This was originally shown on network BBC2 back in September 2001.

Toyah was the first guest on this series that mixes painting tips and travelogue. Presenter Dermot Cavanagh and Toyah visited Yeats' country, Co. Sligo in Ireland. She talked about her career, past, present and future. The show included a number of old clips from Top Of The Pops, Songs Of Praise etc. 

Toyah and Dermot then set out to paint the picturesque Glencar Loch, set in the shadow of the majestic Benbulben Mountain. Toyah recalled an artist using watercolour on her face to create her 'Brave New World' look. She was pleased with her "first painting", and with Dermot's tuition. 

As you can see it aint half bad for a first attempt. 

Awash With Colour : BBC2 Northern Ireland - Monday 9th August : 3.45pm

• Was that Toyah spotted in the audience of Wednesday evening's The Weakest Link on BBC1? The quiz show theme was ex pop group members, including Belinda Carlisle (Go-Go's), Martin Fry (ABC), and Nick Heyward (Haircut 100). (Thanks to Alec)

• Toyah has been mentioned, yet again, on Big Brother 5.

The six-strong team beat Belfast in the first round of Simply the Best on ITV1 at the weekend, successfully tackling a human catapult and a foamy 40ft water slide to achieve victory.

The team is Jennie Preece and Kelly Davis, both aged 25 and aerobics instructors; teacher Steve Mead, aged 34, bodybuilder Darren Alden, aged 26, and fitness instructors Justin Thompson, 23 and Ben Walker, aged 18.

The team was skippered by singer-turned TV presenter Toyah Willcox and former boyband member Ritchie Neville.

The team now meets another city in the next round. The ultimate winners will receive £50,000 to spend on a community project.

[ Birmingham Evening Mail - 26th July 2004 ]

TV comic and actor Alexei Sayle is one of the highlights when he performs at Stanwix Arts Theatre on October 5.

Alexei, who found fame with the cult TV series Comic Strip Presents and The Young Ones, will be regaling his audience with an evening of anecdotes.

He will also read from his two collections of short stories and his latest novel Overtaken as well as take questions from the audience.

Top of the pops this autumn is singing diva Lulu.

She will perform at the Carlisle’s Sands Centre on November 25 as part of her autumn UK tour and to promote her new album Back on Track.

Lulu, who first hit the charts at the age of 15 in 1964, is the only British female solo artist to have appeared in the charts for five straight decades. 

Four legends of the 1980s music scene – Curiosity Killed the Cat, Toyah, Altered Images and Haircut 100’s singer Nick Heyward – will be playing on October 15 at the Sands Centre’s Best of the 80s night.

Other concerts organised at the leisure centre include rock legends Uriah Heep (October 30), and comedians Roy Chubby Brown (September 10) and Ken Dodd (October 16).

An international series of classical concerts is being launched this September at the Sands Centre. Highlights include performances by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic and St Petersburg Symphony in October and November respectively.

Probably the most bizarre offering this autumn is Puppetry of the Penis: The Ancient Australian Art of Genital Origami.

The boys from Down Under – who manipulate their genitals into various shapes, objects and famous landmarks – return to the Stanwix Arts Theatre on September 28 following a sell-out show last year.

[ Carlisle News & Star - 27th July 2004 ]

Toyah, along with Ritchie Neville (ex 5ive) and six team mates, represented Birmingham, and competed against the city of Belfast, led by former boxer Barry McGuigan and Miss Ireland. 14 UK cities in total will be taking part over eight weeks, with the Top two of the series going into the Grand Final.

The show, reminiscent to an updated version of It's A Knockout, took place in a specially built arena in Jersey and was presented by Phil Tufnell (Toyah's jungle-mate from I'm A Celebrity) and Kirsty Gallagher. Entertainment, in between some of the challenges, was provided by Anastacia, Busted and Natasha Bedingfield.

Kirsty introduced Toyah (onscreen caption: Toyah Willcox - punk-turned-presenter) by saying: "Toyah, you're a bit of a wild thing, this is so up your street".

Toyah replied: "I love it. I've been training so hard. I've been running up mountains, but nothing can prepare you to what's going to happen tonight. And as you can see I'm not the tallest person in the crowd, but I'm quick and I can nip through small gaps and things like that. So it's gonna be good and Birmingham is gonna win!"

Challenge one was called THE PLANK. Team members had to carry two buckets of water across a plank while being bombarded by the other team shoving giant pads at them. Toyah had two plucky attempts but ended up being thrown into the water both times.

During the SAW WARS challenge the commentator said: "Dirk's (that's the referee, catchphrase "rules are rules"!) rigorous with the rules, much to Toyah's anger". Birmingham won this round, with Toyah and Ritchie getting just a little excited.

Then there was the PANCAKE TOSS challenge, with Toyah directing the Birmingam toss!

The POWER POINT challenge had to be the strangest sight of the evening, with team members wearing huge plugs on their heads, spun for 30 seconds until very dizzy and then sent off to find a power point eight metres away!

Toyah proved particularly good at this, shouting directions using clock navigation. Choice commentator quips: "Toyah, enthusiastically directing Jenny, who doesn't appear to know what day it is, let alone the time!", and "Melanie still aimlessly looking for 9 o'clock. Stretching the patience, and trousers, of Toyah!", as well as "Toyah, such a charismatic communicator. She knows how to direct the human electric plug!" All the while Toyah can be heard hollering: "Bend, Bend, Bend, Bend!" at the poor plughead! Very entertaining.

After the round, Kirsty asked Toyah how her throat/voice was: "It's just great. I love these ones. I really like shouting my head off, it's fantastic. I haven't got a sore throat but I must say Birmingham is the best audience because they shout so loud"

In the hilarious THE BRIDGE OF SIZE Sumo challenge Toyah and Ritchie were celebrity builders, managing to win by building their bridge first.

Next was BEAT THE BALLOON. Toyah and an opponent from the Belfast team answered questions, passing a speedily inflating balloon to each other with every correct answer. Unfortunately Toyah had just taken hold of it as it burst, showering her with tickertape much to her amusement.

The show ended with a couple of challenges Toyah didn't particpate in. I managed to miss which team won, but as Birmingham seemed to lead for most of the show, and were presented with medallions while rocking out onstage to Busted, I'd guess they were the triumphant winners. 

All in all, this was pretty entertaining, and not such a bad way to spend 95 minutes on a Saturday evening. Who knows? Maybe Birmingham will even be back for the Grand Final?

Please check back soon for a page of screen captures from the show.

• Toyah was the subject of a quiz question on BBC Radio 2 last week. A caller was asked: "'It's A Mystery' was was the title track of an EP called 'Four From...'?" Not surprisingly the caller answered the question correctly. (Thanks to Alec Kelly)

• The 'Belfast Telegraph' mentioned Toyah, in an article on the show Simply The Best, in their Friday (23rd July) edition:

Beauty and Brawn

Miss UK Gayle Williamson and boxing legend Barry McGuigan will be leading their team into battle tomorrow evening as Belfast gets ready to take on Birmingham in the ITV show Simply The Best.

Lurgan lass Gayle and the Clones Cyclone will go head-to-head against a Birmingham team led by 5ive heart-throb Ritchie Neville and rock chick Toyah Willcox.

Former Miss Northern Ireland Gayle is hoping to match the excellence of her sporting idol - rugby world cup star Johnny Wilkinson, whom she has a bit of a crush on.

Another celebrity she admires is golfer Tiger Woods.

Gayle, a keen golfer herself, says she's more interested in the fact that he's the highest paid sportsman than how he swings his club!

King of the ring Barry is no stranger to cheering crowds, having won the WBA title in 1985 in front of the biggest audience in boxing history.

Both of the Belfast team captains are willing to get wet and wild for their fellow team-mates, who include Irish hockey star Mark Irwin, model and gymnastics coach Ciaran Gallagher, property developer Melanie Harrison, sports therapist and triathlon fanatic Connor Belton and super-fit swimmer Janine Harvey.

Each of the six team contestants will be put through their paces in a range of adrenanalin-buzzing challenges and brain-teasing puzzles, including the human catapult, Airkick, the frothy foamy 40ft water slide in Aquaplane and the muscle- aching Champion's Wall.

• Now Online - The page of screen captures from the Hampton Court Palace Flower Show. Toyah appeared on this on Friday 9th July on BBC2. These can be viewed at the CAPTURED section.

• Also Online - A direct link, on the Entry page, to the new JOEL BOGEN section on Dreamscape. I still don't have much to add to this so any contributions or pictures would be very welcome. (Thanks to Craig R for the 1983 Joel interview, which will be added sometime soon).

Simply The Best : ITV1 - Saturday 24th July : 7.30pm

Kirsty Gallacher and Phil Tufnell host the gameshow from a specially constructed arena in St Helier, Jersey. Two teams representing Belfast and Birmingham compete in a series of games and challenges to determine which is the best. The Belfast team includes Miss UK Gayle Willliamson and boxing legend Barry McGuigan, while Birmingham is represented by Ritchie Neville and Toyah Willcox. Premiership referee Paul Durkin oversees the events.

• As well as the changes to the Official Toyah website mentioned below (July 13th News update), the GALLERY has also been revised, and the GIG CV has additional flyers and images added too, with set-lists to follow soon too.

Keep an eye on the Official site for something special around about August.

• Check out Robert Fripp's online diary for more candid piccies of Toyah, including one taken in Paris, and a humorous backstage photo. They can be found under the 30/6 and 1/7 entries. Please look soon as they will not stay online permanently. (Thanks to Owen Keenan @ the Dreamscape Forum).

www.disciplineglobalmobile.com/diary/diary-RobertFripp.shtml

All you need to do is click on the pic and answer an easy question to be in with a chance of winning one.

There are only a limited number available - Good Luck!

Yet again, Toyah has made the cover of the town's biggest newspaper, over all the other acts on the bill. She is pictured, complete with red horns, alongside the headline; "THE BIG LIGHT WILL ROCK ON". This refers to the success of all six concerts held as part of the 'Big Light' festival in Bolton.

The publication said: "Following T'Pau was Toyah who, despite being 46 years old, just about managed to get away with wearing a skin-tight black PVC cat-suit and red devil horns. 

She may not have been the strongest vocally, but what the ex-children's TV presenter lacked in voice she made up for in sheer charisma, whipping the audience into a frenzy with her provocative dance moves."

As well as a number from the recent, Ruby inspired, Dean Stockings session, there are also some classic Toyah pictures from various stages of her career. Included amongst these is the striking 'Don't Fall In Love (I Said)' promo image from 1985, in stark black and white. A really beautiful photograph.

Each time you now visit www.toyahwillcox.com you could be greeted with a different Toyah. Which one will you get? It's a mystery!! (doh!)

This press ad is taken from yesterday's 'Sunday Mirror' newspaper.

Three Toyah hits are namechecked on the border of the ad: 'It's A Mystery', 'I Want To Be Free' and 'Thunder In The Mountains'. Along with various songs from the other acts on the bill, Nick Heyward, Altered Images, and Curiosity Killed The Cat.

Expect lots of promotion and further press ads in the lead up to the opening night on 6th October in Kings Lynn.

Wednesday 6th October : Corn Exchange, Kings Lynn (Tel:  01553 764 864)
Thursday 7th October : Marina Theatre, Lowestoft (Tel: 01502 533 200) 
Friday 8th October :  Assembley Halls, Tunbridge Wells (Tel: 01892 530 613) 
Saturday 9th October : Auditorium, Grimsby (Tel: 01472 311 311) 
Wednesday 13th October : The Orchard, Dartford (Tel: 01322 220000) 
Thursday 14th October : The Olympia, Liverpool (Tel: 01512 263 633) 
Friday 15th October : Sands Centre, Carlisle (Tel: 01228 625 222) 
Saturday 16th October : Hotel, Holme Lacy (Tel: 01432 870870) 
Tuesday 19th October : Music Hall, Aberdeen (Tel: 01224 641 122) 
Wednesday 20th October : Playhouse, Edinburgh (Tel: 08706 063 424) 
Thursday 21st October : Civic Centre, Aylesbury (Tel: 01934 654 544) 
Saturday 23rd October : Leas Cliff Hall, Folkestone (Tel: 01303 228 600) 
Sunday 24th October : Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury (Tel: 01227 787 787) 
Monday 25th October : Hexagon, Reading (Tel: 01189 606 060) 
Tuesday 26th October : Civic Centre, Wolverhampton (Tel: 01902 552 121) 
Wednesday 27th October : The Astoria, London (Tel: 02073 440 044) 
Thursday 28th October : Assembley Rooms, Derby (Tel: 01332 255 800) 
Friday 29th October : Cliffs Pavilion, Southend (Tel: 01702 351 135) 
Saturday 30th October : Grand Theatre, Swansea (Tel: 01792 475 715) 
Sunday 31st October : Opera House, Buxton (Tel: 08451 272 190) 

www.tdpromo.com

Thanks to Andi Westhorpe for the picture.

• Another little info update on Saturday's 'Here and Now' OUTDOOR concert in Bolton:

Toyah was third on the bill, playing after Go West and T'Pau. It had been raining heavily and just as Toyah came onstage... it stopped! She was wearing the black PVC catsuit from THE CLUB appearance a fortnight ago, with a thick red belt and red devil horns in her hair completing the look.

Commenting on the weather, Toyah said she wanted to see everyone "steam"! She also exclaimed: "I may be 46 years old but I can still fit into something tight!" much to the delight of the audience.

Set-list comprised of:

Good Morning Universe
Thunder In The Mountains
It's A Mystery
I Want To Be Free

Thanks to Michael O'Brien for the info.

Presenter Diarmuid Gavin introduced Toyah by saying: "20 years ago, singer and actress, Toyah Willcox was a big figure of rebellion against authority, but today she spends whatever spare time she has... gardening! She has two acres in Worcestershire but when she's in London, she's a lover of the smaller plot...

Toyah (in her cute London garden): "When I first moved here, this garden was, politely putting it, a bit of a rubbish tip. I thought, 'I have to deal with this, it's a beautiful space, and it's slightly below ground level, I'm wasting this, this is an absolute treasure'. So I got my thinking cap on and started to design it.

"This is what I call a "low-maintenance" garden. Everything I've planted here can do very well on it's own, because I can be away for weeks and months at a time. I have Jasmine, which at night is so beautiful. You arrive home and the air is scented. It's extraordinary!

"I've often learned by my own mistakes, because I tend to plant things and then realise they're completely wrong for the area I've put them in. And then I take them away and put them in the right space. But I eventually get there.

"I love my strawberry ground cover. It hides the snails, which I refuse to kill. It gives me some breakfast and, for some reason, snails don't eat the strawberries."

"My Buddha corner. I like to just sit here, or lie down. It's absolutely gorgeous.

"I wanted the whole of the floor to be white marble. I gave my tiler the impossible task of recognising all the points of the compass, which is to do with Feng Shui. It looks like a helicopter pad. I fly in from Heathrow quite regularly and I can see this garden as I'm landing.

It's a small environment, which I can keep in control myself. I absolutely adore gardening because, I think, it's the ultimate form of self-expression."

Toyah was then interviewed, by Diarmuid, while walking through the flower show...

Diarmuid: "It's a real contrast of passions isn't it Toyah. From rock star to garden lover?

Toyah: "If you told me I'd be into gardening 20 years ago I think I'd have laughed you off the planet!"

Toyah then went on to choose her favourite garden (very oriental, Feng-Shui looking) and commented on another, before saying about the flower show grounds: "To do an open air concert here. I would love it."

Please check back soon for a page of screen captures from this programme. 

Thanks to John.

BBC1 dedicated their entire Saturday evening schedule to the SPORT RELIEF charity. Part of this was a celebrity boxing match between Sid Owen (ex-Eastenders) and Ben Fogle (from Castaway).

And who was holding up the cards announcing the beginning of each of the three rounds? None other than Toyah. Looking a vision in pink dress and pink & black feathers.

Sorry about the bad caps, I only spotted her onscreen (on another screen) behind the presenters.

Over £11million was raised for the charity. 

Thanks to John.

If anyone who WAS there has any info or pics I could add to the TOYAH LIVE 2004 section it would be absolutely amazing.

Apologies to Alec, Garry, John, Duncan & Garry, Paul and Paul for having to cancel :o((

Toyah made a number of appearances, commenting on New Romantics, "Marilyn was a big London name, Boy George and Steve Strange, and they were dressing noticeably differently and were years ahead of their time. Pretty boys with pretty haircuts, pretty make up, and very pretty clothes. I can remember thinking, 'that's not going to catch on really, is it?', and the Royal Wedding, "The wedding was on the telly and I came in and peeked at it, and was really intrigued by it. The whole kind of pageantry and ceremony was really very touching and beautiful, and the scale was very beautiful".

Thanks to Anya @ the Dreamscape Forum.

Also spotted at the event were Kid Creole, Cheryl Baker, Su Pollard, and a variety of Eastenders actors, past and present.

• GOOD LUCK to Toyah for this Saturday's 'Here And Now' OUTDOOR concert at the Reebok Stadium in Bolton. Toyah is on (I think) second, playing a 20 minute set, so make sure you get there early. The concert, also featuring ABC, Howard Jones, T'Pau, and Curiosity Killed The Cat (Five Star appear to have disappeared from the line-up), is scheduled to last for three Eighties-tastic hours! Everyone who is going - HAVE FUN!!

• Apparently tickets for Saturday's concert are currently on sale on a "buy one get one free" basis - A bargain!! And definitely an excuse to snap a couple up and zoom over to Bolton to support Toyah in the 27,000 capacity stadium. Take a look @ www.biglighton.co.uk for more info. (Thanks to Paul Cable at the Dreamscape Forum).

• Now online - that collection of elus!ve screen captures from Toyah's 1977 appearance in Three Piece Suite. Take a look by visitng the CAPTURED section or clicking on the Three Piece Suite news story down below (July 3).

• This month's 'Q' magazine contains a really abysmal joint "review" (in the Re-releases section) of 'Prostitute', 'Ophelia's Shadow' and 'Velvet Lined Shell'. Bitter is the only word that springs to mind. Does anyone still take these failed musicians, turned hacks, seriously in 2004? 

• Check out the Official website for Toyah's July webletter, and a slightly rejigged look on the menu page.

• Toyah has recently done some filming for a new game show, called Simply The Best. It's "a little like Fear Factor meets It’s A Knockout", says Toyah, who is representing Birmingham.

A huge THANKS to the elus!ve stranger who has provided a set of THREE PIECE SUITE captures.

This was Toyah's second TV appearance/role.

Three Piece Suite was a six part series of half hour shows. Each show was cut up into three 10 minute plays featuring Diana Rigg. Toyah plays a character called Buzz in episode 5. The play was called This Situation.

Episode 5: Broadcast 05.04.1977  BBC2 9:00pm to 9:30pm.

Play: 2 : This Situation, written by Tina Brown. Starring Diana Rigg, George Baker, Derek Deadman, Neil Dalglish, Toyah Wilcox, Richard McNeff and Margaret Boyd. 

Please check back soon for the page of screen captures.

Stadium bosses have announced a line-up that they hope will turn the home of Bolton Wanderers into the North-west's best outdoor music venue. Here Bolton Evening News writers interview the stars who will be drawing in the crowds . . . 

HERE AND NOW TOUR: See big stars of the 80s

SOME of the eighties' biggest stars are getting together for the Here and Now tour as part of the Big Light On shows at the Reebok Stadium. Here they are:

Toyah
TOYAH Willcox has celebrated 25 years in pop music but music is not the only thing in her life. We spoke to her as she prepared to visit Bolton and she said she was currently preparing for her part in a new film, French Leave, in which she stars alongside Gene Hackman. She has also recently agreed to take part in, what she describes as, "the maddest game show" filmed on the island of Jersey and has also spent two years touring with the musical Calamity Jane, as well as enjoying regular stints on television. She says: "I love outdoor concerts. I always get there early because the atmosphere is brilliant and I love watching the other acts."

Curiosity KIlled The Cat
FORMED in 1984 by Ben Volpeliere-Pierrot (vocals), Julian Godfrey Brookhouse (guitar), Nicholas Bernard Throp (bass), Michael Drummond (drums), and Toby Anderson (keyboards), they released the toe-tapping single Misfit in July 1986. In early 1987 Down to Earth was a huge Top-10 hit in the UK.

Howard Jones
HOWARD Jones released his first single, New Song, in the UK in 1983 and expected it to sell a few thousand copies. However, it steadily climbed the charts to peak at number 3 and his second, What Is Love? went straight in at number 1, as did his debut album, Human's Lib. But it was probably the single Like To Get To Know You Well that really catapulted Jones to fame.

Go West
IT was 1982 when Peter Cox and Richard Drummond first pulled their artistic talents together to form Go West. The song We Close Our Eyes was released it in 1985 and it reached number 4 in the charts. It also became top 10 in the states ‹ which is when Peter's love affair with the country began. He relocated there in the early 90s and re-emerged into the limelight in the reality TV show, Reborn in the USA. Go West also had a huge hit in 1991 with King of Wishful Thinking ‹ the opening song of the film Pretty Woman.

ABC
IN the past few years the gold-suited lead singer of ABC, Martin Fry, has "rediscovered" playing live and says excitedly: "We're going to rip it up at Bolton. There is nothing as exciting and enjoyable as playing live." Martin, whose hit songs included The Look of Love and Shoot That Poisoned Arrow, says: "My old stuff is just as relevant, it is what the fans want and they are the people who really matter. "That's what I'll be doing at Bolton Reebok . . . and tell 'em that, yes, I'll be wearing the gold suit!"

T'pau
T'PAU burst onto the music scene in 1987 with Heart & Soul which reached number 4 in both the UK and US charts. T'Pau comprised Carol Decker on vocals and her then partner of 13 years, Ron Rogers on guitar, plus four session musicians. The single China In Your Hand stayed at number one in the UK for five weeks in 1987. Carol, now 46 and a mum of two, said: "Children do change your life and I think mine changed so much because of the type of work I do. "Having kids made it much more structured ‹ no more rock and roll hours for me. Although," she laughs, "I was up all night last night with Dylan. I'm absolutely shattered!"

With the addition of three new pages, dedicated to Toyah's recent appearances at Nightingales and THE CLUB, plus a "Mish Mash" (a mish mash of Toyah pics from a variety of years) page, the GALLERY now has well over 500 pictures of TW, just waiting to be browsed.

Also, coming as soon as possible - the new COVERS section...

Toyah magazine, book, tour/theatre programme, fanzine covers

Thanks to Andi Westhorpe.