Inheritance Tracks: BBC Radio 4 Extra: Tuesday 9th January: 8.50pm
Toyah Willcox. Singer Toyah Willcox has inherited ‘Bridge Over Troubled Water’ and wants to pass on the track by Bjork, ‘Human Behaviour’.
It’s the day of the summer fete and Oliver’s been minding Will’s artwork stall. He hasn’t sold any pieces, and Will reckons they’ll have to change their strategy. Their tactics of moving the stall and reducing prices have no effect, until they’re approached by one interested party who engages Will in conversation about his style and method. Halfway through their conversation Will’s stunned to realise he’s talking to Toyah Willcox. Will’s a big fan. Toyah takes a shine to one of his works. Will offers it free, but Toyah insists on paying. When she’s gone star struck Will can’t believe it – who cares what anyone else thinks of his work when Toyah loves it!
Lilian reassures nervous Adil in the fortune telling tent; he’s doing really well and his last client was very famous. Adil’s oblivious, and later is keen to quit while he’s ahead having given Jean Harvey a reading she was happy with. Lilian reckons he’s found his calling. She encourages him to go and look round the rest of the fete, but when Denise turns up Lilian can’t help offering Adil’s services for one last reading. With no knowledge of Denise, terrified Adil does his best. He hits on the idea that she has a secret admirer at work. Denise is amazed, and confides to Lilian that this knowledge has helped her with a dilemma she has. Lilian chides Adil for begin irresponsible, but he insists he was hinting that the admirer was in fact an animal. Well that wasn’t obvious to Denise, observes Lilian grimly.
• Listen to the episode at BBC Sounds for the next month.
Toyah is heading to Ambridge. She will guest on a future episode of legendary, and very long running, BBC Radio 4’s The Archers. Click below to watch Toyah talk The Archers.
Toyah guests on the new BBC Radio 4 programme Ziggy Stardust at 50.
• Listen to the programme at BBC Sounds.
Ramblings: Joyful Highlights Part 4 – Singers & Writers is now available to download, from the BBC website or as an Apple Podcast.
Clare Balding recalls her favourite walks with a colourful variety of writers and singers including Bill Bryson, Toyah Willcox, folk duo Ninebarrow, and the choral group Werca’s Folk.
Clare has been walking on air since 1999, and for this lockdown series of highlights has been digging into the archives to retrieve some of her most memorable moments: Today she gets dressed with Bill Bryson, takes a lift across a small puddle with Toyah, discovers that Dorothy Wordsworth avoided marriage so she could continue walking, and hears from author Emma Mitchell about exactly why our mood is lifted when we spend time in nature.
Clare Balding is currently recalling her favourite walks from her long-running BBC Radio 4 series Ramblings. Episode Four of the retrospective collection airs next Thursday, 4th June and includes Toyah, who guested on Ramblings back in February 2013.
Ramblings With Clare Balding: BBC Radio 4
Thursday 4th June: 3pm/Saturday 6th June: 6.07am
Joyful Highlights Part 4: Singers & Writers. Clare Balding recalls her favourite walks with a colourful variety of writers and singers including Bill Bryson, Toyah Willcox, folk duo Ninebarrow, and the choral group Werca’s Folk.
Clare has been walking on air since 1999, and for this lockdown series of highlights 
has been digging into the archives to retrieve some of her most memorable moments: Today she gets dressed with Bill Bryson, takes a lift across a small puddle with Toyah, discovers that Dorothy Wordsworth avoided marriage so she could continue walking, and hears from author Emma Mitchell about exactly why our mood is lifted when we spend time in nature.
Marking 20 years as presenter of the programme, Clare Balding digs into archives of Ramblings to share the best moments from her favourite walks. Producer: Karen Gregor.
• Listen to Ramblings – Joyful Highlights online at the BBC Radio 4 website. Click below to browse our Ramblings News Archive. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Recording of this week’s Loose Ends took place at BBC Radio yesterday. Toyah tweeted a couple of photos while there, including this one below with Emma Bunton. Loose Ends airs this evening at 6.15pm on BBC Radio 4 and is repeated on Monday at 11.30am. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Toyah is guesting on BBC Radio 4’s Loose Ends later this month.
Loose Ends: BBC Radio 4: Sat 13th April: 6.15pm
Loose Ends: BBC Radio 4: Mon 15th April: 11.30am
Emma Bunton, Toyah, Peter Doherty, Alex Rex, YolanDa Brown. Clive Anderson is joined by Emma Bunton and Toyah for an eclectic mix of conversation, music and comedy. With music from Peter Doherty and Alex Rex.
• Visit the Loose Ends webpage at bbc.co.uk.
A couple of retro Toyah radio appearances: The New Recruit, from BBC Radio Four (April 1994), and an interview with Toyah (and Sting) from The Annie Nightingale Show, which aired on BBC Radio One (January 1984). Click on each below to listen or download.
Beautiful Britain: BBC Radio 4: Saturday 1st September: 10.30am
Over the sound of ripping wax-strips, nail drills, clippers and trimmers, Toyah Willcox invites us to eavesdrop on usually private conversations taking place in hair and beauty salons across the UK. Duration: 30 minutes. (Photo © BBC)
• Live 2018: Acoustic, Up Close & Personal: Toyah makes a return visit to Fairkytes Arts Centre in Hornchurch tomorrow night to play a Sold Out Acoustic, Up Close & Personal date.
• Four From Toyah: The fantastic Telepathic Lover, from Toyah’s new EP, was included on Dark Night Of The Soul with Julie at WFMU on 19th May – See the full playlist…
• On the Radio: Still available to listen to or download: Only Artists/BBCR4 – The director and actor Alice Lowe meets the singer and actor Toyah Willcox – Listen here…
• Anthology Film Archives: Jubilee – Introduced by Tessa Hughes-Freeland: “This film just so typifies the zeitgeist in London immediately prior to my leaving. Seeing Jordan waiting for the bus on the Victoria Palace Road certainly livened up a dreary English day. Jarman’s films were a huge influence on me as a filmmaker, especially his experimental work.” –Tessa Hughes-Freeland – Continue reading…
• On the Radio: Still available to listen to: Sounds Of The 70s/BBCR2 – Toyah remembers being a punk in the 70s! – Listen here…
• Rock and Roll Dreams: The Crimson Queen – På første halvdel av åttitallet var Toyah blant undertegnedes absolutte favoritter, og nå, 35 år senere, står dama fortsatt høyt i kurs hos denne skribenten. Når Toyah Ann Willcox – som er hennes fulle navn – i dag fyller 60 år er det dermed på sin plass med et tilbakeblikk til storhetstiden, og med det suksessalbumet «Anthem» – Continue reading…
• On the Radio: Still available to listen to: Woman’s Hour/BBCR4 – Toyah discusses Jubilee, and her own life and work, both then and now – Listen here…
Listen to Beautiful Britain, presented by Toyah, at BBC iPlayer. (Photo © BBC)
Over the sound of ripping wax-strips, nail drills, clippers and trimmers, Toyah Willcox invites us to eavesdrop on usually private conversations taking place in hair and beauty salons across the UK.
We drop in on appointments at Totally Polished in Blackpool, The Topiary Salon in Basingstoke, Smith Hair Studio in Edmonton and Not Another Salon in London’s East End.
From holidays and bingo wins, to hospital appointments and bereavements – customers relish the opportunity to swap stories, gossip and enjoy an hour’s escape from the stresses of daily life. Beauticians and hairdressers are trusted confidantes, privy to shocking secrets, but they also provide an independent ear and a comforting shoulder to cry on.
For Toyah’s friend and hairdresser to the stars, Keith Wainwright MBE, a trip to the salon is also an important source of physical and social contact in an increasingly online world.
According to industry reports, women and men of all ages and means are spending increasing amounts of time, and money, at hair and beauty salons in the UK. British consumers spent an estimated 1.89 billion pounds on salon services in the last quarter of 2017. We find out why. A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4
• Continue reading at BBC Media Centre.
A Just Radio production for BBC Radio 4, presented by Toyah and produced by Victoria Ferran.
Beautiful Britain: BBC Radio 4: Fri 11th May: 11am
Over the sound of ripping wax-strips, nail drills, clippers and trimmers, Toyah Willcox invites us to eavesdrop on usually private conversations taking place in hair and beauty salons across the UK. (Duration: 30 minutes)
Toyah guested on BBC Radio Four’s In The Psychiatrist’s Chair in September 1992. A fascinating interview with Dr Anthony Clare. Certainly one of the most honest and interesting of the many Toyah has given over the last 40 years. This originally aired on 9th September 1992 and runs for approximately 40 minutes. Click below to listen or download.
Toyah tweeted today: “Fabulous time making BBC Radio4 doc on hairdressing. Catching up with Keith at Smile“. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Only Artists: BBC Radio 4: Wednesday 7th March: 9am/9.30pm
Alice Lowe and Toyah Willcox. Series in which two artists discuss creative questions. Director and actor Alice Lowe, acclaimed for slasher film Prevenge, meets Toyah Willcox who by the age of 20 had played the National Theatre as well as starring in Derek Jarman’s film Jubilee. (Series 4)
• Listen live at bbc.co.uk or catch up later on BBC iPlayer.
Toyah guested on BBC Radio 4’s Woman’s Hour yesterday. Listen to the, 45-minute, show at BBC iPlayer. (Photos © Toyah Willcox/BBC)
Toyah, Sandra Bernhard, Sister Helen Prejean
Toyah Willcox made her screen debut 40 years ago in Derek Jarman’s iconic punk film Jubilee. It’s now been adapted for the stage set in the social and political backdrop of today. She joins us to talk about disenfranchised youth, and her own life and work, both then and now.
Sister Helen Prejean is known around the world for her work to end the death penalty and has been instrumental in encouraging dialogue around the world and in shaping the Catholic Church’s newly vigorous opposition to all executions. She talks about her optimism that the death penalty will be abolished.
Sandra Bernhard began her career on the comedy circuit in the 1970s. She also starred alongside Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese’s King Of Comedy and played one of the first openly lesbian characters on American network television in the hit sitcom Roseanne. The performer, comedian and singer is also a pioneer of the one woman show. She joins Jane to talk about her new show Sandemonium at Ronnie Scott’s London.
Coming Soon to BBC Radio 4 – Toyah in conversation with Alice Lowe. (Photo © Toyah Willcox)
Toyah guested on BBC Radio 4’s PM programme on Thursday afternoon, discussing Jubilee at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester (and Teletubbies) with Colin Paterson.
• The interview begins at around 46 minutes into the show and runs for approximately five minutes, including a very short play of It’s A Mystery. Listen at BBC iPlayer Radio.
Listen to The Reunion: Women of Punk at BBC iPlayer.
Sue MacGregor reunites five musicians who embraced the anarchy of punk music and created a unique style of their own.
For many young people, Britain in the late 1970s was a place without hope. Unemployment was high. The value of the pound was low and, despite the feminist activity of the early 1970s, the most many girls aspired to was to marry well and look good. Female role models were hard to fine – especially in music. The only all-girl troupes on Top of the Pops were Legs and Co. Then punk happened.
Women could dress how they liked, behave how they wanted and develop their own sound without being manipulated by the mostly male gatekeepers of the record industry. Young women who didn’t fit the traditional mould of femininity found a new tribe in punk. A place where they could finally be themselves. But the movement attracted fear and aggression from straight society. And few made much money from the short-lived scene.
Sue MacGregor brings together five female punk pioneers: Gaye Advert, bass player in The Adverts, was described as the first female punk star. But the industry focus on her looks caused animosity in the band. Toyah Willcox, an aggressive tomboy, found her emotional rebellion in punk and appeared in Derek Jarman’s cult punk film Jubilee. Gina Birch of The Raincoats played her first gig in November 1977 a few weeks after forming her all-female band. Tessa Pollitt abandoned her A levels to join all girl punk band, The Slits. Vivien Goldman was in the The Flying Lizards and Features Editor on the weekly music paper, Sounds. She is now a Professor of Punk in New York. The guests discuss the impact and legacy of their movement.
