Exciting! Mari Wilson, Leee John, Tom Bailey, Steve Norman, Andy McCluskey and Toyah from yesterday’s recording of Pop Quiz, with original BBC host Mike Read. See Toyah’s tweet/photo. The programme airs on December 28th. (Photo © Mari Wilson)
Broadcast details for Pop Quiz: The Comeback have now been confirmed, with the first show airing on BBC4 on Wednesday 28th December, and the second on Wednesday 4th January.
Both editions of the revived classic pop programme are being recorded tomorrow at Media City, Salford, with tickets to attend being allocated earlier this month.
Pop Quiz: The Comeback: BBC4: Wednesday 28th December: 9.30pm
Pop Quiz: The Comeback: BBC4: New Year’s Eve/Hogmanay: 1.05am
1/2. The music quiz that proved to be a Saturday night hit in the early 1980s is back, hosted by the original presenter Mike Read. He’s joined by a host of pop stars from the era, including Toyah Willcox, OMD’s Andy McCluskey, Tom Bailey of the Thompson Twins and Spandau Ballet’s Steve Norman, who’ll be going head to head as they put their musical knowledge to the test.
Pop Quiz: The Comeback: BBC4: Wednesday 4th January: 9.30pm
Pop Quiz: The Comeback: BBC4: Saturday 7th January: 1.05am
2/2. 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).
Watch Toyah perform Be Proud Be Loud ( Be Heard) of Top Of The Pops at BBC iPlayer now!
BBC Four at Twitter marked Toyah’s iconic, classic and utterly unforgettable Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) repeated Top Of The Pops studio appearance tonight with some tweets, including this… In 1982, Toyah was so famous, she even had a lion-tailed macaque named after her on Animal Magic, and appeared on the show to meet it, and this… Toyah’s friend and erstwhile #TOTP presenter Kenny Everett was also on TV this week (his show was repeated on @BBCTwo on 20 October 1982). Click below to watch the show at BBC iPlayer. It’s also repeated.
The bumper double Christmas issue of Radio Times has just been published, the BBC Christmas idents are here, I’ve just finished writing my Christmas cards, and you can’t move for crazy people in the supermarket – this can all only mean one thing – Christmas is officially… here!!!
Here’s a round up of all things festive related to Toyah:
• Toyah on Christmas TV: Vintage TV are repeating festive Toyah specials from previous Christmas times, including A Very Vintage Christmas and Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo. There’s also a repeat of Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments on Channel 5.
• Toyah Willcox & The Great British Panto: A festive special at the V&A, London: Toyah will be in conversation with Senior Curator and Pantomime Editor of the British Theatre Guide, Simon Sladen on Tuesday 13th December.
• Home For Christmas:“Robert is home any min after 4 months touring and being teetotal….his request… giant margarita“.
• Pop Quizzing at Christmas: The original BBC Pop Quiz returns for two Christmas specials to air on BBC4. Toyah is guesting in one of these, both of which are being recorded at Media City, Salford on Thursday 15th December.
• Christmas at Fripp/Cox: Yuletide 2016 arrived at Robert and Toyah’s place mid November. See the lights.
• Christmas Live 2016: Toyah played a festive gig with The SAS Band at the weekend – There’s also the Birmingham Walk of Stars event, which is sure to have a festive feel, being so close to Christmas.
• A Dreamscape Crimbo: Drop by next week for some more Toyah festiveness at Dreamscape. Yes, December Will Be Magic… Again!
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.
• 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…
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.
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)
Pay a visit to June 1982 at BBC iPlayer and watch Toyah’s Brave New World (should have been a Top 10 hit without a doubt!!) video on Top Of The Pops, as well as hits by Echo & The Bunnymen, ABC, Bow Wow Wow, Duran Duran and Adam Ant.
Toyah was very pleased she wasn’t the first to leave Pointless Celebrities on Saturday.
Just a reminder… (Photo © BBC)
Pointless Celebrities: BBC1: Saturday 10th September: 7pm
Music. A special celebrity music edition of the general knowledge quiz in which four teams try to come up with the answers that no-one else could think of. Presented by Alexander Armstrong and co-host Richard Osman. Featuring Fish and Barbara Dickson, Nick Heyward and Toyah Willcox, Heather Small and Mari Wilson, and Jessica Taylor and Kelli Young.
Toyah guested on Lorraine on ITV this morning. Talking the forthcoming 80s Invasion Tour, the never ending interest in the 1980s, gigs, films and much more. (Photo © ITV)
A reminder that Toyah guests on tonight’s Trailblazers: New Romantics on Sky Arts.
Trailblazers: Sky Arts: Friday 12th August: 9pm
New Romantics. Toyah Willcox and Billy Bragg are among those examining the New Romantic movement, from The Human League and Adam Ant, to David Bowie and Ultravox. (New Episode, Series 1, Episode 16)
It’s long been rumoured that the Toyah band’s debut TV appearance was on Pebble Mill at One sometime in late 1978 – That now appears to be a myth…
Flashback to 12 April 1979… Toyah make their first music appearance on UK television on Granada’s What’s On, a cultural round up programme. The TV spot captured Toyah and the band performing Race Through Space inside ‘Mayhem’, Battersea some three months before any music was released on vinyl.
• Visit the Official Toyah Facebook and Instagram pages for more photos and info. (Thanks to Official Toyah)
Not sure what’s going on with Top Of The Pops: 1981 at BBC Four. Despite being advertised as appearing on last night’s re-airing Toyah didn’t feature in the programme, which was half the length of a usual 40 minute show.
BBC Four even tweeted about Toyah appearing yesterday: “You may need a bigger TV screen for tonight’s Top of the Pops ’81 at 7.30pm http://bbc.in/1So8Hk5 @toyahofficial” (though obviously that isn’t how Toyah would have looked on the show!!). Maybe we will have better luck with next week’s, Toyah is listed as appearing in that too, though I think that may be the IWTBF promo video rather than a studio performance.
Yet another retro Top Of The Pops featuring Toyah has just been added to the television schedules, airing later this month on BBC Four. This edition was originally shown on 4th June 1981 and includes a play of the, Godley & Creme, promo video for I Want To Be Free.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Friday 11th March: 7.30pm
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Saturday 12th March: 0.00am
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Sunday 13th March: 2.20am
04/06/1981. Richard Skinner introduces the pop programme, featuring Siouxsie and the Banshees (Spellbound), Shakin’ Stevens (You Drive Me Crazy), Kate Robbins (More Than in Love), Squeeze (Is That Love?), Imagination (Body Talk), The Jam (Funeral Pyre), Michael Jackson (One Day in Your Life), Toyah (I Want To Be Free), Phil Collins (If Leaving Me Is Easy), Adam & The Ants (Stand & Deliver), Odyssey (Going Back To My Roots).
• Toyah’s next appearance on Top Of The Pops after this was on 1st October 1981, with the band performing Thunder In The Mountains in the studio. The TITM promo video was also shown on 15th October. On 26th November the band performed Good Morning Universe. All of these will re-air on BBC Four in the coming months. Stay tuned!
Toyah is, again, the pictured artist on the BBC website for an upcoming re-airing of a retro Top Of The Pops. This will include Toyah’s studio performance of I Want To Be Free from May 1981.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Friday 4th March: 7.30pm
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Saturday 5th March: 00.30am
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Sunday 6th March: 2.25am
14/05/1981. Tommy Vance introduces the pop programme. Includes appearances from Toyah (I Want To Be Free), Thin Lizzy (Are You Ready?), Department S (Is Vic There?), Tenpole Tudor (Swords Of A Thousand Men), Sheena Easton (When He Shines), Kim Carnes (Bette Davis Eyes) and Adam & the Ants (Stand & Deliver), plus a dance performance by Legs and Co.
Yesterday’s Holiday of My Lifetime, with Toyah revisiting a holiday she had in 1968, is now available to watch online at BBC iPlayer. Click below to go there.
Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman & Toyah Willcox in Shropshire
Shropshire Tourism recently assisted the BBC with the filming of an episode of the second series of Holiday of My Lifetime.
In the episode to be broadcast on BBC One on Friday 12th February at 3.45pm, Len Goodman, the Strictly Come Dancing judge takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal to reminisce about a narrowboat holiday she enjoyed there in 1968. Filming also took place at the Mere in Ellesmere.
During the programme Toyah reveals how her time on the canal was very different to that spent in her home city of Birmingham, symbolising freedom and fun. She and Len tuck into a vintage picnic and visit an antiques shop like the ones Toyah’s father would have taken her to while away from home.
• Continue reading at Visit Shropshire Hotels.
