Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

A new Toyah interview and photo/fashion feature published today by the Daily Mail.

How Toyah can make a style Splash! Proof you CAN find a swimsuit to flatter every figure

As a 55-year-old woman with short legs, scars across my stomach from childhood surgery and a bosom so generous it can make me look dumpy, I never dreamed that one day I’d be parading around in a swimming costume on national television.

Yet as a contestant on ITV’s reality diving show Splash!, I’m doing just that – and couldn’t be more terrified. Ever since I agreed to be in the show, I’ve been petrified at the thought of exposing my physique in a swimming costume.

Yes, I try to keep fit and I’m a size ten, but I’m only 5ft 1in, and my body confidence is so low that I never go on beach holidays. The thought of walking down the sands showing off so much skin makes me feel ill with nerves. I haven’t worn a bikini since I was a teen – and even the swimming costume I wear to the local pool has a skirt attached to cover my legs up…

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.

A few screen caps, of Toyah looking fantastic, from last night’s Splash! Toyah tweeted after the show, saying: “Thank you! Thank you! I had the time of my life and I hope u enjoyed it too. Love toyah“. Click on the caps to view larger versions. More coming soon!

Last night’s second heat edition of Splash! is now available to watch online (UK residents only). The programme is at ITV Player, STV Player and UTV Player for the next 28 days.

It’s also being repeated on ITV (and ITV + 1) today at 2.20pm/3.20pm.

Vernon Kay and Gabby Logan present the diving series under the guidance of Olympic medallist Tom Daley, as celebrities dive live for the viewer vote and to impress the judges.

3.45m (14.4% of the total available viewing audience) watched Saturday night’s Splash!, the second programme of the second series.

A further 275.6k (1.1% of the total available viewing audience) caught the action an hour later on ITV+1.

Splash! was the fifth most watched programme on UK television yesterday and the second most watched on ITV, only being beaten by The Voice, Casualty, Take Me Out and Magician Impossible.

• Source: Digital Spy/Attentional.

Just a few more of the numerous press reports on last night’s Splash! (Photos © ITV)

• Metro: Toyah Willcox Was A Bundle Of Energy: Toyah Willcox was last to take a leap of faith, doing it for the over-50s. ‘Oh God, sorry’ she apologised as she fell from a board during practice, such a polite punk – Continue reading…

• Daily Mail: Splash! Heat Two: Taking to the board more like a warrior princess, Toyah prepared for her backwards dive by getting into the zone and then diving in spectacular, if surprisingly good, fashion. Judge Jo Brand said Toyah’s dive was ‘incredible – can I have some of what you have?’ Co-judge Leon Taylor called Toyah a ‘pocket rocket – amazing, well done’ – Continue reading…

• Mirror: Splash!: Boyzone star Keith Duffy wins splash-off against Toyah Willcox to make it to semi-final: Willcox, 55, who executed an impressive inward dive with tuck from the 5m platform to win 24 points, said she had found a new hobby. “I love diving, it’s become a new passion,” she said – Continue reading…

• So So Gay: As It Happened: Splash! 2014 – Episode 2: Finally, singer, actress and ‘Princess of punk’, Toyah Willcox was introduced to the crowd – Continue reading…

• Entertainment Focus: Splash! heat two winners revealed: Toyah Willcox and Anna Williamson had to battle it out for the second place and after diving again it was Anna who claimed victory – Continue reading…

• Inagist: Presenter to Toyah Willcox: “What do the judges think? It’s a mystery. No it’s not, we’re going to ask them now.” Saturday telly, folks.

This week’s top moments, from a mermaid inspired diving routine to Martin Offia conquering his diving fear

Toyah Willcox being one of the best 55 year old’s we’ve ever seen

For 55 years old, Toyah Wilcox is looking and diving extremely well! The singer wasn’t looking a day over 40 and placed joint second on the leaderboard with Anna Williamson just behind Keith Duffy – Not too shabby! However, it was one of the most nail-biting moments watching Toya dive, as her head missed the diving board by mere centimetres!

• Continue reading at Entertainment Wise.

Toyah Willcox’s 5m inward dive with tuck: Score – (8-8.5-7.5) 24

Jo: “You’re a bundle of energy. I don’t know how you do it, but can I have some of what you’ve got?”. Andy: “You need to go higher, but really good effort.”

Splash! Scorecard – Heat Two:

1. Keith Duffy – 24.5, =2. Anna Williamson – 24, =2. Toyah Willcox – 24, 4. Paul Ross – 21.5, 5. Martin Offiah – 18

HEAT WINNER: Keith Duffy. SPLASH-OFF: Anna Williamson v Toyah Willcox: Leon chose Anna, Jo chose Toyah, Andy chose Anna.

• Continue reading at Digital Spy.

As Paul Ross is (unsurprisingly) sent home, here’s what we learned from week two of the celebrity diving competition

Toyah Has A Close Shave – But Still Scores High: Toyah Willcox, described as the princess of punk as she sashays across the pool to the sound of Pink’s ‘So What’, looks like she’s up for the challenge of the competition… Her performance is really good – but Toyah tucks in so early that her hair actually brushes the board as she falls into the water. Any closer and she could have smacked her head, suffered partial memory loss. Imagine… The judges loved Toyah’s energy and skill, praising her for punching above her weight. She gets an 8, 8.5 and 7.5, equalling an impressive 24.

Toyah And Anna Duke It Out In The Splash-Off: After Paul Ross and Martin are (unsurprisingly) sent home, and Keith Duffy is put through to next week, it falls to the two honourable ladies of the evening, Toyah and Anna, to duke it out for a position in the semi-final… Jo Brand wants Toyah to go through, and reminds us all she’s had a hip operation, but the other judges choose Anna and she is sent through with Keith.

• Continue reading at the Mirror.

The Corn is Green: True Entertainment: Thursday 23rd January: 3.00pm
Academy Award winner Katharine Hepburn stars as a schoolteacher determined to help the people of a turn-of-the-century Welsh mining town. With Ian Saynor, Bill Fraser, Patricia Hayes, Anna Massey, Artro Morris, Dorothea Phillips, Toyah Willcox, Huw Richards, Bryn Fon, Dyfan Roberts and Robin John. Directed by: George Cukor (1979).

Toyah did brilliantly on this evening’s Splash!, scoring 24/30 from the judges and making it into the Splash Off. She was narrowly beaten by Anna Williamson to go into the semi final. The programme will be available to watch online at ITV and STV Player soon and is also repeated tomorrow afternoon on ITV at 2.20pm. Here’s a screen cap of Toyah preparing to take her dive, please check back tomorrow for a full Splash! news round-up. (Thanks to Damon King for the cap)

A splashtastic Toyah image by Andrew York of In The Fairground. Andrew posted this on his Facebook timeline earlier today along with the message: Good Luck to the Crimson Queen – Taking The Leap – Splash! ITV1 Tonight 7pm.

• ITV Splash!: Toyah Willcox (@toyahofficial) is just one of the celebrities taking part in #Splash tomorrow! – View here…

• Twitter: The tweet above by the Official ITV Splash! Twitter is just one of many that have been posted over the last 24 hours. Numerous reports and wellwishers sending Toyah good luck for tonight.

• Mirror: What time is Splash! tonight? See the confirmed contestants, show plans and more: A brand new batch of celebrities are getting ready to show off their flips and glides in the second heat of Tom Daley’s show – Continue reading…

• Unreality TV: Splash 2014: Tonight’s Heat 2 celeb lineup includes Toyah Willcox, Keith Duffy & Paul Ross!: Toyah remarked, “So looking 4ward 2 diving….so looking 4ward 2 the show. @ITVsSPLASH 7pm sat!” – Continue reading…

• BBC Hereford & Worcester: SHOWBIZ: Pershore pop star Toyah Willcox takes the plunge this evening in celebrity diving show Splash.

• Splash!: Round Two countdown – View here…

The first update of the year to In The Fairground: Andrew York’s Arternative Universe – A fantastic 2014 Calendar, full of great Toyah imagery. Click below to view.

This evening’s Steve Lamacq’s Roundtable, which aired on ‘BBC 6Music’, is now available to listen to at BBC iPlayer and will remain there for the next week. Toyah, Martyn Ware of Heaven 17 and Mark Nevin review the latest single releases, including tracks by Frank Turner, Neil Finn, Peggy Sue and Snowbird. The show is also available as a BBC podcast here.

The One Show on BBC One last night aired a short preview from this weekend’s Splash!. This included shots of Toyah in training and a couple of brief interview clips. Here’s a screen cap.

Interviews With Heat 2 Celebrities: Toyah Willcox

Q: What inspired you to participate in this year’s Splash!?

A: Since I was a teenager, I have fantasised about high diving. It’s always been a dream of mine. I was very lucky that at school I learned how to dive, but I haven’t done it since. The only problem is that I have probably left it about 40 years too late! Diving at the age of 55 is a radically different experience. But I will be hurling myself off a three metre board on live television because I want to prove that just because you hit 50, it doesn’t mean you should slow down. All in all, working on this show has been exhilarating.

Q: How have you found it working with Tom Daley?

A: He is a consummate gentleman. He is a wonderful teacher. He’s amazingly patient – he sees nobody’s age or gender or ability. He’s very easy on the eye, and he has none of that usual teenage angst. He’s very calm, and I think that may come from the inherent danger of what he does. You can’t do it if you’ve just had a night on the tiles. If you are feeling distracted when you dive, you’ll simply hurt yourself. Tom is a fantastic role model and a superb asset for the show.

Q: Which board have you dived off already?

A: I’ve gone off the three metre board twice. It was an incredible experience. Beforehand, you don’t realise just how fast you travel into the water. Afterwards I was elated. It felt like a massive step forward and a huge achievement.

Q: Did Tom help you prepare for it?

A: Yes, he was brilliant. He told us to take it slowly. You have to prepare yourself mentally and physically – you don’t just climb the ladder and dive in. You need to take a moment beforehand to get your mind and body exactly right. Diving is the art of falling forward and entering the water correctly. So preparation is vital. It’s very easy to be off the mark. That’s why we’re doing so much training, so we won’t be distracted by the cameras and the huge audience when it comes to the live shows.

Q: What do you think about doing the live shows?

A: I’m feeling, “Oh my God!” I’ve got a large hurdle because I’ve never been seen in public in a bikini before, and I feel rather disturbed about the prospect. I don’t do beach holidays , and I’m not confident in a bikini. It’s cruel that Linda Barker set the bar so high last year in the way she looked! Even as a teenager, I never looked as good as Linda! But I just have to get on with it. After all, this isn’t a bikini competition.

Q: Does your background as a performer help?

A: Yes. With my band I’m on stage three times a week – I do more than 100 shows a year. When you’re on stage, you learn to get on with it; you just work through any distractions or worries. If you have a costume malfunction, you don’t stop the show. So in a strange way, I’m looking forward to the live shows in Splash!

View the full ITV Press Pack for Splash! Heat 2 here.

A review, by Darren Lock of ‘Prog Review’, of The Lady Or The Tiger. He says: And so I look at Fripp & Toyah’s first official collaboration (excluding them both appearing on the “Stranglers & Friends” live album).

Toyah Willcox must be just about the only celebrity who is more scared of stripping down to her swimsuit than she is about diving off the high board on Splash!

And whilst her style back in the Eighties might not be one you’re in a hurry to recreate today, as she prepares to take the plunge we couldn’t help but notice how good she’s looking nowadays in that swimsuit.

She’s got nothing to worry about…

• Continue reading at the Daily Mail.

Splash! star Toyah Willcox has revealed she’s more terrified of parading in a swimsuit than plunging off a high board.

In fact, the 55-year-old pop star initially turned down ITV bosses for just that reason before changing her mind, “When they asked me, my first thought was that I never wanted to be seen in public by millions of people in a swimming costume, ” Toyah told The Sunday Post. “I’ve never had a career where I’m judged on my body.

“I’m far happier diving off a high board than I am doing that run in front of the audience in my swimming costume. That’s what I’m having nightmares about…”

• Continue reading and view the full scan here. (Thanks to Sharon Dickson)

The trailer for 3 Sides Of The Coin is now available to watch online at toyahwillcox.com and You Tube: A short film by Tom Lawes, produced by Electric Flix. Stars Jo Woodcock, Colin Buchanan, Toyah Willcox, Patrice Naiambana.

A couple of action shots of Toyah in diving practice for Saturday’s Splash!. Toyah tweeted earlier today: “Last full training day 2day. Ssssso nervous! Please vote for team TOYAH on Sat! I’m gonna take the leap!“. (Photos © ITV)