As Toyah Willcox the actress she has played parts in everything from Shakespeare's 'The Tempest  to an episode of 'Minder'. As Toyah the popsinger, she has embraced every style from punk, sci-fi-warrior to Sloane-ranger sophisticate. As Toyah the self publicist, she's told endless, improbable tales about black magic, shark infested swimming pools and knickers floating around her bedroom.

There is a scurrilous rumour that a lot of Toyah's tales about her life are little more than the product of her all-too-fertile imagination. We've done our best to suft through all the fiction and come up with a few facts. Unlikely though some of them may seem, we believe that we have at last unearthed just a little bit of the truth.

Did you know, for example, that when she was filming the TV drama 'The Ebony Tower' with Lord Olivier the script required her to spend so much time romping about in the buff that, at one stage, the film's director even stripped off to make her feel more comfortable.

Toyah's latest acting aspiration is to play the part of ancient British warrior-queen Boadicea, in a forthcoming musical film.

Toyah tries to spend up to three hours every day keeping fit. She has her own gym at home. Normally she gets up at 7 o'clock in the morning, then does twenty miles on her exercise bike before starting on a weighlifting routine.

She often goes to sleep listening to hypnosis tapes. Some help her to relax, others have helped her to take off weight. "I've also learnt languages, law and accountancy through these tapes," she told us. Yes, we believe you Toyah. Thousands wouldn't but... 

Toyah has webbed feet 

There is a rumour that Toyah is to play the part of the fairy, Tinkerbell, in a musical of 'Peter Pan' starring Sting. 

Toyah hates shopping because people keep coming up to her and telling her how small and haggard she looks. 

She has to make regular visits to her dentist when her teeth keep getting cracked because "When I'm dancing up and down and singing I gnash my teeth together really hard and they keep breaking." 

Toyah once did a radio phone in about her drama training. At one point she got up and did an example of tap dancing...on the radio! 

One final quote from Toyah: "I don't dye my hair that much anymore. I did all that five years ago... But when I hit the stage again, I'm still going to bite." 

...looks like another visit to the dentist is on the cards.

Bubbling Under Mag
Summer 1985