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.
Toyah, and a selection of some of the recent Top Of The Pops re-broadcasts from BBC Four, are featured at the BBC’s Back To The 80s page – Programmes showcasing and celebrating music from the decade. Click below to pay a visit.
Holiday of My Lifetime: BBC1: Friday 12th February: 3.45pm
Len Goodman takes celebrities back in time to recreate their childhood holidays. Len takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal in North Wales to reminisce about a wonderful narrow boat holiday she had back in 1968.
Toyah’s iconic first Top Of The Pops performance aired on Thursday night on BBC4. Watch the full episode at BBC iPlayer. TOTP is repeated late Saturday night/early Sunday morning, at 1.45am.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Thursday 4th February: 7.30pm/11.30pm Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Sunday 7th February: 1.45am
Mike Read presents. Duran Duran (Planet Earth), Talking Heads (Once In A Lifetime), Adam & The Ants (Kings Of The Wild Frontier), Toyah (It’s A Mystery), Shakin’ Stevens (This Ole House), Motorhead & Girlschool (Please Don’t Touch), Phil Collins (I Missed Again), Kool & The Gang (Jones Vs Jones), Teardrop Explodes (Reward), The Who (You Better You Bet), Joe Dolce (Shaddap Your Face). This originally aired on BBC1 on 5th March 1981. Toyah’s appearance is a repeat of their first studio performance which aired two weeks previously on 19th February 1981.
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Thursday 11th February: 7.30pm/11pm Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC Four: Sunday 14th February: 1.40am
Peter Powell presents. The Jacksons (Can You Feel It?), Sharron Redd (Can You Handle It?), Shakin’ Stevens (This Ole House), Dave Stewart & Colin Blunstone (What Becomes Of The Broken Hearted?), The Who (You Better You Bet), Stevie Wonder (Lately), Phil Collins (I Missed Again), Bucks Fizz (Making Your Mind Up), Visage (Mind Of A Toy), Duran Duran (Planet Earth), Toyah (It’s A Mystery), Roxy Music (Jealous Guy). This originally aired on BBC1 on 19th March 1981 and was Toyah’s second studio appearance/performance (pictured above).
Last Thursday’s repeat of Top Of The Pops on BBC4 included Four From Toyah in “The Charts” rundown. The EP had climbed into the Top 30 for the first time. Click here to view larger versions of the screen caps and below to watch the programme at BBC iPlayer.
Top Of The Pops: 26/02/1981: Peter Powell introduces the pop programme, featuring Status Quo, Kim Wilde, Madness, Kiki Dee, Coast to Coast, the Passions, Roxy Music and Joe Dolce, and a dance performance from Legs & Co.
Len Goodman takes celebrities back in time to recreate their childhood holidays. Len takes singer, actress and presenter Toyah Willcox back to the Llangollen Canal in North Wales to reminisce about a wonderful narrow boat holiday she had back in 1968. First up Len surprises Toyah by picking her up in the Golden Lark – a beautiful narrow boat similar to the one she would have holidayed in back in 1968. As they drift along at a very civilised pace they start chatting about how her time on the canal was very different to her home city of Birmingham. For Toyah the holiday meant freedom and fun. Along the way they test their artistic side by painting trays just like ones that adorn the sides of the narrow boats, they tuck into a vintage picnic with the all-important pork pie and they visit an antiques shop like the ones her father would have taken her to whilst on holiday. One of the highlights is Toyah manning the tiller to negotiate the boat across a 127 feet aqueduct. (Duration: 45 minutes, Series 2 Episode 10)
As TV favourite Len Goodman celebrates the return of his nostalgic travel series Holiday Of My Lifetime, Gemma Dunn finds out about his latest batch of celebrity guests and why the lively host thinks staycations will never lose their appeal.
If you’re struggling to think of a holiday partner, why not try former professional ballroom dancer Len Goodman out for size? He’s humble, fun, proactive – “This morning I’ve put the washing on, got a bit of salmon out of the freezer, and now I’m putting the kettle on” – and, above all else, he’s picked up some top tips from his BBC One series, Holiday Of My Lifetime.
Returning for a second season, the daytime show, which sees the popular TV personality lead a line-up of willing celebrity guests down memory lane, to relive their favourite British childhood summer holidays, will air a total of 25 episodes over a five-week run.
Len Goodman returns in nostalgic travel series Holiday Of My Lifetime
As TV favourite Len Goodman celebrates the return of his nostalgic travel series Holiday Of My Lifetime, Gemma Dunn finds out about his latest batch of celebrity guests, and why the lively host thinks staycations will never lose their appeal
Returning for a second season, the daytime show, which sees the popular TV personality lead a line-up of willing celebrity guests down memory lane, to relive their favourite British childhood summer holidays, will air a total of 25 episodes over a five-week run.
Lisa Riley, Toyah Willcox, Pam St Clement, Edwina Currie, Jake Wood, Janet Ellis and Dan Walker are among the names to feature in the latest series, with destinations such as Haworth, Llangollen, Dartmoor, Bournemouth, Bude, the New Forest and Aberdeen on the list – Holiday Of My Lifetime begins on BBC One on Monday, February 1
Toyah’s amazing very first appearance on Top Of The Pops, from February 1981, re-airs 35 years “almost” to the day it was first broadcast on BBC4 early next month…
Top Of The Pops: 1981: BBC4:
Thu 4th Feb: 7.30/11.30pm|Sun 7th Feb: 1.45am
Mike Read introduces the pop programme, featuring Duran Duran, Shakin Stevens, Phil Collins, the Who, Adam and the Ants, Toyah, Motorhead and Girlschool, Joe Dolce, Talking Heads and the Teardrop Explodes, and a dance performance from Legs and Co.
• Look out for further retro Toyah on Top Of The Pops appearances this year on BBC4 – In 1981 Toyah guested in the Top Of The Pops studio six times, performing ‘It’s A Mystery’ (three times), ‘I Want To Be Free’, ‘Thunder In The Mountains’ and ‘Good Morning Universe’.
Toyah’s interview on the Doctors set is online at the BBC website. Now you’ve seen the episode, watch this behind-the-scenes exclusive with the legendary Toyah Willcox. Click below to watch.
• Ever wondered what it takes to be a zombie? This DoctorsEXCLUSIVE shows you the fabulous work our make up artists do. Browse all of Dreamscape’s “Toyah on Doctors” news here.
Doctors: Afternoon Of The Living Dead aired on BBC1 on Tuesday. It’s available to watch at BBC iPlayer for the next four weeks. Toyah plays Bill. Click below to watch (may be unavailable outside the UK).
Another chance to see Vintage TV’s 60 minute Toyah special tonight…
Neil McCormick’s Needle Time: Vintage TV: Sunday 8th November: 10pm Toyah Willcox. Prolific artist and actor, who enjoyed hits with ‘It’s a Mystery’, ‘Thunder in the Mountains’ and ‘I Want to be Free’, shares the story behind her remarkable career – Running Time: 60 minutes. Vintage TV is available on Sky 369, Freeview 242, Virgin 343 and Freesat 505.
The team have a scary day out
1:45pm, Tuesday, 10 November 2015
The team arrive at an abandoned hospital for their team building day. Suddenly Bill appears and splits into two teams to survive a Zombie invasion. Jimmi tells Sid that the whole thing is ridiculous – but Daniel is fired up and starts to take on a lead role in the action.
Both teams are told that one of them has to make a sacrifice, so Mrs Tembe throws herself to the mercy of a zombie, while Heston reluctantly does the same.
Bill compliments Jimmi on surviving and he unenthusiastically admits they worked as a team. Daniel points out you can’t be a good leader without a good team, an idea that gets him thinking…
• Continue reading at What’s on TV. Read more about this forthcoming episode of Doctorshere. Cast list and further info is available at the BBC Doctorswebsite.
Episode 3 of Blink, featuring Toyah & Cheryl Baker, is now available via Channel 4’s On Demand. Two 80s pop legends, Cheryl Baker and Toyah Willcox, try audio and visual music challenges.
A popular Shipley Gate venue is hosting the auditions for a new rock music-based show. Thunder Valley Rocks is a nine-episode television show, filmed in a “live” format, and presented by Toyah Willcox.
Each episode features five live, unsigned rock bands, with celebrity guests appraising the bands’ performances and offering tips and advice from their own experiences.
The premise behind the show is that rock bands receive minimal exposure on national television compared to solo artists and pop music. In the final episode, the guests will choose a band between them, who will be offered a chance to play at a top UK music festival in 2016.
The pilot show will be screened on November 14. The celebrity guests will be taken from a range of different eras, and include musicians such as Roy Wood, Suzi Quatro, Kofi Baker, Rex Brown, Rick Wakeman, Ginger Fish, Martin Turner, Mark Brzezicki and more.
Live With… Toyah is repeated tonight on Vintage TV at 10.30pm. A great six-song acoustic set from Toyah – with songs from Sheep Farming in Barnet, Anthem, The Changeling and Velvet Lined Shell – plus chat and reminisces inbetween the songs.
1. Thunder In The Mountains, 2. Danced, 3. Little Tears Of Love, 4. It’s A Mystery, 5. Dawn Chorus, 6. I Want To Be Free – Go Live With… Toyah at The Official Toyah Instagram.
Live With… Toyah: Vintage TV: Monday 12th October: 10.30pm New! The high priestess of punk, who has been a prolific singer, musician and actor for three decades, takes to the stage. We’re launching a brand new show where it’s all about the music! From Sister Sledge and Glenn Tilbrook to Hazel O’Connor and Eddi Reader, we’ve invited musical icons to perform up to six tracks from their repertoire. Filmed in an intimate studio setting. ‘Live With’ gives you all the entertainment of live gig, without having to leave your living room! Vintage TV is available on Sky 369, Freeview 242, Virgin 343 and Freesat 505.
With her brightly coloured hair, and her fierce singing style, it’s no wonder Toyah was dubbed the ‘high priestess of punk’.
Thirty years on, this prolific artist, who enjoyed hits with ‘It’s A Mystery’ and ‘I Want To Be Free’, is relishing performing still.
See Toyah draw on her back catalogue on Wednesday, 7th October at 10.30pm!
• Continue reading at Vintage TV. Watch the trailer for Live With… Toyahhere. Browse all of our related news. As well as airing tonight, Live With… Toyah is also repeated on Vintage TV on Monday 12th October at 10.30pm.
More detailed info on the forthcoming Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman featuring Toyah, which airs on Friday 12th February at 3.45pm on BBC1. (Photo © BBC)
