Toyah Willcox

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Toyah Ann Willcox (born 18 May 1958) is an English singer-songwriter, actress, and television presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, she has had eight top 40 singles, released over 20 albums, written two books, appeared in over 40 stage plays and 10 feature films, and voiced and presented numerous television shows.<ref name="official">Template:Cite web</ref>

Between 1977 and 1983, Willcox fronted the eponymous band Toyah, before embarking on a solo career in the mid-1980s. At the Brit Awards 1982, Willcox was nominated for British Breakthrough Act, and Best Female Solo Artist. She was nominated a further two times in this category in 1983, and in 1984. Her hit singles, which she co-wrote, include "It's a Mystery", "Thunder in the Mountains" and "I Want to Be Free".

Willcox is married to English guitarist Robert Fripp.

Early life

Willcox was born on 18 May 1958 in Kings Heath, Birmingham.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Her father Beric Willcox ran a successful joinery business and owned three factories. Her mother Barbara Joy, née Rollinson, was a professional dancer, with whom he had fallen in love after seeing her on stage in Weston-super-Mare with singing and comedy double act Flanagan and Allen, and married in 1949. Her mother gave up her career after giving birth to Willcox's elder sister and brother.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Willcox has suggested her first name could be a reference to the town of Toyah, Texas, or to the Native American word "toyah" meaning water, although she notes her parents deny both origins.<ref name="noel_edmunds_int">Template:Cite episode</ref>

Willcox enjoyed a financially comfortable childhood, attending a private girls' school, but was bullied. Requiring physiotherapy for a spinal condition, she behaved violently towards her mother, to whom she was close.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> An absentee pupil and frequently rebellious, she sat O-levels a year late owing to corrective surgery on her feet. She achieved one O-level pass, in music.<ref name="belfast_2008" /> Alienated by her background and surroundings, her rebellious behaviour led to her shunning male company and adopting an aggressive and flamboyant identity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Her early interest in music, dance and acting, combined with her alienation, and her uncertainty regarding her sexuality, led Willcox to seek an outlet, initially in acting and then in music. She attended the Old Rep Drama School in Birmingham, paying privately because she was denied a grant, the assessor noting: "She has a lisp and isn't attractive." She began working as a dresser in local theatres, including The Alexandra, Birmingham, and the Birmingham Hippodrome. Because of her distinctive appearance and gaudily dyed hair, repertory actors referred to her as "The Bird of Paradise."<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> A friend's suggestion that she should see the Sex Pistols led to her being attracted to the punk movement, but she resolved to do better, travelling to London to take up a career in acting and music.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

1976–1979: Career beginnings

After appearing as an extra in a drama being made at the BBC Pebble Mill Studios in Birmingham, an opening came to take a role in Glitter (1976), a play in the BBC Second City Firsts series, alongside Noel Edmonds and Phil Daniels.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Recommended to the play's director by a member of the wardrobe department because of her distinctive appearance and oddball character, Willcox was given the role of Sue, a girl who sang with the band Bilbo and who dreamed of appearing on Top of the Pops.<ref name="noel_edmunds_int" /> In the course of the 30-minute play, Willcox performed two songs she had co-written: "Floating Free" (an acoustic ballad, with Phil Daniels accompanying her on guitar) and "Dream Maker".<ref name="dreamscape_glitter">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Glitter, Toyah Willcox official website. Accessed 2021-07-18.</ref> The play was seen by Kate Nelligan and Maximilian Schell, who offered her work with the National Theatre in London, where she got the part of Emma in Tales from the Vienna Woods, directed by Schell. The opening led to her relocating to London.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1977, while playing Emma in Tales from the Vienna Woods at the National Theatre, Willcox, inspired by her role as a musician in Glitter, fronted a band called Toyah<ref name="noel_edmunds_int" /> which featured Joel Bogen on guitar, Mark Henry on bass, Steve Bray on drums, Peter Bush on keyboards, and herself on vocals.<ref name="dreamscape_glitter" /> Having never considered herself a musician, she found herself lead singer of a successful band, although still uncertain about her own sexuality and repelled by her bandmates' antics with groupies.<ref name="morley_80">Template:Cite web</ref>

Introduced by actor Ian Charleson to director Derek Jarman, Willcox was offered 'any part you want' in Jubilee (called Down with the Queen at the time).<ref name="jubilee">Template:Cite web</ref> Plagued by budgetary issues, the film featured Willcox as the murderous 'Mad', as well as a number of other prominent figures from the punk scene, including Siouxsie Sioux, Adam Ant and Richard O’Brien.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She went on to play 'Monkey' in the 1979 film of The Who's Quadrophenia, having been introduced to director Franc Roddam through an association with John Lydon. Willcox demanded the part of Monkey from Roddam.<ref name="time_out_80">Template:Cite web</ref> She completed filming despite requiring medical attention for pneumonia.<ref name="morley_80" />

The possibility of a role in the Sex Pistols' film, The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle under director Russ Meyer having fallen through,<ref name="time_out_80" /> Willcox went on to play Miranda in Jarman's film The Tempest<ref name="morley_80" /> which won her a nomination as Best Newcomer at the 1980 Evening Standard Awards.<ref name="official" /> Continuing a stage career alongside film work, in 1979, on London's Royal Court Theatre stage, Willcox played Sharon in Nigel Williams' Sugar and Spice,<ref name="zigzag">Template:Cite web</ref> Tallulah in Stephen Poliakoff's American Days at the ICA, playing alongside Mel Smith, Antony Sher and Phil Daniels and taking a film role opposite Katharine Hepburn in the made-for-television film The Corn Is Green, directed by George Cukor.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Willcox found her dual careers as a musician and actress frequently in conflict, leading to confusion as to which role constituted a 'compartment' to put her into.<ref name="rec_collector">Template:Cite web</ref> Feeling her musical career was not taken as seriously as her acting,<ref name="morley_80" /> she nevertheless viewed her acting role as 'highbrow' and her musical career as 'lowbrow'.<ref name="morley_80" />

1980–1983: Toyah and gaining punk status

Willcox was considered a pinnacle of the new-wave punk movement in the late 1970s and early 1980s

In London, Willcox lived in a place called "Mayhem", a converted British Rail warehouse serving as a studio.<ref name="nme">Template:Cite web</ref> It was here the band Toyah recorded their first demos. For the lack of proper bed she slept for a while in a "second-hand" coffin, reportedly used by the French Red Cross to transport victims of fatal accidents.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Citing her role in Quadrophenia as a boost to her musical career, with growing audiences Toyah signed to Safari Records, releasing a debut single "Victims of the Riddle", which topped the UK Indie Chart.<ref name="nme"/> This was followed by the Sheep Farming in Barnet EP, produced by Steve James and Keith Hale. Initially released in Germany, in 1979 it was re-released as an LP, comprising the original six tracks, "Victims of the Riddle" A and B sides and three tracks that were previously unavailable on vinyl.<ref name="discography" /> Willcox's second album, The Blue Meaning, went to no. 40 in the UK Albums Chart in June 1980.<ref name="Official"/> By this time, she is reported as announcing she had severed all ties with punk aesthetics.<ref name="nme"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In January 1981, the live album Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!, recorded at the Lafayette Club in Wolverhampton the previous June,<ref name="allmusic_toyah">Template:Cite web</ref> made it to the Top 30, backed up by a TV documentary Toyah. By now the original band had broken up<ref name="zigzag" /> and a new lineup was in place, consisting of Phil Spalding, Nigel Glockler and Adrian Lee, only Joel Bogen and Willcox remaining.<ref name="allmusic_toyah" /> 1981 saw Willcox's strengthened presence in the UK chart with hits such as Four from Toyah EP (no. 4, February 1981, including "It's a Mystery"), the third studio album Anthem that went to no. 2 in May 1981,<ref name="Official"/> to be later certified platinum,<ref name="Official"/> "I Want to Be Free" (no. 8, June 1981), "Thunder in the Mountains" (no. 4, October 1981) and Four More from Toyah EP (no. 14, November 1981). She became one of the first acts to score regularly in the UK Singles Chart with EPs, which were also successful on an international level. At the end of the year Willcox won the Smash Hits' reader's poll in two categories: Best Female Singer and Most Fanciable Female (beating Kim Wilde to the second place).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In 1981 she alone, according to Safari, sold in the UK more units than the whole of the Warner Bros. put together.<ref name="nme"/>

In 1982, The Changeling album was released, produced by Steve Lillywhite, marking a turn for a more goth-tinged sound, it went up to no. 6 in the UK.<ref name="rec_collector" /> The Changeling was followed in the same year by a double live album Warrior Rock: Toyah on Tour.<ref name="Official"/> Also in 1982, Willcox appeared in Urgh! A Music War, a British film released in 1982 featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk acts, filmed in 1980, in which she performed "Danced". Three more of her singles, "Brave New World", "Ieya" and "Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)" charted in the Top 50 of the UK Singles Chart.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> At the Brit Awards 1982, Willcox was nominated for British Breakthrough Act, and Best Female Solo Artist.<ref name="punk">Template:Cite web</ref>

The making of Love Is the Law (1983) was the happiest period of her life, according to Willcox, combining work in the critically acclaimed stage play Trafford Tanzi and the film The Ebony Tower with Laurence Olivier with work on the album.<ref name="discography" /> By this time, though, her popularity started to decline: the album reached no. 28 (with singles "Rebel Run" and "The Vow" peaking at no. 24 and no. 50 respectively),<ref name="Official"/> and with a 1984 greatest hits compilation, released by K-tel and called confusingly Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! All the Hits, failing to chart.<ref name="allmusic_toyah" />

1984–1990: Solo career and acting work

Willcox disbanded her group in 1983, and signed a recording contract with Portrait Records, and, in 1985, released the solo studio album Minx, which contained several cover versions including Alice Cooper's "School's Out", as well as her own hit, "Don't Fall in Love (I Said)".<ref name="Official"/>

Willcox and her husband Robert Fripp (left) have been married since 1986

Willcox secretly married British guitarist Robert Fripp, founding member of King Crimson, in Witchampton, Dorset<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> on his 40th birthday (16 May 1986). Together they formed a new band, called Fripp Fripp on the initial tours, later changing its name to Sunday All Over the World, which released the critically acclaimed album Kneeling at the Shrine (1991). She referred to Fripp as her 'soulmate'.<ref name="belfast_2008">Template:Cite web</ref> That same year, she also sang lead vocals on the track "Lion of Symmetry" by Tony Banks of Genesis.<ref name="Official"/>

Her next solo studio album Desire (1987) was less successful although the single with her version of "Echo Beach" made it to the Top 50. Then in 1988 Prostitute came out, an album through which Willcox vented her frustrations which started to accumulate as a result of having made the transformation "from all-powerful artist to invisible woman" in the course of just one year of marriage.<ref name="discography" /> This experimental concept album, marking a considerable divergence from previous works, was released on E.G. Records. The attitude to Prostitute, according to Willcox, in the UK and the US was radically different: "In the UK, when my management tried to sell it to the music reps, an awful lot got up and walked out of meetings; all male I hasten to add. In America, Billboard magazine said it was the dawning of a new era for me as a producer and that it was an antidote to Madonna. I started to receive mail from professors at eminent universities telling me they played the album at their lectures as an example of the new way of thinking coming from contemporary women."<ref name="discography" /> She had many television roles, including series such as Quatermass (1979), Minder (1980),<ref name="tv"/> and the movie Quadrophenia. She starred opposite Laurence Olivier in The Ebony Tower (1984),<ref name="tv"/> and opposite the Who's Roger Daltrey in Murder: Ultimate Grounds for Divorce (1984).<ref name="tv"/> She also appeared on Kavanagh QC. During the late 1980s and 1990s, Willcox forged ahead with a career as a stage performer. Notable credits include Trafford Tanzi (at the Mermaid Theatre, leading role), Cabaret (Sally Bowles), Three Men on a Horse (winner of an Laurence Olivier Awards for Best New Comedy), and the UK tour of Arthur Smith's Live Bed Show. In 1990, she played Costanza in the national tour of Amadeus.<ref name="official" />

1991–1999: Presenting work and further albums

Although she had presented the magazine series Look! Hear! for BBC Birmingham between 1979 and 1981, it was in the 1990s that Willcox's career as a TV presenter took off. She began by presenting arts programmes First Night and Time Off in 1993.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> By the mid to late 1990s, she could be seen presenting items on shows such as Watchdog:healthcheck, This Morning and The Heaven and Earth Show. She also worked on VH1 for three years, presenting Toyah and Toyah and Chase for the cable music station.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Viewers could accompany Willcox to various locations worldwide during her tenure as a reporter on BBC travel shows such as Holiday and Holiday- Fasten Your Seatbelts. Willcox's husband Robert Fripp joined her on her studio album Ophelia's Shadow (1991), which received good reviews.<ref name="official" /> She released three more albums, Take the Leap! (1993), Dreamchild (1994), and Looking Back (1995).<ref name="official" /> In 1996, she had the unique honour of simultaneously hosting both Songs of Praise on the BBC and Good Sex Guide Late on ITV. IThe same year, Willcox released The Acoustic Album on Aardvark Records, featuring strings from Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and produced by Oliver Davis.<ref name="discography">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1999, she took the lead in the children's television series Barmy Aunt Boomerang. She also provided the voices for the children's television programmes Hairy Jeremy, Teletubbies and Brum.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2000–2010: Television appearances and touring

Willcox in 2006

At the turn of the millennium, she continued to work on The Heaven and Earth Show as a newspaper reviewer and also presented a series of Whose Recipe Is It Anyway on the Carlton Food Network and 40 episodes of Beyond Medicine on the Discovery Health Channel. As the noughties progressed, she had stints presenting Head2Head and Destination Lunch on the Overseas Property TV channel, was a newspaper reviewer on Sky News, and hosted various music programmes for Vintage TV.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 2001, Willcox was awarded an honorary doctorate by the University of Central England in recognition of her achievements in performing arts, media and broadcasting.<ref name="official" /> The 2001 May issue of Q magazine named Willcox number 48 in their top 100 Greatest Women in Music poll, as voted for by readers of the magazine.<ref>[1] Template:Dead link</ref> She returned to music in 2002 with new material for a limited edition Little Tears of Love EP and a one-off preview concert at Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club. The same year she sold out eleven stadium gigs for the Here and Now tour. She continued to perform with her band, releasing a mini-album Velvet Lined Shell in 2003 on her own record label, Vertical Species Records, showcasing a darker, edgier direction. Willcox also appeared on the BBC Radio 4 series The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. In May 2003, Willcox was a contestant on the second series of the ITV survival reality show I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!, and she was fourth to be eliminated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In June 2003, Willcox appeared on stage in London's West End performing the title role of Calamity Jane, which was subsequently nominated for an Evening Standard Award for Best Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre. In 2004, she performed as part of The Best of the 80s tour in the UK alongside Nick Heyward, Curiosity Killed the Cat and Altered Images. A live DVD followed in 2005, the year that also saw two parts of The Safari Records Singles Collection being issued. In February 2005, Willcox appeared on the fourth and final series of the Living TV programme, I'm Famous and Frightened!.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Willcox was a guest vocalist in the anniversary concert of The Rocky Horror Show at the Royal Court Theatre in May 2006.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2006, she joined the radio drama series Silver Street on the BBC Asian Network as Siobhan Brady.

Between 2007 and 2008, Willcox had a recurring role as Gail Baxter in Secret Diary of a Call Girl, the mother of the title character played by Billie Piper. In May 2007, she collaborated with Bill Rieflin as the Humans for live dates in Estonia, having been invited by the Estonian president.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> According to The Northern Echo, that resulted "from reading one of her husband's emails". The invitation was for him to go but he was not keen, so Willcox accepted.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The same year, Willcox was a guest presenter on Loose Women.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Also in 2007, Willcox signed a new worldwide publishing deal with Zomba Music Group.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She continued to write and record solo material with long-term collaborator Simon Darlow. On 29 October 2007, a new single Latex Messiah (Viva la Rebel in You), came out, followed by the In the Court of the Crimson Queen album, written and produced in collaboration with Darlow and released by Willow Recordings Ltd on 15 September 2008.<ref name="official"/> As part of Liverpool's European Capital of Culture year, she performed for the first time ever at the newly opened Liverpool Echo Arena and Conference Centre.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In June 2008, Willcox appeared on Living with the Dead on Living TV to share her experiences of living in her haunted home.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In July 2008, Willcox appeared on UK ITV1's This Morning to discuss her role as a vampire in the rock musical Vampires Rock.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She has also appeared in shows looking back on popular culture, including the I'm a Celebrity series, and various 'Top 100 favourite' shows. Willcox played Queen Ivannah in Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs at the Lyceum in Sheffield for the 2009 Christmas season.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In October 2009, she made a guest appearance in the BBC drama series Casualty.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> She also played the widow Fantine in Focus on the Family radio theatre's version of Les Misérables. In 2009, a new version of Vampires Rock was created, called Vampires Rock Christmas, and Willcox was back in her role as the Killer Queen, alongside the writer and one of the stars of the show, Steve Steinman.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Willcox continued to perform with The Humans, featuring Bill Reiflin, Chris Wong and occasionally husband Robert Fripp. Described as "European experimental meets West Coast American grunge", the Humans recorded their debut studio album We Are the Humans in Seattle in 2008, released in Estonia in May 2009 to coincide with the band's return to play in front of the country's president.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album received a UK digital release in September 2009, along with a single "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'".<ref name="official"/> At the end of the year Willcox came seventh in a BBC series naming the "Queens of British Pop", as voted for by the British public. In 2010 Willcox with the Humans performed at the London's Roundhouse Haiti earthquake fundraiser concert.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

2011–present: Anniversary tours, Posh Pop, and later work

Willcox performing at Manchester Pride in August 2011

On 17 June 2011, Willcox commenced on a special from Sheep Farming to Anthem tour, celebrating the 30th anniversary of her breakthrough hit "It's a Mystery" and the platinum-selling album Anthem, starting at the London's Leicester Square Theatre. The set included selections drawn exclusively from Toyah's first three albums, Sheep Farming in Barnet (1979), The Blue Meaning (1980) and Anthem (1981). Andi Fraggs, a British electronic musician, supported her on chosen dates.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

On 14 April 2012, Willcox launched the Changeling Resurrection 2012 tour at the Concorde 2 in Brighton to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her album The Changeling (1982).<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 16 July 2012, Willcox performed a concert in her birthplace of Kings Heath, Birmingham, to celebrate being the first artist with a star on the King's Heath Walk of Fame. Andi Fraggs made a surprise appearance, duetting Willcox's 1981 hit single "Thunder in the Mountains".<ref name="official"/> In 2013, Willcox took part in the second series of the ITV diving competition Splash!. She competed in the second heat, and lost the splash-off to Anna Williamson, ultimately becoming the sixth contestant to be eliminated.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Willcox released a deluxe edition of her 2008 album In the Court of the Crimson Queen and embarked on the tour revisiting the Love Is the Law (1983)-era material.<ref name="official"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Willcox continued to tour both with her full band and also with an acoustic line-up for her "Up Close and Personal" shows.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Willcox went on to appear in a number of films, including Aaaaaaaah!, In Extremis, Lies We Tell, Swiperight, Heckle and Invasion Planet Earth.<ref name="tv">Template:Cite web</ref> In November 2017, she played Queen Elizabeth II in a theatre adaptation of Derek Jarman's film Jubilee at Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. This production transferred to the Lyric Hammersmith for a London run in March 2018.<ref name="jub">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2018, Willcox toured her #Toyah60 show, which marked her sixtieth birthday and fortieth year in music. This was accompanied by the release of her Four from Toyah – Birthday Edition EP of new material, which charted highly in the digital chart. She appeared in Celebrity Money for Nothing (2017),<ref name="tv"/> she won her heat of Celebrity Mastermind (2018), and appeared on Pointless Celebrities in 2019.<ref name="tv"/><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Willcox performing at Nottinghamshire Pride in July 2018

In 2019, Willcox charted at no. 74 in the UK Albums Chart with a re-issue of her 2008 album In the Court of the Crimson Queen.<ref name="Official"/> It also peaked at no. 22 on the Official Charts Company's sales chart and no. 7 in the independent chart. This was Willcox' first appearance in the UK Albums Chart since Minx in 1985.<ref name="Official">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2020, the box set Toyah Solo was released, containing six solo albums with bonus material, one Rare, Remixed and Revisited CD, and a DVD with promo videos and interviews.<ref name="official"/> Also in 2020, following their acquisition of the Toyah Safari catalogue, Cherry Red Records began reissuing Willcox's early albums in deluxe 2CD/DVD and vinyl formats. Both Sheep Farming in Barnet and Blue Meaning have been reissued, both appearing in the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="Official"/>

During the first UK lockdown of 2020, Willcox began broadcasting from her home across social media and YouTube. On Saturdays she answers fan questions and shares archive performances in Toyah at Home and co-hosts Agony Aunts alongside her husband Robert Fripp. However, it is her Sunday Lunch series with Fripp that has garnered the most fame, frequently going viral and racking up millions of hits on YouTube. She and Fripp started publishing weekly videos in 2021, covering songs such as Slipknot's "Psychosocial", Billy Idol's "Rebel Yell", Rammstein's "Keine Lust", Foo Fighters' "All My Life", Grace Jones' "Slave to the Rhythm" and Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name".<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> On 12 August 2022, they released "Slave to the Rhythm" as a digital download and streaming single.<ref name="official"/> The duo toured the UK in 2023, performing the Sunday Lunch songs in concert.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Willcox released Posh Pop, her first solo studio album since 2008, on CD and vinyl via DMG on 27 August 2021, with the album featuring 10 tracks composed by Willcox and "Slave to the Rhythm" co-writer Simon Darlow.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The album reached no. 22 in the chart.<ref name="Official"/>

In August 2022, she appeared as herself in two episodes of the BBC Radio 4 series The Archers.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Willcox joined Billy Idol on his UK live dates on The Roadside Tour 2022, alongside special guests Killing Joke.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2023, she starred in the short film Weightless, which received an award at the New Renaissance Film Festival.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> In December 2023 Willcox was a celebrity presenter on the BBC One property auction series Homes Under the Hammer.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

From September 2024 she was a contestant on the twenty-second series of the BBC competition Strictly Come Dancing and was partnered with professional dancer Neil Jones.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> She described the show as "the best experience of her life". Willcox and Jones were placed at the bottom of the leader board in the first week, with 12 points.<ref name="auto1">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="auto">Template:Cite web</ref> They scored 18 points in week two, yet were placed at the bottom of the leaderboard when the scores from both weeks were combined. The audience vote landed the couple in the bottom two, but they beat Tom Dean and partner Nadiya Bychkova in the dance-off.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> They scored 15 points in week three and were again at the bottom of the leaderboard. Placed by the audience in the bottom two, they lost the dance-off to Paul Merson and Karen Hauer. In late 2025 she supported Adam Ant on selected dates of his UK Tour.<ref name="Adam" />

Personal life

Reddish House, the former home of Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp, Broad Chalke, Wiltshire

Willcox has been married since 1986 to musician Robert Fripp, founder and guitarist of the progressive rock group King Crimson. The couple have no children; their wills leave their estates to the establishment of a musical educational trust for children.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> They live in Pershore, Worcestershire.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In 1987 Willcox was invited to make a speech at the Women of the Year ceremony in the presence of Diana, Princess of Wales, expressing her views on the subject of how being disabled (in her case, dyslexia<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>) can be a goad to creativity and inspire a craving for a fuller life experience.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2012 she became a prominent opponent of planned accommodation centres for asylum seekers near the Worcestershire village of Throckmorton, protesting together with more than one thousand villagers.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

In November 2007 Willcox took on the role of sponsoring the Black Country Urban Park for the People's £50 million Big Lottery Fund. In April 2008, she took part in the Great Walk to Beijing alongside other celebrities, to raise money for Olivia Newton-John's cancer charity.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2009 she had corrective surgery when she had a hip replacement and one of her legs shortened.<ref name="auto1"/><ref name="auto"/> Template:Clear

Discography

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with Toyah
Solo album

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Tours

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Filmography

Film
Year Title Role Notes
1978 Jubilee Mad Feature film
1979 The Corn Is Green Bessie Watty Feature film
1979 Quadrophenia Monkey Feature film
1979 The Tempest Miranda Feature film
1980 Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Janet Television film
1980 Toyah Herself Television film
1981 Urgh! A Music War Herself Concert film
1984 Murder: Ultimate Grounds for Divorce Valerie Cunningham Feature film
1984 The Ebony Tower Anne, 'The Freak' Feature film
1984 Lorca and the Outlaws Singer at Club Feature film (uncredited role)
1986 The Disputation Consuelo Television film
1990 The Tale of Little Pig Robinson Ship's Cat Television film
1990 Midnight Breaks Elize Feature film
1993 Anchoress Pauline Carpenter Feature film
1993 Tomorrow Calling Dialta Downes Short film
1999 Julie and the Cadillacs Barbara Gifford Feature film
1999 The Most Fertile Man in Ireland Dr. Johnson Feature film
2011 The Power of Three Michelle Feature film
2013 3 Sides of the Coin Jessica Short film
2013 Dun Punkin: Ep.1 – 'Boys Will Be Boys' Nurse Willcox Short film
2015 Aaaaaaaah! Barabara Feature film
2017 Last Laugh Pam Allan Feature film
2017 Lies We Tell Lydia Feature film
2017 In Extremis Woman Feature film
2017 The Apple Picker Narrator Feature film
2018 Hound Alice Meynell Feature film
2019 Invasion Planet Earth Claire Dove Feature film
2020 Doll House Layla Feature film
2020 To Be Someone Bunny Feature film
2020 Geminus Juliet Short film
2020 Heckle Julie Johnson Feature film
2020 SwipeRight Dr. Bennett Feature film
2021 Give Them Wings Alice Hodgson Feature film
2021 Ghosts of Borley Rectory Estelle Roberts Feature film
2024 Weightless Maureen Short film
Television
Year Title Role Notes
1976 Second City Firsts Sue Episode: "Glitter"
1977 Three Piece Suite Buzz Episode: "This Situation"
1978 Premiere Fran Episode: "One of These NightsI'm Gonna
Get an Early Day"
1979 The Quatermass Conclusion Sal 3 episodes
1980 Shoestring Toola Episode: "Find the Lady"
1980 A Question of Guilt Alice Fulcher 5 episodes
1980 Minder Kate Episode: "All Mod Cons"
1980 Friday Night, Saturday Morning Herself Host
1980–1981, 2018 The Old Grey Whistle Test Herself Guest; 3 episodes
1981 Cheggers Plays Pop Herself Guest
1981 Ask Aspel Herself Guest
1981 Toyah at the Rainbow Herself Performer
1981–1982 Tiswas Herself 5 episodes
1982 ITV Playhouse Sheryl Episode: "Little Girls Don't"
1982 Animal Magic Herself Guest
1982 Musikladen Herself Guest
1982 Dear Heart Super Advice Person 6 episodes
1982 Haute Tension Herself Episode: "Kraftwerk"
1981–1982 Get Set for Summer Herself 2 episodes
1981–1983 Top of the Pops Herself 8 episodes
1981–1984, 1994 Pop Quiz Herself Guest; 5 episodes
1982 Multi-Coloured Swap Shop Herself Guest
1982 Crackerjack! Herself Guest
1982 Children in Need Herself Guest
1982 Three of a Kind Herself Guest
1982 Tales of the Unexpected Myra "Marigold" Episode: "Marigold"
1982, 1985 The Kenny Everett Television Show Herself Guest; 2 episodes
1982–1983 The Saturday Show Herself Guest
1983 The Russell Harty Show Herself Guest
1983 The Get Set Picture Show Herself Guest
1983 Formal Eins Herself Guest
1983 Saturday Superstore Herself Guest
1984 Pop Quiz – Christmas Special Herself 1 episode
1983–1986 Did You See...? Herself 2 episodes
1983–1993 Pebble Mill at One Herself 4 episodes
1985 Function Room Liz Bristowe Episode: "Movie Queen"
1985 Pob Herself Guest
1985 No. 73 Herself 1 episode
1985 The Saturday Picture Show Herself 1 episode
1985–1988 Wogan Herself 4 episodes
1987 The Grand Knockout Tournament Herself Guest
1987 It's Wicked! Herself Guest
1987 The Grand Knockout Tournament Herself Guest
1988 French and Saunders Herself Guest
1988 Fax! Herself Guest
1988 'Treasure Hunt Herself Guest
1988 Daytime Live Herself Guest presenter
1988 It's a Knockout Herself Guest
1988 Boudicca Herself 1 episode
1988 Driving Force '88: Snow Special Herself Guest
1990 Cluedo Miss Scarlett Episode: "Christmas Past, Christmas Present"
1990 Tomorrow's World Herself Guest
1990 The Great Picture Chase Herself Guest
1991–1994 Brum Narrator 2 series
1991 Clean Slate Herself Guest
1991 Arena Herself Guest
1991 The Media Show Herself Guest
1991 That's Showbusiness Herself 2 episodes
1992 Hairy Jeremy Narrator 1 series
1992 First Night on TV Herself Presenter
1993 Maigret Gigi Episode: "Maigret and the Hotel Majestic"
1993 Entertainment UK Herself Guest
1993 Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS Herself Documentary
1994 The Ink Thief Dog 1 series
1995 Kavanagh QC Deborah Drake Episode: "A Family Affair"
1995 Shooting Gallery Template:N/A Episode: "Future Dread"
1995 A Night with Derek Herself Guest
1995 Pot of Gold Herself Guest/ judge
1995 The Magic & Mystery Show Herself Guest
1995 A Night with Derek Herself Guest
1996 The Good Sex Guide Late Herself Presenter
1996 Watchdog Healthcheck Herself 1 episode
1996–1998 Holiday Herself Guest presenter; 8 episodes
1996–2000 This Is Your Life Herself 3 episodes
1997 Presenting... Toyah on VH1 Herself Guest
1997 Night Fever Herself Guest
1997 Light Lunch Herself Guest
1998 Water Work Herself Reporter
1998 Computers Don't Bite: The Beginner's Guide Herself Guest presenter; 8 episodes
1997–1998 Holiday: Fasten Your Seatbelt Guest presenter 2 episodes
1997–2001 Teletubbies Narrator 4 series
1997–2002 Songs of Praise Herself Guest/Presenter; 5 episodes
1998 Boys from the Black Country – The Slade Story Herself Presenter
1998 My Favourite Hymns Herself Guest
1998 Not a Lot of People Know That Herself Guest
1998–2005 Never Mind the Buzzcocks Herself Guest; 5 episodes
1998–2014 Through the Keyhole Herself Guest; 6 episodes
1998–1999 Countdown Herself Dictionary corner; 2 episodes
1999 Man O Man Herself Guest
1999 Fully Booked Herself Guest
1999 It's Slade Herself Guest
1999 Barmy Aunt Boomerang Aunt Boomerang 2 series
1999–2000 Heaven and Earth with Gloria Hunniford Herself Guest/Presenter; 2 episodes
2000 Doctors Marcy Preston Episode: Mum's the Word
2000 It's Anybody's Guess! Herself Guess
2000 Holiday on a Shoestring Herself Reporter
2000 Live Talk Herself Guest
2000 Wipeout Herself Guest
2000 Quadrophenia: Featurette Herself Guest
2001 Banzai Herself Guest
2001 Trigger Happy TV Herself Guest
2001 It's Your Funeral Herself Guest
2001 Celebrity Ready Steady Cook Herself Guest
2001 Jumpers for Goalposts Herself Guest
2001 Top Ten Herself Guest
2001 Liquid News Herself Guest
2001 Bad Hair Days Herself Guest
2001 Ceri Dupree Unfrocked Herself Guest
2001 I Love Christmas Herself Guest
2001 I Love the '80s Herself 6 episodes
2002 Mr Bean: The Animated Series Additional voices 2 episodes
2002 Open House Panto Special Herself Guest
2002 V Graham Norton Herself Guest
2002 You Askin'? I'm Dancin' Herself Guest
2003 Open House with Gloria Hunniford Herself Guest
2003 25 Years of Smash Hits Herself Documentary
2003 GMTV Herself Guest
2003 I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! Herself Contestant; series 2
2003 Jubilee: A Time Less Golden Herself Documentary
2003 Weakest Link Herself Contestant
2003 Stars in Their Eyes Herself Contestant (as Patti Smith)
2003 EastEnders Revealed Herself Guest
2003 The Pilot Show Herself Guest
2003 Rock Legends Herself Documentary
2003–2023 Loose Women Herself Guest; 7 episodes
2003 The 100 Greatest Musicals Herself Documentary
2004, 2014 The Wright Stuff Herself Guest; 2 episodes
2004, 2011, 2021 This Morning Herself Guest; 3 episodes
2004 Beat the Nation Herself Guest
2004 Hell's Kitchen Herself Guest
2004 Simply the Best Herself Guest
2004 The 100 Greatest Christmas Moments Herself Documentary
2004 Britain's Favourite Comedian Herself Documentary
2005 I'm Famous and Frightened! Herself Contestant; series 4
2005 The Late Edition Herself Guest
2005 Queen Mania: The Show Must Go On Herself Guest
2005 Queen Mania Herself Guest
2005 Tubridy Tonight Herself Guest
2005 House Doctor: We Love You Herself Guest
2005 Have I Been Here Before? Herself Guest
2005 The Big Call Herself Guest
2005 Britain's Finest Herself Episode: "Actors"
2005 Are You Younger Than You Think? Herself Documentary
2005 The Wonderful World of Roald Dahl Herself Documentary
2005 Shameful Secrets of the 70s Herself Documentary
2005 Shameful Secrets of the 80s Herself Documentary
2005 Avenue of the Stars: 50 Years of ITV Herself Audience member
2005 Sunday Morning Herself Guest
2005 A Brush with Fame Herself Guest
2005 Girls and Boys: Sex and British Pop Herself Documentary
2005 Rajan and His Evil Hypnotists Herself Guest
2006 Now That's Embarrassing: The 80's Herself Documentary
2006 In Your Dreams Herself Guest
2006 A Way of Life: Making Quadrophenia Herself Documentary
2006 Richard & Judy Guest 2 episodes
2006 The Story of Light Entertainment Herself Episode: "Pop and Easy Listening"
2006 Celebrity MasterChef Herself Contestant; series 1
2006 Ballet Hell Herself Guest
2006 Proud Parents Herself Documentary
2007–2008 Secret Diary of a Call Girl Gail Baxter Recurring role
2007 Backkom-eui Mug-jan Yeo-haeng Template:N/A Voice role
2007 Tiswas Reunited Herself Guest
2007 Secrets of Celebrity Stars in Their Eyes Herself Documentary
2007 The Podge and Rodge Show Herself Guest
2007 BBC Breakfast Herself Guest
2008 In Your Dreams Herself Guest
2008 Living with the Dead Herself Guest
2008, 2018 Celebrity Mastermind Herself Contestant; 2 episodes
2008 The Worlds of Fantasy Herself Episode: "The Epic Imagination"
2008 Top 50 Showbiz Comebacks Herself Documentary
2008 Daily Cooks Challenge Herself Guest
2008 Cash in the Celebrity Attic Herself Guest
2008 What Are You Like? Herself Guest; 10 episodes
2008 Ready Steady Cook Herself Celebrity Christmas Special
2009 FM Herself Guest
2009 Psychic Therapy Herself Guest
2009 Celeb Experiences Herself Guest
2009 Celebrity Brides Unveiled Herself Guest
2009 Celebrity Life Skills Herself Guest
2009 The Alan Titchmarsh Show Herself Guest
2009 Ant & Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway Herself Guest
2009 The Truth About Beauty Herself Guest; 1 episode
2009 The One Show Herself Guest; 1 episode
2009 Casualty Hazel Tillier Episode: "Comfort Zone"
2009 Hole in the Wall Herself Guest
2010 Gayle Tuesday: The Comeback Herself Documentary
2010 Greatest Christmas TV Moments Herself Documentary
2010 Greatest Christmas TV Ads Herself Documentary
2011 Let's Dance for Sport Relief Herself Contestant; 2 episodes
2011 Top of the Pops: The Story of 1976 Herself Documentary
2011 Olivia Lee: Dirty, Sexy Funny Herself Guest
2011 Celebrity Ghost Stories Herself Guest
2011 Celebrity Antiques Road Trip Herself Guest
2011 Greatest Ever Carry On Films Herself Documentary
2011–2013 Daybreak Herself Guest; 3 episodes
2012 The Women of Doctor Who Herself TV movie documentary
2012 The Timey-Wimey of Doctor Who Herself TV mini-series documentary
2012 The Destinations of Doctor Who Herself TV movie documentary
2012–2021 Pointless Celebrities Herself Contestant; 5 episodes
2013 All Star Mr & Mrs Herself Contestant
2013 The Big Fat Quiz of the 80s Herself Guest
2014 Splash! Herself Contestant; series 2
2014 Our Gay Wedding: The Musical Herself Documentary
2014 The Greatest 80s Movies Herself Documentary
2014 Who's Doing the Dishes? Herself Guest
2014–2016 Lorraine Herself Guest; 3 episodes
2015 Doctors Bill Episode: "Afternoon of the Living Dead"
2015 Sounds of the 80s Herself Documentary
2015 80's: The Best of Bad TV Herself Documentary
2015 The Nation's Favourite 80's Number One Herself Documentary
2015 The 90s: The Best of Bad TV Herself Documentary
2015 Blink Herself Contestant
2015 Most Shocking Moments in Pop 2 Herself Documentary
2015 Most Shocking Christmas TV Moments Herself Documentary
2016 Trailblazers Of Herself 2 episodes
2016 When Television Goes Horribly Wrong Herself Documentary
2016 The Chase: Celebrity Special Herself Contestant
2016 Pop Quiz: The Comeback Herself Guest
2017 Celebrity Money for Nothing Herself Contestant
2018 When Award Shows Go Horribly Wrong Herself Documentary
2018 Ooh You Are Awful: TV We Used to Love Herself Documentary
2018 Celebrity Eggheads Herself Contestant
2018–2019 Jeremy Vine Herself Guest; 3 episodes
2019 Paxman on the Queen's Children Herself Guest
2019 Quadrophenia Reunited: 40 Years On Herself Guest
2019 Quadrophenia: Our Generation Herself Documentary
2019 Britain's Favourite Christmas Carol Herself Documentary
2020 The Lock Inn Pub Quiz Herself Contestant
2020 When Pop Stars Go Horribly Wrong Herself Documentary
2020 Celebrity Catchphrase Herself Contestant
2021 Afterlife Herself Guest
2021 Tipping Point: Lucky Stars Herself Contestant
2021 Britain's Biggest 80s Hits Herself Talking head
2021 Britain's Biggest 70s Hits Herself Talking head
2022 Fame in the Family Herself Guest
2021 The Archers Herself 2 episodes
2021 Britain's Favourite 90s Songs Herself Documentary
2021 Midlands Today Herself Guest
2022 Britain's Favourite Dessert Herself Documentary
2022 Celebrity Help! My House Is Haunted Herself Guest
2022 DNA Diners Herself Guest
2022 Greatest 80s Pop Videos Herself 4 episodes
2022 The Great Garden Revolution Herself Guest
2022 Heatwave: Summer of '76 Herself Documentary
2022 Moneybags Herself Contestant
2022 The Cotswolds and Beyond with Pam Ayres Herself Guest
2023 Call Me Kate Herself Documentary
2023 Portrait Artist of the Year Herself Contestant
2023 Three Little Words Herself Guest
2023 Britain's Biggest Flood: Summer 2007 Herself Guest
2023 Richard Osman's House of Games Herself Contestant
2023 Strictly Come Dancing: It Takes Two Herself Guest
2024 The Weakest Link Herself Contestant
2024 Strictly Come Dancing Herself Contestant; series 22
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