Dreamscape | The 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.

View promo shots from the drama here and here. 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)

Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: 5Select: Christmas Day: 1.25am
Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: 5Select: Boxing Day: 0.00am
A merry romp through the most inappropriate, outrageous and appallingly atrocious Christmas television turkeys of all time. These are the kind of disastrous, ill-conceived and downright cringe-inducing moments that it’s a wonder ever made it to air. Among contributors ready to dissect the disasters – many of which they were involved in themselves – are Eamonn Holmes, Toyah Willcox, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Anne Diamond, Steve Punt and Mike Read.

Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Steve Lamacq’s Rock College on BBC Radio 2 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, and is, such a great little gem of audio it seemed a real shame to just let it disappear after its week on iPlayer back in 2012… so here it is! Click below to listen.

Today is the last order date for Official Toyah merch items to be delivered before Christmas. Order online now. Stickers, badges, tees, tote bags & mugs all available at the new merch shop. These #Toyah60 items won’t be reprinted or remanufactured once they sell out.

Christmas Eve 2012, Toyah guested on Marlow FM’s Musical Milestones on The Eclectic Light Show. She discussed her life and career and chose six songs along the way. As this aired on Christmas Eve and the station didn’t have a Listen Again function I recorded it and uploaded to Dreamscape a low quality mp3 of the 30-minute special. Click below to listen/download.

Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Christmas Eve: 1.25am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.

Christmas 2016, saw Toyah Willcox and the Great British Panto take place. The festive event was held at the Victoria & Albert Museum, aka the V&A, London. Toyah discussed the history, origins and traditions of pantomime, as well as her own panto career, with Simon Sladen. (Photos © Damon King)

Browse Toyah’s packed schedule of confirmed 2019 gigs, tours & festival dates by clicking below.

Christmas 2006, Toyah was interviewed in Somerfield magazine. Somerfield was a supermarket chain which traded for almost 140 years before closing in 2011 after being bought over by the Co-op.

Toyah Willcox gets into the festive spirit

What does Christmas mean to you?
For the last 15 years, I’ve been doing panto. So to me, Christmas means entertaining families. On Christmas Day itself, I eat from the moment I wake up to the moment I go to sleep. It’s the only time of the year where I’ll eat for 12 hours!

Do you have the works on Christmas Day?
Yes we do. I have a restaurant prepare all the food the day before because what I don’t want to do on my one day off is cook. All I have to do is put it all in the Aga!

Do you enjoy cooking?
I do. I think it’s good to make yourself cook.

Your dream dining companion?
It would have to be John Lennon. If he could see the world today, he’d have more to say than ever before.

Quadrophenia plus a Q&A and live music with Toyah Willcox

Here’s a brilliant evening’s entertainment with not only an anniversary screening of iconic movie Quadrophenia, but a Q&A with one of its stars, the legendary Toyah Willcox and a live music set with her too. Toyah who went on to be a music, film and TV star and an author played the character Monkey in the 1979 Who album-inspired film which depicts the Mods and Rockers era of the late 1960s and which is celebrating its 40th year. The film will be screened before Toyah takes the stage to talk about the movie and her career at Square Chapel. The film stars Phil Daniels as Jimmy, a young 1960s London-based Mod who escapes from his dead-end job as a mailroom boy by dancing, partying, taking amphetamines, riding his scooter, and brawling with the motorcycle-riding Rockers. After he and his friends participate in a huge brawl with the Rockers by the seaside in Brighton, he is arrested and his life starts to spiral out of control. Toyah has had eight Top 40 singles and released over 20 albums, Her biggest hits were “It’s a Mystery”, “Thunder in the Mountains” and “I Want to Be Free”.  She has written two books, appeared in over forty stage plays and ten feature films.

• Continue reading at the Halifax Courier.

Christmas 2001, Toyah festively featured in the December/Christmas issue of Woman & Home magazine, in a one-page article.

My Christmas Wish… “My wish is that every calorie consumed is calorie-free and that we all have at least three wishes come true – as long as we all have the sense to wish our lives to be lived to our full abilities, and to be kind and honourable to all our fellow men.”  Toyah Willcox, Actress

Toyah attended the Snow White Gala Night at the London Palladium last night.

Daily Mail: Chic and cheerful: Toyah Willcox opted for a purple theme as she teamed a stylish midi dress with an embroidered duster coat and beige mary janes. (Photos © WENN/BackGrid)

Santa and his Elves have been working very hard with The Old Rep team over the past few weeks spreading the Christmas cheer with Pinocchio. And with only two weeks to go until Christmas, we have some amazing gift ideas. There really is something for everyone!

Name a seat at The Old Rep
Naming a seat at The Old Rep is the perfect Christmas gift. For just £150 for 5 years you will play a role in securing the future of the theatre and help us continue creating opportunities for young people and emerging artists.

Each plaque featured in our auditorium is unique and inscribed with a personal message. Your plaque will be installed amongst our patrons Brian Cox, Brian Blessed, Toyah Willcox, June Brown and Albert Finney.

• Continue reading at The Old Rep Theatre. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)

Christmas 2002, Toyah was the cover star of Festival City Theatres brochure, in anticipation of Calamity Jane playing at The Festival Theatre in Edinburgh in January 2003.

Calamity Jane was a great success for Toyah in the early 2000s. The musical toured the UK from September to November 2002, and January to June 2003 (with a break in late April/early May for Toyah’s stint in the second series of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here!), then transferred to London West End’s Shaftsebury Theatre from June to September of 2003. There was speculation that Toyah would reprise her role as Jane for a further tour but this never happened.

Here are the acts that have been announced so far

With preparations for next year’s Brentwood Festival well underway, a number of acts appearing in the line-up have been announced.

So far those that have been confirmed include the singer, songwriter and musician Paul Young, famous for his hit singles such as Love of the Common People, Wherever I Lay My Hat and Everytime You Go Away.

Toyah Willcox will also be taking to the stage. The singer, songwriter, musician, actress, producer and author, has accomplished a lot over her career including eight top 40 singles.

Another act will be Katrina Leskanich, the former lead singer of the pop rock band Katrina and the Waves, famous for the song Walking on Sunshine.

• Continue reading at Essex Live. Visit the Brentwood Festival 2019 website.

A selection of Toyah on TV this festive season. Of particular interest are Celebrity Mastermind. airing on BBC1 on Saturday 22nd December, and the Fleetwood Mac documentary A Musical History, airing on BBC Four on a number of occasions just before Christmas.

Celebrity Fantasy Homes: Home:
Friday 14th December: 1.50am
Toyah (Series 2, Episode 2). Celebrities hunt for a new home. Gaby Roslin helps the original punk-pop princess Toyah Willcox search for a second home, in Richmond upon Thames, with a budget of £650,000.

Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: Channel 5:
Monday 17th December: 10pm
A merry romp through the most inappropriate, outrageous and appallingly atrocious Christmas television turkeys of all time. These are the kind of disastrous, ill-conceived and downright cringe-inducing moments that it’s a wonder ever made it to air. Among contributors ready to dissect the disasters – many of which they were involved in themselves – are Eamonn Holmes, Toyah Willcox, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Anne Diamond, Steve Punt and Mike Read.

Fleetwood Mac – A Musical History: BBC4: Friday 21st December: 8pm
Fleetwood Mac – A Musical History: BBC4: Saturday 22nd December: 1.25am
Fleetwood Mac – A Musical History: BBC4: Christmas Eve: 00.25am
Fleetwood Mac. Fleetwood Mac fan Edith Bowman provides a narrative overview alongside other celebrity fans who all pay tribute to the band in this hit-filled hour. Contributors include KT Tunstall, Travis’ frontman Fran Healy, Toyah Willcox, Sian Pattenden and Emma Dabiri.

Celebrity Mastermind: BBC1: Saturday 22nd December: 5.20pm
Series 13, Episode 2. John Humphrys puts four celebrities to the test in another episode of the classic quiz. Taking part are comedian Joe Pasquale, Newsround presenter Ricky Boleto, singer Toyah Willcox and Olympian Jeanette Kwakye. They answer questions on werewolf films, 1990s number one singles, Boudica and Disney animations.

Quadrophenia: Film 4 HD: Christmas Eve: 1.25am
The Who wrote and produced this energetic story of a young man disillusioned with his life in 1960s London. Phil Daniels excels as the alienated anti-hero Jimmy Cooper. Director: Franc Roddam. Starring: Phil Daniels, Leslie Ash, Toyah Willcox, Philip Davis, Mark Wingett, Sting, and Ray Winstone.

Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: 5Select: Christmas Day: 1.25am
Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments: 5Select: Boxing Day: 0.00am
A merry romp through the most inappropriate, outrageous and appallingly atrocious Christmas television turkeys of all time. These are the kind of disastrous, ill-conceived and downright cringe-inducing moments that it’s a wonder ever made it to air. Among contributors ready to dissect the disasters – many of which they were involved in themselves – are Eamonn Holmes, Toyah Willcox, Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, Anne Diamond, Steve Punt and Mike Read.

The 100 Greatest Musicals: More4: Christmas Day: 12.20pm
Part One. Denise Van Outen kicks off a sumptuous two-part celebration of the great songs and performers from the best classic and contemporary musicals – as voted for by the British public. From Astaire to Zellweger, from 42nd Street to 8 Mile, Moulin Rouge! and The Sound of Music, The 100 Greatest Musicals is the definitive guide to the musicals that have both stood the test of time and had a lasting impact on viewers’ lives. The first show counts down from 100 to 51 and features memorable clips from film, stage and TV, interspersed with interviews given by performers, directors, writers and choreographers. Also airing on More4 +1 and HD.

The 100 Greatest Musicals: More4: Boxing Day: 12.30pm
Part Two. Denise Van Outen concludes the rundown of viewers’ favourite musicals, counting down from 50 to number one. Including memorable clips from film, stage and TV productions, plus contributions by celebrity fans, Hollywood movers and shakers, critics and journalists. Also airing on More4 +1 and HD.

Isn’t it reassuring that some people still listen to, and appreciate, great music. Congratulations to Toyah for her success at Spotify this year. Not forgetting how well the Four From Toyah: Birthday Edition EP did upon its release in May. While on the subject of music, Toyah and Simon Darlow recently signed a new record contract and completed a new song for release in 2019.

Christmas 2010, was an incredibly busy time for Toyah. As well as starring in the panto Sleeping Beauty at the Festival Theatre, Malvern (with great reviews from The Stage and Malvern Gazette: “This is as near the perfect pantomime as can be“), being part of The Hazel O’Connor Collective and the Christmas charity single Re-Joyce (In The Bleak Midwinter), and appearing all over the TV and radio schedules – Toyah also found time to take part in a variety of festive events.

In early December Toyah switched on Bidford Upon Avon’s Christmas lights on a wintery Sunday evening; took part in The Big Switch On in Malvern, turning on the Worcestershire town’s Christmas lights and performing some Christmas classics; and later in December Toyah and her panto co-stars helped launch the Oxfam Unwrapped gift scheme in Malvern. A great festive month!

Full details – day, time and synopsis – of the episode of the Christmas series of Celebrity Mastermind, in which Toyah is participating, has now been confirmed by the BBC.

Celebrity Mastermind: BBC1:
Saturday 22nd December: 5.20pm
Series 13, Episode 2. John Humphrys puts four celebrities to the test in another episode of the classic quiz. Taking part are comedian Joe Pasquale, Newsround presenter Ricky Boleto, singer Toyah Willcox and Olympian Jeanette Kwakye. They answer questions on werewolf films, 1990s number one singles, Boudica and Disney animations.

• The programme will be available to watch on BBC iPlayer after it airs. Visit the dedicated page for this episode at bbc.co.uk.

Christmas 1981, 82, 83 & 84. In the early eighties Toyah’s Official Fanclub – Intergalactic Ranch House – sent out Christmas cards to subscribing members each December.

Toyah took the time to sign each and every card, which numbered around 6,000 at the height of the fanclub’s popularity.

This tradition was carried on for an extra year, in 1984, when the IRH became simply the Toyah Fanclub after Toyah’s Safari Records contract ended and she signed to the CBS/Portrait.

All four cards featured photos of Toyah, showcasing great early eighties imagery and creating a unique set of fanclub memorabilia that became collector’s items.

Hey! It’s Christmas, an ideal time to take one of our, very sporadic, looks at the visitor stats to this website.

In these times of social media essentially becoming the internet for many people, this site is still very busy and continues to receive 100′s of unique visitors each and every day.

Even on the quietest day of the last couple of months, which was Saturday 20th October, there were still 130 unique visitors. I have friends who run well-known Madonna, Doctor Who and U2 fansites and all say social media has seriously affected their visitor stats over recent years.

In the last 24 hours alone there have been visits to Dreamscape from: United Kingdom, United States, Israel, Switzerland, Japan, Italy, South Africa, Canada, Australia, France, Thailand, Sweden, Netherlands, China, Poland, Jersey, Estonia, Germany and Austria.

View a larger version of the stats graphic here.