It’s the final date of Toyah & Robert’s festive five-date Christmas Party Tour. After playing Edinburgh, Sunderland, Bath and London, T&R bring their seasonal joy to Wolverhampton tonight.
Christmas 2018, Toyah became a Mastermind! She won Episode Two of Series 17 of Celebrity Mastermind, which aired on BBC1 on Saturday 22nd December.
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.
A reminder, Toyah is guesting on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends this evening, joining Clive Anderson to talk about the Toyah & Robert Christmas Party Tour, and no doubt much more. The programme is being repeated on Boxing Day. Listen live or at BBC Sounds post-airing.
Loose Ends: BBC Radio 4: Sat 21st Dec: 6.15pm
Loose Ends: BBC Radio 4: Boxing Day: 9pm
Toyah Willcox, Adam Riches and John Kearns, Barb Junger, 30 years of Stay Another Day. In a glorious fusion of 1990s boy and girl band nostalgia Loose Ends will celebrate the 30 years since boyband East 17 scaled the charts with Stay Another Day – songwriter Tony Mortimer will perform the song with Edele Lynch of B*Witched for a festive Loose Ends recorded with a live audience at the BBC Radio Theatre.
Clive talks to punk princess Toyah Willcox about her Xmas Party tour with King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp and a blistering year that’s seen her perform at Glastonbury, take part in Strictly Come Dancing and join the cast of Now That’s What I Call Music, the musical.
We’re promised bromance, baubles and banter with Edinburgh Comedy Award winners Adam Riches and John Kearns who are collaborating on a “once in a lifetime, yuletide extravaganza” show at the Soho Theatre
Toyah Willcox shares ‘most embarrassing moment of her life’ after tech blunder
Toyah Willcox has opened up about the embarrassing moment that unfolded after she forgot to turn the camera off while recording a TikTok video with her husband
Strictly star Toyah Willcox has opened up about a TikTok mishap that led to what she describes as the ‘most embarrassing moment of her life’.
The unfortunate incident occurred when singer Toyah and her husband, musician Robert Fripp, were filming a new video for their social media platforms, which have garnered over 120 million views.
Toyah, 66, inadvertently left the camera on, capturing the star in her underwear as she went about her daily activities.
“It was one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever done,” admitted Toyah. “My husband Robert and I were dressed as unicorns for a video we were filming and I left the camera on afterwards.”
• Continue reading at The Mirror. See also The Sun, Express, and Daily Star.
Christmas 2012, BBC Radio 4 aired Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas on 20th December – a real festive pop treat for everyone who grew up in the 1980s. The programme was an interesting look back at the golden years of the UK’s biggest music magazine of the eighties. Neil recalls the golden days of, the iconic, Smash Hits magazine, when he worked as a writer in their Carnaby Street office.
There were also contributions and memories from founder and legendary magazine maker Nick Logan, editors David Hepworth and Mark Ellen, writers Miranda Sawyer and Sylvia Patterson, and from regular Smash Hits cover girl, Toyah., talking about Smash Hits in general and her Brave New World cover from the Summer of 1982.
Neil Tennant had a life as a journalist before he became famous as a Pet Shop Boy. In fact, it was on a Smash Hits trip to New York that he had his big breakthrough with the record producer Bobby O. Also included is a rare recording from the 1982 Christmas Flexidisc (a message from the stars) and probably Neil Tennant’s first recording – the music for a trailer advertising Smash Hits stickers. (Producer: Susan Marling. A Just Radio Ltd. production for BBC Radio 4). Click on any of the images in this post to listen to Neil Tennant’s Smash Hits Christmas at You Tube.
Minder: ITV4: New Year’s Eve: 8.20am
All Mod Cons. Series 2, Episode 8. Terry tries to help his friend Kate evict some unwanted tenants, but comes to doubt her motives. Meanwhile, Arthur is desperate to get into the property market and tries to sell Terry’s flat without telling him. Guest starring Toyah Willcox and Simon Cadell. Director: Ian Sharp. Also starring: George Cole, Dennis Waterman, Peter Childs, George Layton, Patrick Malahide, Michael Troughton. Also showing on ITV4 HD. (Photos © ITV)
A great review – by God Is In The TV – of Monday’s Toyah & Robert: Christmas Party at The Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh. I agree with every word!
…Wow. Just wow.
Toyah Willcox is not a woman to let the ground rest beneath her feet, and nor, one suspects is her husband Robert Fripp. Not only did they do their best to keep music lovers’ spirits up during the pandemic with their Sunday Lunch videos on YouTube (which racked up millions of views), she’s just competed in Strictly and now here they are just before Christmas touring together.
I might say this normally at the end of a review, but I’m going to get this in now: if you get the chance to see one of the handful of remaining shows before Christmas, go and see them. Because I’ve been to a lot of gigs this year, and there’s been a lot of great ones, but of them all, this was The. Most. Fun.
• Continue reading at God Is In The TV. (Photos © David Fleming)
Christmas 2024, and The Official Toyah Willcox website and related social media announced two exciting new releases for March 2025, beautiful picture discs of Toyah’s first two albums: Sheep Farming In Barnet and The Blue Meaning.
Official Toyah also revealed: In 2025, an exciting series of releases will mark Toyah’s over 45 years in music with a celebration of albums, singles and images.
Way Back When! 1981: NOW 80s: Friday 27th December: 3pm
60 minutes of lesser heard hits from 1981. Including The Pretenders, Spandau Ballet, George Harrison, Toyah & The Pointer Sisters.
Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Steve Lamacq’s Rock College on BBC Radio 2 as ‘Guest Lecturer’, 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 a moment that changed my life forever…”
This was such a great audio clip/opinion piece by Toyah it would’ve been a real shame to just let it disappear after its week on iPlayer back in 2012… so here it is! Click below to listen.
Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30: NOW 80s: Saturday 28th December: 8pm
Pop legend Toyah brings 30 memorable videos featuring a cavalcade of clothing calamities from superstars including Visage, Five Star, Divine, Cher, The Jam, Bananarama, Dead Or Alive, Bucks Fizz, ABC, Depeche Mode, David Bowie, Madonna, Adam & The Ants, A Flock Of Seagulls, Roxy Music, Kajagoogoo, Duran Duran, Grace Jones, Su Pollard, Toyah herself and more in this crazy countdown! See the full Toyah’s Sack The Stylist?! Top 30 playlist here.
“Well, I’ve been taking an affectionate look at fellow pop stars and their styles so I had to balance things out with that. My hair, make-up and outfit on Thunder In The Mountains was pretty crazy. But I loved it!”
Christmas 2012, Toyah guested on Marlow FM’s Musical Milestones on The Eclectic Light Show. She discussed her life and career and chose six songs that soundtracked her life.
This great Toyah on the radio special aired on Christmas Eve that year and at that time Marlow FM didn’t have a Listen Again function so I recorded the show and uploaded to Dreamscape a low quality mp3 of the 30-minute special. Click below to listen/download.
Lives Well Lived: BBC Two: Sunday 29th December: 6pm
Episode 2. Kirsty Wark presents the second of two programmes celebrating notable famous names who died in 2024. Kiefer Sutherland gives a personal tribute to his actor father Donald, novelist Irvine Welsh and singer Toyah Willcox pay tribute to DJ Annie Nightingale and Rob Burrow’s widow Lindsey and former Olympic champion Kelly Holmes remember the former rugby league player’s impact on raising awareness of motor neurone disease. There are also tributes to former deputy prime minister John Prescott and music producer Quincy Jones.
Had an amazing time in Edinburgh on Monday at Queen’s Hall at Toyah & Robert’s opening gig of their Christmas Rock Party Tour.
Here are a few shots I took at this excellent concert. See more at my Instagram page by clicking below. (Photos © David Fleming)
Christmas 2024, Toyah & Robert begin their five-date Christmas Party Tour of the UK this evening at the Queen’s Hall, Edinburgh.
The festive tour also plays The Fire Station, Sunderland (17th December); Komedia, Bath (19th); Indigo At The O2, London (20th) and Wulfurn, Wolverhampton (22nd).
Following the runaway success of their Sunday Lunch YouTube series, and their critically acclaimed Tour of 2023, Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp are bursting out of their kitchen again, for the Christmas Party 2024 and hitting the road for an evening of classic rock in the company of two rock legends and their band.
With the legendary artistic twists that both Robert and Toyah are renowned for, they’ll perform Toyah hits It’s A Mystery and I Want To Be Free, plus many much-loved gems, including Heroes, Rebel Yell, Welcome To The Jungle, Are You Gonna Go My Way, Paranoid and more.
• Some of the dates for Toyah & Robert’s Christmas Party Tour have Sold Out but limited tickets may be available. Visit toyahwillcox.com for further info and ticket links.
Carol Decker’s 30 Rock Chicks!: NOW Rock: Wednesday 18th December: 10am
T’Pau’s Carol Decker brings a bit of Heart and Soul to a countdown of ’80s ladies who like to rock! With Joan Jett, Tina Turner, Stevie Nicks and Pat Benatar. (as well as Toyah via the Thunder In The Mountains video).
Christmas 2010, and The Hazel O’Connor Collective, which included Toyah as one of the main vocalists, released the lovely Re-Joyce (In The Bleak Midwinter). Proceeds from the single went to Myton Hospice in Coventry where Hazel’s mum, Joyce, received care and treatment for cancer.
The track was also released on CD, and alongside the main single mix, some special solo versions were also released digitally, including Toyah’s. Re-Joyce reached the Top 10 of the Amazon UK Music/Singles chart at Christmas 2010.
Check out Toyah performing a great live version of, Alice Cooper’s, School’s Out, live last week at G Live in Guildford at The SAS Band’s 30th Anniversary concert. School’s Out was, of course, one of the first cover versions Toyah ever included on an album, the song featured on the tracklist of her debut solo album, Minx, in 1985. See Toyah performing Sweet Child ‘O Mine from the same gig, here.
Christmas 1981, Following an incredible year of huge hit singles, gold-selling album, tours, a multitude of images, hundreds of press interviews and numerous television appearances, Toyah closed her/their sensational 1981 by playing the final date of the Good Morning Universe European Tour, at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London on Christmas Eve.
This was Toyah’s third, and final, tour of the year, following the College Tour at the beginning of 1981 and the Anthem Tour in the middle of the year.
The gig was broadcast live on BBC2 – and simultaneously in stereo on BBC Radio 1 – on The Old Grey Whistle Test – introduced by Radio 1/TOGWT legend, Annie Nightingale – as their annual Christmas Eve concert for 1981, in a schedule that also included everything from a festive All Creatures Great & Small, to an episode of Russell Harty At Home.
The band were: Toyah Willcox (Vocals|), Joel Bogen (Guitar), Adrian Lee (Keyboards), Phil Spalding (Bass Guitar, Vocals), Simon Phillips (Drums). The concert was released on regular VHS (and Limited Edition hardback cover VHS with an Introduction note by Toyah) by BBC Video in 1982.
As part of Cherry Red Record’s reissue schedule of Toyah’s complete Safari Records discography, Toyah Live At Drury Lane was released on double vinyl album and CD+DVD for the first time in May 2023, a fitting full-circle for this legendary and memorable concert.
Toyah was among a small number who received this not inconsiderable accolade during the 1970s/80s golden era of music. Others bands/artists who were gifted The Old Grey Whistle Test festive concert over the years included Elton John (1974), Queen (1975), Rod Stewart (1976), The Kinks (1977), 10CC (1978), Ian Dury & The Blockheads (1980), Elton John (1982), Paul Young (1983).
Toyah would later recall: “I spent one Christmas in complete euphoria after doing the Drury Lane Whistle Test. I can remember driving home to Birmingham that night and it was snowing. Everything was just wonderful and I remained on a high after doing that show for about ten days.“
Toyah’s Theatre Royal, Drury Lane/The Old Grey Whistle Test concert has become an intrinsic and memorable part of Christmas. A legendary event that thousands attended and many millions watched, and remember as such a special moment in Toyah’s career as well as everyone’s Christmas – past, present and, no doubt, future!
Toyah made a joyful return to the Strictly Come Dancing ballroom tonight for the amazing finale to the 2024 series. Congratulations to Chris McCausland, an inspirational winner. Watch Toyah’s pre-show video at Instagram. Browse our Toyah on Strictly 2024 news feed…
