Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

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.

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 1990 saw Toyah play Miss Scarlet in a special festive edition, “Christmas Past, Christmas Present”, of ITV’s Cluedo.

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.

It’s 1st December, and that time of year again when Dreamscape gets it’s box of old, and not so old, decorations out of the virtual loft, and begins the annual Countdown To Christmas!

This year we’re feeling particularly festive and can’t wait to share Christmas memories-a-plenty through our favourite month of the year.

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)

Toyah and Robert guested on yesterday’s Love Your Weekend with Alan Titchmarsh on ITV. A great interview with Toyah included clips from Top Of The Pops, The Corn Is Green and The Isle Of Wight Festival. Toyah talked Strictly, working with Katharine Hepburn and George Cukor and much more. Robert then joined the conversation to chat about David Bowie, touring, and more.

The show is repeated next Saturday morning on ITV.

Love Your Weekend: ITV: Saturday 23rd November: 7.30am
Series 6. Episode 30. Joining Alan at Manor Farm are entrepreneur James Middleton, singer Toyah Willcox and composer Debbie Wiseman. Garden designer Chris Hull has advice on hedging and there is a masterclass on what wine goes with what for Sunday roasts.

Toyah & Neil guested on BBC One’s The One Show on Thursday evening. (Screenshot © BBC)

More Toyah Strictly press from over the past few days. Plus updates & videos direct from Toyah & Neil! (Photos © BBC)

• Official Toyah Facebook: JOY! – Continue…

• BBC Strictly Instagram: What a ray of light that Tango was… Toyah and Neil were electric on the #Strictly dance floor ✨ – Continue…

• BBC Strictly Come Dancing YouTube: Toyah and Neil Tango to Ray Of Light by Madonna ✨ BBC Strictly 2024 – Continue…

• Official Toyah Instagram: Only three days until Week 2’s live show! – Continue…

• This Is Money: New Strictly star Toyah Willcox: Letting other people manage my money was a big mistake – Continue…

• Radio Times: Toyah Willcox on why now is the time for Strictly and not fearing the judges: The songwriter and actress and her Strictly partner Neil Jones speak to Radio Times about her love of dancing and the upcoming competition – Continue…

• Manchester Evening News: Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Wilcox’s 40-year health battle, rock star husband and ‘terrifying’ knife attack: The legendary singer, actress and television presenter is a contestant in the BBC One dance contest this year – Continue…

• Hello!: Strictly Come Dancing week one’s biggest moments: Chris McCausland’s incredible dance, top scorers and more: Join us as we recap Strictly live! – Continue…

• Mirror: BBC Strictly Come Dancing’s Toyah Willcox sheds incredible amount of weight by cutting out just one thing: Strictly Come Dancing star and singer Toyah Willcox was determined to be in the best physical shape possible for the dancing contest so she gave up one major thing three months before – Continue…

• The Sun: Strictly fans outraged as eighties pop legend receives brutal scores from the judges: Shirley was left telling the star she needed to calm down – Continue…

• The Independent: Toyah Willcox says Strictly Come Dancing has made her feel ‘premenopausal’: Singer-songwriter is competing on the BBC dance series this year – Continue…

• Mirror: BBC Strictly star Toyah Willcox’s tough childhood, major surgery and bullying woes – Continue…

• Mirror: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox, 66, opens up about surgery which left her learning to walk again – Continue…

• GB News: BBC Strictly’s Toyah Willcox makes feelings clear on judges’ criticism after receiving lowest scores – Continue…

• OK!/Yahoo! News: Strictly: Toyah says show has been ‘best experience’ – Continue…

• Express: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox, 66, reveals surgery nightmare that left her learning to walk – Continue…

• BBC Strictly Come Dancing: Meet Toyah Willcox: Swapping the Pogo for a Paso! – The queen of punk is ready to headline Strictly! – Continue…

• OK!: Strictly star reveals brutal sexist abuse that prompted facelift: Toyah Willcox underwent a facelift in the early 2000s after “feeling like a victim” as she watched her features begin to age – and says it has completely transformed her life – Continue…

• Daily Record: BBC Breakfast viewers spot awkward blunder during Toyah Willcox’s Strictly interview – Continue…

• Liverpool Echo: BBC Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Willcox’s age, net worth and famous husband: The I Want to Be Free singer is dancing alongside Neil Jones in this year’s Strictly – Continue…

• Mirror: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox reveals exactly what surgery she’s had done including ‘life-changing’ lift – Continue…

• The Times: Toyah Willcox: ‘Strictly is just what a woman my age needs’ – Continue…

Toyah & Neil guested on Strictly – It Takes Two yesterday on BBC Two. Talking Strictly, week two and Tina Turner’s lack of inhibition!! (Screenshot © BBC)

Tons more press on Toyah over the past few days, about her participation on, or instigated by, Strictly. Plus updates & videos direct from Toyah & Neil! (Photos © BBC)

• Official Toyah: Toyah’s tango for Strictly (Sat 21 Sept) – Continue…

• BBC Strictly Come Dancing: The duo we never knew we needed…. Toyah and Neil are ready to rock and roll – Continue…

• Official Toyah Instagram: Countdown to showtime and more videos from Toyah & Neil – Watch at Instagram…

• Digital Spy: Strictly 2024 confirms week one dances and songs: Three Cha Chas and two Tangos! – Continue…

• Metro: Strictly fans discover star’s husband is 70s legend and ‘living god’ – Continue…

• Manchester Evening News: BBC Strictly Come Dancing viewers distracted as famous face support Toyah Willcox in studio audience: It was revealed during the programme that 80s icon Toyah was being partnered with fan-favourite Neil Jones – Continue…

• The Independent: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox: Everything you need to know about the punk-rock singer: ‘I Want to Be Free’ singer will be putting her experience from years of touring and West End performing to the test – Continue…

• Chronicle Live: How old is Toyah Willcox? Strictly star ready to compete alongside Neil Jones: Music legend Toyah Willcox is one of 15 stars on the line-up for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 and is paired with Neil Jones – Continue…

• Daily Record: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox recounts near-death experience and verbal abuse on BBC set – Continue…

• Metro: Strictly star reveals debilitating 40-year health struggle: ‘Back then no one really talked about it’ – Continue…

• Facts.Net: 40 Facts About Toyah Willcox – Continue…

• Manchester Evening News: Who is Toyah Willcox on BBC Strictly Come Dancing 2024?: Toyah is among the celebrities taking part in the 2024 series of the BBC One dance competition – Continue…

• Mirror: BBC Strictly star Toyah Willcox’s frank admission about child-free life: Punk icon and Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Willcox has candidly opened up about her 38-year marriage with rock guitarist Robert Fripp – and made her thoughts on having children pretty clear – Continue…

• Birmingham Live: Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Willcox opens up on terrible 40-year health battle – Continue…

• Heart: Toyah Willcox facts: Age, husband, best songs and TV shows revealed – Continue…

• 5 Things To Do Today: 17 Things About Performer Toyah Willcox – Continue…

Dancing the Cha-cha-cha… Sharon and myself just want to send a massive ROCK IT!!! and all the best to Toyah and Neil for this Saturday’s Strictly Come Dancing. Tune in at 7pm, BBC One…

It’s Strictly mania – there’s news about it everywhere -probably the most anticipated series yet, for various reasons, but for Toyah fans there is just one reason to watch… All the best Toyah!

Toyah, alongside Sarah Hadland and Nick Knowles, is the cover star of today’s Weekend magazine, by the Daily Mail.

All the latest Toyah related Strictly news and press. (Photos © BBC)

• The Independent: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox: Everything you need to know about the punk-rock singer: ‘I Want to Be Free’ singer will be putting her experience from years of touring and West End performing to the test – Continue…

• The Standard: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox says show scandal has made her ‘take what’s coming very seriously’: The singer and actress says she knows exactly what she has signed up for and for her, it was a case of ‘now or never’ – Continue…

• Mirror: Toyah Willcox ‘can’t bear the thought of anyone suffering’ as she responds to Strictly allegations: Singer-songwriter Toyah Willcox, 66, is just one of six women to take part in Strictly this year – the fewest number since the series began 20 years ago – Continue…

• Daily Mail: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox, 66, says she’s ‘prepared to go above and beyond her comfort zone’ as she vows to take the show ‘very seriously’ in light of the recent bullying allegations – Continue…

• The Telegraph: Strictly abuse claims made Toyah Willcox question if she had what it takes to be on the show: A bullying row continues to dog Strictly as it prepares to launch its 22nd series with a new lineup of stars on Saturday – Continue…

• Metro: 80s icon Toyah Willcox had one big question after Strictly Come Dancing scandal – Continue…

• Daily Mail: Toyah Willcox insists scandal that has engulfed Strictly is ‘because the show is one hundred percent committed to dance’ – Continue…

• Express: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox unveils major weight loss as she ‘flies flag for pensioners’: Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Wilcox claims she has made huge life changes ahead of her debut this Saturday on Strictly Come Dancing – Continue…

• Yahoo! News: Strictly contestants Nick Knowles and Toyah Willcox address scandal surrounding show – Continue…

• Express: BBC Strictly’s Toyah Willcox shared concerning health fears after undergoing face lift: In her book, Diary of a Facelift, Strictly Come Dancing contestant Toyah Willcox admitted that she thought she had ‘premature Alzheimer’s’ as she suffered worrying symptoms. – Continue…

• Wales Online/Yahoo! News: Strictly cast 2024 first look as new celebs don sparkles ahead of most controversial BBC series yet – Continue…

We hope you’re ready, because in 10 days Toyah headlines Strictly… (Images © BBC)

The latest online press related to Toyah on Strictly. (Images © BBC/Toyah Willcox)

• Independent: Strictly Come Dancing full line up 2024: Celebrity contestants revealed include Paul Merson and Toyah Willcox: A comedian, a JLS star and DIY SOS presenter are among those who have been announced – Continue…

• The Guardian: Strictly Come Dancing 2024: the contestants – ranked! – Continue…

• BBC One: Meet our class of 2024! Fifteen new celebrities ready to take to the floor – Continue…

• Daily Star: New Strictly star Toyah Willcox thinks we’re all made of ‘space dust’ and slept in a coffin
Toyah Willcox has been confirmed as one of the entrants for the new series of BBC hit Strictly Come Dancing but the punk rocker has some pretty out there views… – Continue…

• Evesham Journal: Strictly Come Dancing’s full line up confirmed for 2024 – Continue…

• Oh My Mag: Strictly’s Toyah Willcox and husband Robert Fripp: Everything we know about their 38-year-long marriage: Toyah Willcox, the iconic 1980s pop star and actress, has been married for over 30 years. And the secret to her long-lasting marriage is not what you’d expect – Continue…

Toyah Willcox is the fourth celebrity contestant confirmed for Strictly Come Dancing 2024

The singer and actress will take to the floor when Strictly returns in autumn 2024

Wow Strictly Come Dancing, can you believe it! This is going to be a wild and wonderful ride, and I’m here for every sparkly second. I’m used to performing for big crowds but this is completely fresh for me, how I will do, it’s a mystery… I just want to get cracking and learn some dance routines now!
— Toyah Willcox

Toyah Willcox is the fourth celebrity contestant confirmed for the brand new series of Strictly Come Dancing.

The multi-award-winning entertainment show, produced by BBC Studios, will return to BBC One and BBC iPlayer for its new series this Autumn. As Strictly celebrates two spectacular decades of dance, this series promises to be extra special with even more glitz, glamour and unforgettable performances.

Toyah Willcox is a singer and actress.

Toyah Willcox has been performing across stage and screen for over 50 years. She is an award-winning rock legend with hit singles like It’s A Mystery, I Want to Be Free and Brave New World and played at this year’s Glastonbury Festival with her husband, Robert Fripp. She has amassed thirteen top 40 singles, recorded twenty-five albums, written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays, acted in over twenty feature films and presented many television programmes. In 2018 Paul McCartney awarded Toyah a Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts Companionship for Outstanding Achievement in music, drama, performance and media.

• Continue reading at BBC Media Centre.

Toyah Willcox joins Strictly Come Dancing 2024 line-up

The latest star to join the 2024 ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ line-up is ’80s pop icon Toyah Willcox.
Having enjoyed a decades-spanning career, during which she’s racked up 13 UK Top 40 hits and this year played at Glastonbury with her husband Robert Fripp, the singer-songwriter joins this year’s cohort of celebrities competing on the BBC One show.

“I’m used to performing for big crowds but this is completely fresh for me, how I will do, it’s a mystery… I just want to get cracking and learn some dance routines now,” she said.

Her participation was announced on Vernon Kay’s BBC Radio 2 morning show on Tuesday (August 6), with classical singer and face of the Go Compare ads Wynne Evans, and TV Dr Punam Krishan, also confirmed.

• Continue reading at Retropop.

Strictly – arguably the UK’s biggest TV show of every year in the ratings – yesterday began announcing the confirmed celebrities participating in their 2024 series, which is also the 20th anniversary year for the show, with Toyah announced as the second competitor taking part. As of today there have been six celebrities confirmed so far.

Over the past 24 hours I’ve spotted dozens of online press reports on the Toyah announcement – Stay tuned for more Strictly Come Dancing 2024 updates over the coming days & weeks. See toyahwillcox.com’s Toyah Confirmed For Strictly…

These Are All The Celebrities Who’ve Been Rumoured For Strictly Come Dancing 2024 So Far

Stars from across the world of TV, sport, music and beyond have already been tipped to be taking part this year.

With the summer only just starting to get underway, it might seem like the new series of Strictly Come Dancing is still aaaaages away – but we’re actually only just over a month away from the first of this year’s celebrities being revealed. In the past few weeks, rumours have been coming in thick and fast about which stars will be getting their dancing shoes on for a very special series of Strictly, commemorating 20 years since the show first began airing on BBC One.

Celebrities from across the world of TV, sport, music and beyond have already being tipped to be in the pipeline, ahead of the first announcements in August. So, to get you in the Strictly spirit, here are all the rumours about the 2024 line-up that have been reported so far…

Toyah Willcox: In June, The Sun reported that British music legend Toyah Wilcox had signed up for Strictly, after being impressed by her friend and colleague Angela Rippon’s performance a year earlier.

She previously joked to The Mirror: “I’d have to do it sooner rather than later, because I’m not gonna be able to move. I do understand how hard they work. I’m friends with Angela Rippon and she was extraordinary,” she continued. “But they’re rehearsing 10 hours a day every day. And then on Saturday, they do two shows.”

She added: “If I’m going to do it, it’s gonna have to happen within the next few years because I don’t think I’ll be able to move like that in two years’ time. But, you know, the whole world wants to do Strictly, I wouldn’t say no.”

• Continue reading at the Huff Post. See also Yahoo! News.

Secret Diary of a Call Girl cast – where are they now?

What happened to Billie Piper’s co-stars?

ITV2 drama Secret Diary of a Call Girl is enjoying a second wind, courtesy of Netflix.

The series, which was created by Lucy Prebble (Succession, I Hate Suzie) and ran for four seasons between 2007 and 2011, starred Billie Piper as a high-end escort working in London who kept her lucrative double life hidden from her family.

A number of recognisable faces also appeared alongside Piper.

Toyah Willcox played Gail, Hannah’s mother. She didn’t know what her daughter did for a living.

Willcox was an established singer before Secret Diary and continues to perform.

• Continue reading at Radio Times. As well as Netflix, all four series of Secret Diary Of A Call Girl recently aired on That’s TV.

This news hasn’t been officially confirmed, by Toyah or any source related to Strictly or even the BBC, but it’s being reported by numerous tabloids…

• The Sun: Super Signing – Huge 80s star signs up for Strictly – Read on to find out which other stars are in the frame for next season – Continue…

• Daily Mail: 80’s icon Toyah Willcox ‘signs up for Strictly Come Dancing’ after being inspired by pal Angela Rippon – Continue…

• Daily Express: 80s legend ‘signs up for Strictly Come Dancing’ after being inspired by Angela Rippon – Continue…

• Female First: Toyah Willcox set for Strictly Come Dancing – Toyah Willcox, 66, is reportedly set to take part in the next series of ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ – Continue…

• Yahoo!: Toyah Willcox set for Strictly Come Dancing – Continue…

• Mirror: Toyah Willcox looks set for Strictly Come Dancing 2024 thanks to famous pal – Continue…

• Time will tell, as these rumours have circulated in previous years, but not quite as widespread as the current reports. Keep an eye on Toyah’s official website and social media, as well as the BBC and Strictly Come Dancing cast announcements!

Toyah made a guest appearance on Terry Hall At The BBC on BBC Four at the weekend, introducing The Specials from an episode of Look! Hear! from January 1980.

A new photo of Toyah just released ahead of her appearance on Saturday’s The Weakest Link. Airing on BBC1 at 7.50pm, and subsequently at BBC iPlayer. Visit the BBC website by clicking below. (Photo © BBC)