on July 6, 2007.

• Continue reading at the Birmingham Mail.

Eighties icon Toyah Willcox is shooting a new film in Hull and East Yorkshire.

Written by Hull director John Godber, the singer plays the role of Pam Allen in the film about a Hull University theatre lecturer, played by Nick Figgis, who dreams of becoming a stand-up comedian.

The film, called Last Laugh , is scheduled to be released in April, and there is a possibility of a premiere in Hull as part of the City of Culture 2017 schedule.

• Continue reading at Hey Today.