Dreamscape – Toyah Willcox Fansite

The Nation’s Favourite 80s Number One: ITV/STV: Saturday 25th July: 9pm
The popular series turns its neon spotlight onto the 1980s – a defining decade in pop where the hits were big and the hair even bigger. Featuring interviews with 80s icons including Spandau Ballet, Bonnie Tyler, Madness, Dexys Midnight Runners, The Communards and Jason Donovan, this countdown celebrates 20 of the greatest musical moments from an era when British pop stars ruled the world. Narrated by Zoe Ball, the show tells the stories behind a hit factory of chart classics that have truly stood the test of time – from Don’t You Want Me to Total Eclipse of the Heart, Tainted Love to Billie Jean and Don’t Leave Me This Way to Come On Eileen. We take a look at the way 80s fashions took things to the extreme, and find out how the MTV explosion changed the face of music forever. Expect a colourful megamix of new romantics, Hi-NRG classics and synth pop smash hits as we have the results of an exclusive ITV poll revealing which 80s number one Britain loves the most.

NB: I can’t say for sure whether Toyah contributes to this programme. I am assuming she does due to being mentioned in “The National” article – see below.

This new show invites you to “trip the neon fantastic” and celebrate the best hits of the 1980s – and when they’re asking you to do that along to a soundtrack of the Pet Shop Boys’ Always On My Mind, how can you say no?

Eighties stars like Toyah Willcox, Tony Hadley, Martin Fry and Marc Almond all feature, reminiscing about shoulder pads, eyeliner and making pop history.

The show, narrated by the annoying Zoe Ball, has commissioned a poll to determine the nation’s favourite 80s tune, but really the poll is superfluous. It was surely just a hook on which to hang this glittery coat of nostalgia, giving the channel an excuse – and a mighty good one, in my opinion – to pull out some clips of all the old songs and wallow in how gloriously flamboyant pop music used to be.

• Continue reading at The National – This weekend’s TV highlights.