Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

The night of Christmas Eve 1981… will always be one of my most cherished Toyah memories, not only because it’s a legendary night from Toyah’s career at the culmination of a year we all remember so fondly, but it also has a very poignant significance to me. This night was the final time I ever saw my Gran before she died, and I will always remember that she actually commented positively on Toyah and the concert before she left on Christmas Eve. I love that the last words I ever heard my dear Gran say were about another woman who has meant so much to me through my life! So, yes, a very personal Christmas memory that I’ve never shared before.

Christmas 1981, Following an incredible year of huge hit singles, gold-selling album, tours, a multitude of images, hundreds of press interviews and numerous television appearances, Toyah closed her/their sensational 1981 by playing the final date of the Good Morning Universe European Tour, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London on Christmas Eve.

This was Toyah’s third, and final, tour of the year, following the College Tour at the beginning of 1981 and the Anthem Tour in the middle of the year. The gig was broadcast live on BBC2  – and simultaneously in stereo on BBC Radio 1 – on The Old Grey Whistle Test – introduced by Radio 1/TOGWT legend, Annie Nightingale – as their annual Christmas Eve concert for 1981, in a schedule that also included everything from a festive All Creatures Great & Small, to an episode of Russell Harty At Home.

The band were: Toyah Willcox (Vocals|), Joel Bogen (Guitar), Adrian Lee (Keyboards), Phil Spalding (Bass Guitar, Vocals), Simon Phillips (Drums). The concert was released on regular VHS (and Limited Edition hardback cover VHS with an Introduction note by Toyah) by BBC Video in 1982.

As part of Cherry Red Record’s reissue schedule of Toyah’s complete Safari Records discography, Toyah Live At Drury Lane was released on double vinyl album and CD+DVD for the first time in May 2023, a fitting full-circle for this legendary and memorable concert.

Toyah was among a small number who received this not inconsiderable accolade during the 1970s/80s golden era of music. Others bands/artists who were gifted The Old Grey Whistle Test festive concert over the years included Elton John (1974), Queen (1975), Rod Stewart (1976), The Kinks (1977), 10CC (1978), Ian Dury & The Blockheads (1980), Elton John (1982), Paul Young (1983).

Toyah would later recall: “I spent one Christmas in complete euphoria after doing the Drury Lane Whistle Test. I can remember driving home to Birmingham that night and it was snowing. Everything was just wonderful and I remained on a high after doing that show for about ten days.“

Toyah’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane/The Old Grey Whistle Test concert has become an intrinsic and memorable part of Christmas. A legendary event that thousands attended and many millions watched, and remember as such a special moment in Toyah’s career as well as everyone’s Christmas – past, present and, no doubt, future! 

Christmas 1996, Toyah contributed a thoughtful festive recollection of Christmas Times past to the charity publication Once Upon A Christmas (Memories and Recipes From Your Favourite Celebrities). This book is now long out of print and unavailable.

In this delightful Christmas book, a host of our most popular and well-known celebrities from all walks of life have contributed stories, memories, recipes and thoughts about Christmas to make this the most irresistible festive anthology there is… Once Upon A Christmas will help to put – and keep – you in the Christmas spirit.

Toyah Willcox: Broadcaster and Singer

Childhood Christmasses were the most magical. It was the appearance of the Christmas tree that cued two weeks of sheer all-encompassing joy. I’m talking about being four years old. Just able to talk but unable to comprehend the hidden meanings of the words of wisdom from the giants, the adults…

• Continue reading Toyah’s Once Upon A Christmas contribution at Dreamscape’s Press Archive.

Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Steve Lamacq’s Rock College on BBC Radio 2 as ‘Guest Lecturer’, discussing how absolutely life-changing first discovering David Bowie was for her when growing up in Birmingham in the early 1970s.

Toyah talks about the legendary album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars, and of first glimpsing, and hearing, Bowie performing Starman on the music programme Lift Off With Ayshea.

“This was a moment that changed my life forever…”

This was such a great audio clip/opinion piece by Toyah it would’ve been a real shame to just let it disappear after its week on iPlayer back in 2012… so here it is! Click below to listen.

Christmas 2016, Toyah guested on Pop Quiz, which had been retitled Pop Quiz: The Comeback for its, very short-lived, revival.

Pop Quiz, was of course, huge in the early to mid 1980s, a Saturday evening staple, presented by Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, and a must-watch for every music fan. Toyah guested a number of times between 1981 and ’84.

It was the Saturday night smash hit music quiz show that ran for four years between 1981 and 1984. Over 30 years later it’s back, with the original presenter Mike Read hosting the first of two special celebration shows where the biggest pop stars from the 1980s go head to head in a test of their 80s music knowledge. Guests include Toyah Willcox, Tom Bailey (Thompson Twins), Andy McCluskey (OMD), Steve Norman (Spandau Ballet), Mari Wilson and Leee John (Imagination).

The Telegraph said: A blissfully self-indulgent chance to reminisce for pop-pickers of a certain vintage

Who got a lifetime ban from a Manchester hotel for swinging from a chandelier and stealing a zebra? Ginger diva Toyah Willcox. Who bought an Austin A40 convertible so she could poke her beehive hair out of the roof? Jazz chanteuse Mari Wilson. What did this pair have in common? They were both on Pop Quiz: The Comeback (BBC Four), a revival of the retro gameshow which pitted two teams of Eighties pop stars against each other for no apparent reason other than festive fun.

Pop Quiz: The Comeback, episode one with Toyah guesting, aired on BBC Four on Wednesday 28th December 2016.

Christmas 1984, and Toyah had released no new music during the year for the first time since very early 1979, although the compilation album – on vinyl, cassette and video – Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! (unofficially, and latterly officially sub-titled “All The Hits”, and not to be confused, and never really has been aside from a few chart compilers, with the live 1980 album with the same title) was released in February of this year. This is significant as it was the first ever Toyah hits compilation.

Despite no new music this year, Toyah still appeared in many of the music magazines in 1984, including this Christmas feature from Smash Hits special issue… Smash Hits Christmas Party – featuring Frankie Goes To Hollywood on the cover – published in association with Woolworth – in December: Will You Be Watching The Queen’s Speech? When you jump up after the Christmas Top Of The Pops, is it to stand to attention for Her Majesty or a mad dash to switch off the TV? We asked a selection of pop stars if they’d be tuning in to that speech?

You can read Toyah’s response below, but more interestingly, in retrospect, Toyah appears to be incredibly prescient about the Royal Family…

Christmas 2025, and Official Toyah recalls Christmas 1980…

Broadcast 45 years ago tonight…. The documentary ‘Toyah’ on ATV

ATV decided to profile Toyah in a documentary, directed by filmmaker Graham Moore. This was a significant
coup for Toyah, securing an hour of prime-time TV as an ‘up and coming’ recording artist. It was produced by ATV, the Midlands franchise of ITV but networked across the ITV regions on 18 December 1980.

The documentary meant cameras followed Toyah’s weekly activity for several months. This included photo shoots, in-store record signings, television appearances including Straight Talk, rehearsals for Nigel Williams’ controversial play Sugar And Spice and band rehearsals at Toyah’s live-in Battersea warehouse ‘Mayhem’.

• Continue reading here… Buy Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!

Christmas 2012, BBC Radio 4 aired Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas on 20th December – a real festive pop treat for everyone who grew up in the 1980s. The programme was an interesting look back at the golden years of the UK’s biggest music magazine of the eighties. Neil recalls the golden days of, the iconic, Smash Hits magazine, when he worked as a writer in their Carnaby Street office.

There were also contributions and memories from founder and legendary magazine maker Nick Logan, editors David Hepworth and Mark Ellen, writers Miranda Sawyer and Sylvia Patterson, and from regular Smash Hits cover girl, Toyah., talking about Smash Hits in general and her Brave New World cover from the Summer of 1982.

Neil Tennant had a life as a journalist before he became famous as a Pet Shop Boy. In fact, it was on a Smash Hits trip to New York that he had his big breakthrough with the record producer Bobby O. Also included is a rare recording from the 1982 Christmas Flexidisc (a message from the stars) and probably Neil Tennant’s first recording – the music for a trailer advertising Smash Hits stickers. (Producer: Susan Marling. A Just Radio Ltd. production for BBC Radio 4). Click on any of the images in this post to listen to Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas at You Tube.

Christmas 2024, and I wished all the visitors to Dreamscape a Merry Christmas with a giant Toyah Christmas card.

I’ve been posting self posts – almost always Toyah related – on here for a couple of years now, and most people seem to like them, so it may continue in 2026.

Working on Dreamscape has been a part of my life for almost half the time I’ve been alive now, so sharing some personal content on these pages just seemed to organically happen over time. Of course the main focus will always be Toyah. I still love reporting on Toyah’s legendary career. It’s fun, always interesting and an enjoyable hobby, and here’s to a very Merry Christmas to everyone reading this in 2025, and a Happy 2026 – Please pay us a visit sometime next year!

Christmas 1983, Toyah was promoting The Vow, the final physical single released on Safari Records; the Love Is The Law album; and travelling the UK on the Rebel Run Tour.

Toyah, Joel and the band, appeared on numerous television shows in the UK and Europe through November and December, being interviewed as well as performing The Vow and Rebel Run.

During this amazing era Toyah’s image was radically different from anything that had come before, which is another reason this time in late 1983 is particularly memorable and magical!

In every waking hour I miss you, In my dreams I never kiss you, And in the shadows creatures want to hurt you, but in love and war I’ll never desert you…

The Vow is such an important, and poignant, part of Toyah’s discography for a number of reasons. It was a goodbye to five years of working with Safari Records; the performances mentioned above are Toyah and Joel Bogen’s final ever appearances together, performing as music collaborators/partners; and the final Safari-era band performances on television…

The TV shows included; Pebble Mill, Did You See?, Pop Watch, Saturday Superstore, Breakfast Time, Razzmatazz, The Saturday Show, Harty, Crackerjack and Judgendbund. Other shows included in ‘The Vow’ promotion were; TVAM: Good Morning Britain and 60 Minutes.

Christmas 2023, Toyah and Robert were at Millennium Point in, Toyah’s home city of, Birmingham to switch on their Christmas lights, which included their utterly massive Christmas tree.

That year Toyah included photos from the switch-on event in her official blog.

Millennium Point said: Thank you to everyone who joined us for our Christmas Lights Switch On yesterday! It was wonderful to welcome icon Toyah Willcox to switch on our Christmas lights, alongside her husband – fellow music legend, Robert Fripp. Plus, the Birmingham Community Gospel Choir’s performance was incredible. Our fabulous 39ft Christmas tree will be lighting up Millennium Point throughout the festive season for you to enjoy. (Photo © Millennium Point)

Christmas 1984, The Ebony Tower – written by John Fowles and originally published in 1974 – aired on ITV on the 9th December.

Toyah filmed the 90-minute television drama, which was produced by Granada TV, in the Dordogne region of France during the Summer of 1983. She starred alongside Sir Laurence Olivier, Greta Scacchi and Roger Rees.

The Ebony Tower, and working with Laurence Olivier, is a memory and a career entry Toyah has often remembered in interviews across the past four decades.

Read an interview with Toyah, published when The Ebony Tower aired, by Outlook magazine, and another from around the same time, by Cosmopolitan magazine. Read Dreamscape’s 2011 DVD review, and view a couple of our fan adverts. (Thanks to andy for the screen cap below)

Christmas 2023, Toyah guests on BBC One’s The Great British Sewing Bee on 21st December, alongside actor and comedian Kerry Godliman, comedian and writer Jessica Knappett and actor Hammed Animashaun.

Toyah took part in a number of festive sewing challenges, creating a variety of outfits for Christmas! Toyah also reminisced with one of the show’s hosts, Esme Young, about Love Is The Law and Princess Diana. It was Esme’s fashion house, Swanky Modes, who concepted and designed Toyah’s iconic and memorable imagery for the 1983 album, Love Is The Law.

There was a tonne of pre-broadcast press for The Great British Sewing Bee, and the programme was a ratings hit for the build-up week to Christmas. Post-airing there was also an abundance of press – print and digital, reporting on Toyah winning the show!

• Revisit this seriously festive Toyah memory from 2023 – via numerous posts – at Dreamscape’s News Archive. (Photos © BBC) PS. Apologies for that pun in the title… Couldn’t resist :)

Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Marlow FM’s ‘Musical Milestones’ on The Eclectic Light Show.

She discussed her life and career in relation to music and what it has meant to her, as well as its importance in her life. Toyah also chose six pieces of her favourite music, for significant reasons which she discusses during the programme.

The music choices were by Gustav Holst (Mars, The Planet Suite), Simon & Garfunkel (Bridge Over Troubled Water), T. Rex (Ride A White Swan), David Bowie (Life On Mars), Shakespears Sister (Stay), Muse (Supermassive Black Hole).

“Music embodies your soul, it embodies your physicality, it embodies your thoughts…”

This aired on Christmas Eve that year, and at the time marlow FM didn’t have a Listen Again function so I recorded it and uploaded to Dreamscape a low quality mp3 of the 30-minute special. Click below to listen/download.

Christmas 2025, and Toyah releases her final Short Story of the year – Santa’s Gift.

These stories, written and read by Toyah, premiered on 14th February 2025, with Two Lovers Meet, and thus far there have been nine, including this latest Christmas tale, in the series of short stories that will, no doubt, continue in 2026.

The final short story of the year from Toyah is perfect for the Christmas season, a gently start to the day or a cosy evening indoors. Curl up and be swept away with Santa’s Gift.

• Listen at Toyah’s official YouTube and Facebook. Browse our other Toyah’s Wonderful World Of Weird posts, here. (Image © Toyah)

NB. You can also explore all nine stories in the Wonderful World of Weird Playlist at YouTube.

Christmas 1990 saw Toyah play Miss Scarlet in a special festive edition, “Christmas Past, Christmas Present”, of ITV’s Cluedo. The episode also starred: Joan Sims, Kate O’Mara, Ian Lavender, Derek Nimmo and others.

You are invited to a murder: Arlington Grange – home of wealthy widow Elizabeth Peacock; society hostess and patron of the arts. A woman with a reputation she would rather forget.

Colonel Mustard: Secret lover of Mrs. Peacock. A dashing military hero who’s glittering career hides a tarnished past. The Reverend Green: Pastor of the parish who’s means of raising money are not heaven sent. Though a man of the cloth, he has feet of clay. Professor Plum: Nuclear physicist and government advisor. But would his research methods stand the scrutiny of a microscope. Miss Scarlett: vivacious step-daughter of Mrs. Peacock; who’s lust for the high life will let nothing or no-one stand in her way. And Mrs White: for the past 15 years, friend and housekeeper to Mrs. Peacock. But what what dark secret did she bring to Arlington Grange? Six people, all with murder on their minds.

Christmas 2022, Toyah announced the release of a special 10” cherry red coloured vinyl EP commemorating the classic 1982 single Brave New World. To be released in March 2023, and limited to 500 copies only.

This became the first in a series of 10″ single releases by Toyah, with Rebel Run, and I Believe In Father Christmas also receiving limited edition releases on the format in 2024.

The EP contained four tracks, all previously unreleased versions, including the long-awaited Dawn Chorus (6.55 Special Mix). The release was part of Cherry Red Records’ special ‘45s at 45’ vinyl series marking the 45th Anniversary of the label.

The Tracklist: Side One: 1. Brave New World (Razzmatazz Mix). 2. Street Creature (Razzmatazz Mix) | Side Two: 1. Dawn Chorus (6.55 Special Version), 2. Ieya 1982 (Edited Version)

Christmas 2025, Toyah announces a short festive tour for December 2026, Toyah’s Christmas Party, playing Liverpool Tung Auditorium (Friday 4th December), Sunderland The Fire Station (Saturday 5th December), London Union Chapel (Saturday 12th December), Birmingham Town Hall (Sunday 13th December).

Toyah said: “I’m absolutely thrilled to be bringing my Christmas Party shows back on the road for 2026. These shows are all about joy, celebration and coming together, and I can’t wait to share an unforgettable festive night with everyone. See you there xx”

• Book tickets for Toyah’s Christmas Party Tour 2026 here or by clicking below.

Christmas 1983, A little, albeit unconventional, Christmas shopping – aka December retail therapy – at one of London’s top department stores – Liberty London, located at 21 Great Marlborough Street and also on Regent Street – made the fourth festive season of the 80s a very memorable one for Toyah fans and viewers of Good Morning Britain on TVAM.

Toyah was sporting her Rebel Run Tour/The Vow look for this, and other notable television appearances/interviews in latter 1983. One of the very few times during her entire career when she had dark hair, similar to her natural colour, which is another reason why this TVAM guest spot and late 1983 in general is a particularly memorable Toyah era.

Toyah, and her Brave New World video co-star Messenger, went early Christmas shopping in November… Pop singer and actress Toyah Willcox has always wanted to do her Christmas shopping on horseback! With a little help from TV-am’s ‘Fantasy Time’, and Liberty London in Regent Street, Toyah rode a white horse called Messenger through the store.

• Watch the full TVAM clip at Toyah’s Official You Tube channel and click below to see larger versions of the screen captures of Toyah and Messenger.

Christmas 2025, Dreamscape is celebrating 26 Christmas times online this year, and for almost every one of those we have counted down to the 25th with an advent calendar or sometimes just a selection of seriously Christmassy Toyah related posts.

Christmas has always been incredibly important to me as I’ve always loved the wonderful colours and scents of the season, there is nothing like a beautifully put together Christmas tree or a perfectly curated festive window display.

I also associate this time of the year with my happy childhood and celebrating Christmas with my parents and pets, who are all gone now, but I always remember them even more so than usual at Christmas.

It made perfect sense to me that Christmas would be a big part of Dreamscape’s December each and every year, especially as Toyah and Robert love Christmas too. Aside from all of the above, I always feel that the world feels just a little more joyful and happy during December…

Christmas 1982, The build up/countdown to Christmas wouldn’t be complete at Dreamscape without this… I think I’ve mentioned I Believe in Father Christmas almost every December for the last 25 years, so here we go again…

Toyah covers the Greg Lake 1975 classic (which I didn’t realise also features Robert Fripp until Toyah mentioned it a few years ago on Toyah’s Christmas at the Zoo) for ITV’s Pop Goes Christmas in 1982.

The programme aired on Boxing Day and also featured Musical Youth, Mari Wilson, Dexy’s Midnight Runners, The Nolans, Toto Coelo, The Mighty Wah! and Shakin’ Stevens.

According to an info board posted online, Pop Goes Christmas was only recorded less than a fortnight before it aired. Not sure if this is completely accurate. 

Toyah sounds glorious, looks amazing (wearing her Brave New World/The Changeling black contacts) and Keith Hale and Joel Bogen are having a right old festive time in the forest of lit up trees during the recording, which was introduced by David Essex. Bravo!

Christmas 2011, Toyah presented a fantastic, three-hour, music-filled festive spectacular for the, relatively, new music channel Vintage TV.

Toyah’s Vintage Christmas was a constant that Christmas, airing numerous times through December, with Toyah introducing festive pop videos and sharing seasonal trivia.

As well as festive shows on the channel there were many more Toyah shows, including appearances on My Vintage, Toyah & Robert, Toyah’s Electric Ladies, Toyah Willcox At The Water Rats, Needle Time, Live With… Toyah and more.

Much of this great content is now unavailable but Toyah’s Official YouTube channel has occasionally uploaded footage from a selection of these, hopefully not lost forever, shows.

Toyah’s Vintage Christmas was repeated in subsequent years, and Toyah would go on to present other Christmas shows – including A Very Vintage Christmas, Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo – right through until Vintage TV ceased broadcasting in 2017.