Happy Christmas From The Stars, a “Free Christmas Record (12 Minutes of Festive Fun)”, the flexi that was attached to the December 9-22, 1982 (exactly 33 years ago today!) issue of ‘Smash Hits’ magazine, featured numerous pop stars sending readers festive greetings.
Click below to listen – Toyah arrives at 4.46, inbetween Martin Fry of ABC and Steve Strange of Visage. Too-de-loo!! Part One is available here.
Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas aired on ‘BBC Radio 2′ in December 2012. An interesting look back at the golden years of the magazine, including contributions from Toyah, talking about ‘Smash Hits’ in general as well as her iconic Brave New World cover from 1982. The programme isn’t currently available at BBC iPlayer and isn’t being repeated any time soon. Click below to listen to a recording of the programme atYou Tube.
There’s also an airing of Part 1 of A Very Vintage Christmas later this month on Vintage TV.
A Very Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Sunday 20th December: 10am Presenters Toyah Willcox and Wizzard’s Roy Wood are cosying up by the fireplace with two guest artists as they talk Christmas and sing favourite festive songs. (Part 1)
Christmas 1996, Toyah contributed a recollection of childhood Christmasses to the charity publication ‘Once Upon A Christmas’ – Memories and Recipes From Your Favourite Celebrities. This book is now out of print.
In this delightful Christmas book, a host of our most popular and well-known celebrities from all walks of life have contributed stories, memories, recipes and thoughts about Christmas to make this the most irresistible festive anthology there is… Once Upon A Christmas will help to put – and keep – you in the Christmas spirit.
Toyah Willcox: Broadcaster and Singer
Childhood Christmasses were the most magical.
It was the appearance of the Christmas tree that cued two weeks of sheer all-encompassing joy. I’m talking about being four years old. Just able to talk but unable to comprehend the hidden meanings of the words of wisdom from the giants, the adults…
Toyah’s final blog of 2015 is available to read atThe Official Toyah Willcox website, including a selection of festive photos from Toyah’s home. It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas…
In the early 80s, every member of Toyah’s Fanclub – The Intergalactic Ranch House – received a personally signed Christmas card from Toyah. She even mentioned in an interview at the time that she signed thousands of cards. Do you still have yours? Here are all four cards, sent from 1981 to 1984. The card from 1983 was a postcard and the 1984 card came from the Toyah Fanclub, the IRH had closed earlier in the year.
Click here to read the messages, for 1981 and ’82. And click here for the cards, and messages, from 1983 and ’84.
100 Greatest Toys with Jonathan Ross: More 4: Saturday 12th December: 5.50pm
A countdown of the nation’s favourite games, gadgets and playthings, as decided by a Channel 4 online poll. Inventors and toymakers tell the inside stories of their creations and successes. (Toyah appears briefly, via 1981 “Rubik Cube” footage)
A number of years ago Dreamscape compiled the “Toyah Festive 50′. A tinseltastic half tonne of Yuletide related Toyah facts, figures and trivia. Revisit the full rundown here.
Why was Toyah Scarlett at Christmas? … Who would be her dream dining companion? … Just how many town’s lights did Toyah switch on at Christmas 2003?… What were Toyah and Tony Robinson doing at Christmas 1988? … Which other programmes were aired the Christmas Eve night that Toyah’s legendary Theatre Royal, Drury Lane concert was watched by millions on BBC2?
Discover the answer to these and much more in our Toyah @ Christmas information overload! Completely unecessary but a lot of fun nonetheless!
Christmas Eve, 1981.Toyah play to millions (figures mentioned sometimes suggest over 10 million viewers) on The Old Grey Whistle Test on BBC2, beamed live from the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Toyah was in top form this night and no wonder as it was the end to a hugely successful year: hit singles, an album that reached number 2 and stayed on the chart for the rest of the year, three sell out tours, topping year-end music polls, magazine covers, numerous television appearances… Here are screen caps from the original BBC2 Christmas trail for their 1981 Christmas Eve schedule.
Toyah’s other festive special, Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo, has now also been added to the Vintage TV schedules…
Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Thursday 17th December: 11.30am Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Monday 21st December: 5pm Toyah’s Christmas At The Zoo: Vintage TV: Tuesday 22nd December: 11.30pm Cosy up with family and friends as Toyah Willcox brings you 30 of the finest Christmas songs and a sprinkling of festive stories, surrounded by an extraordinary variety of creatures great and small.
Quadrophenia: ITV4: Sunday 13th December: 11.55pm Quadrophenia: ITV4: Sunday 20th December: 2.15am
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. Also airing on ITV4 HD and Plus 1.
Toyah’s Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Tuesday 15th December: 10am Snuggle down by the fire with the family as punk princess, Toyah Willcox, introduces some of the finest Christmas videos of the 20th Century, sprinkled with a generous handful of fun festive facts.
A Very Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Sunday 13th December: 10am A Very Vintage Christmas: Vintage TV: Wednesday 16th December: 11pm Snuggling up by the fireside with Toyah Willcox and Roy Wood for some Christmas chat and festive songs are pop rock act The Feeling and Imagination’s Leee John. (Part 2)
The build up to Christmas wouldn’t be complete at Dreamscape without this… I think I’ve mentionedI Believe in Father Christmasevery December for the last 15 years, so here we go again… Toyah covers the Greg Lake 1975 classic (which I didn’t realise also features Robert Fripp until Toyah mentioned it a few years ago on Toyah’s Christmas at the Zoo) for ITV’s Pop Goes Christmas in 1982. She sounds great, looks amazing and Keith Hale and Joel Bogen are having a right old festive time in the forest of lit up trees. Bravo!
Another chance to watch Toyah’s 1982 episode of Tales Of The Unexpected. Click here to read an interview and see Toyah’s TV Times cover for the programme, from April 1982.
Tales Of The Unexpected: Sky Arts: Wednesday 16th December: 12.30pm Blue Marigold. Series 5, Episode 1. Dropped by her agency for her diva-like behaviour, supermodel Marigold’s mental health deteriorates. Years later, she plots a comeback. Director: Giles Foster. Starring: Toyah Willcox, Ralph Bates, Sharon Duce, Helen Fraser, Billy Hamon, Edward Jewesbury.
Welcome to December!It’s getting cold outside, the festive music and movie channels are in full swing (though they have been since about September ;)) and even the Christmas tree in Toyah’s town now has pride of place (see Toyah’stweet)… It must be the beginning of Christmas, and the start of our annual countdown to the 25th.
Dreamscape has counted down to Christmas, almost, every year since December 2000, and here we go again. Visit every day until Christmas Eve for a festively Toyah related post.
To start the bauble rolling we have a Christmas Surprise, which I hope at least some of you will like… More info soon. In the meantime, it really wouldn’t be the true start of Christmas without a play or two of this.
Franc Roddam, Director of Quadrophenia Joins Original Cast Members To Talk About Their Generation
Franc Roddam, Director of British movie classic Quadrophenia will join original cast members for an exclusive Q&A as part of a special, interactive cinematic event in honour of the cult film.
Franc Roddam joins original cast members Mark Wingett, John Altman and Phil Davis, as well as Phil Daniels, Toyah Willcox and more for a Modtastic night of nostalgia. Taking place on 11 February at the Eventim Apollo in Hammersmith, the event will showcase Quadrophenia like never before, plunging fans into the sights and sounds of 1964 and capturing the spirit of the era.
Franc Roddam said: “This event is a great celebration of the film and era. It’s overwhelming to think that Quadrophenia is still held in such high regard all these years later. I’m looking forward to being reunited with the cast and talking to fans of the film.”
Tickets for this fully immersive showcase of Quadrophenia are on sale now available at eventimapollo.com and AXS.com.
• Continue reading at Just Another Mag. Browse all of our Quadrophenia: The Immersive Cinematic Experiencehere.
The fantastically festive edition of Ready Steady Cook with Toyah is being repeated for the first time in half a dozen years next month. This originally aired on Boxing Day 2008 on BBC2 and was also repeated the following Christmas. Click below for more screen caps from the programme.
Ready Steady Cook: Food Network: Thursday 10th December: 5pm Toyah Willcox and Shauna Lowry. Singer Toyah Willcox and TV presenter Shauna Lowry battle it out to see who’ll be Christmas number one in the kitchen as Ainsley Harriott hosts another 20-minute cooking challenge. Also airing on Food Network +1.
This was Toyah’s third time on the BBC2 cookery show. The other guest was TV presenter Shauna Lowry. Toyah’s previous appearances were in April 2001, with Midge Ure, and in October 2007, with Carol Decker. The Christmas 2008 show was the second time Toyah, along with her celebrity chef, won the Ready Steady Cook plate.
Minder: ITV4: Wednesday 2nd December: 1pm Minder: ITV4: Thursday 3rd December: 7.50am All Mod Cons. Drama series about the shady dealings of a spiv and his reluctant sidekick. While Terry is trying to evict two squatters, Arthur decides to sell Terry’s flat without his permission. Meanwhile, Terry gets a job minding at a local club and ends up getting into more trouble than he had planned for when he realises the club’s manager is on the fiddle. Starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Toyah Willcox, Simon Cadell, James Ottaway, and Tony Osaba. (Series 2, Episode 8, 1980). Also showing on ITV4 HD.
Happy Christmas From The Stars, a “Free Christmas Record (12 Minutes of Festive Fun)”, the flexi that was attached to the December 9-22, 1982 (exactly 33 years ago today!) issue of ‘Smash Hits’ magazine, featured numerous pop stars sending readers festive greetings. 
Welcome to December!
