Dreamscape | The Toyah Willcox Fansite

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.

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.

Toyah’s episode of Holiday Of My Lifetime airs this afternoon on BBC1. The programme will be available to watch online at BBC iPlayer after airing on TV. (Photos © Toyah Willcox/BBC)

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.

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)

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.

• Continue reading at the Gloucester Citizen.

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

• Continue reading at the Western Morning News. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)