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Toyah Ann Willcox (born 18 May 1958) is an English musician, actress, and TV presenter. In a career spanning more than 40 years, Willcox has had eight
top 40 In the music industry, the Top 40 is the current, 40 most-popular songs in a particular genre. It is the best-selling or most frequently broadcast popular music. Record charts have traditionally consisted of a total of 40 songs. "Top 40" or " con ...
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. Between 1977 and 1983, she fronted the band Toyah, before embarking on a solo career in the mid-1980s. At the 1982 BPI/Brit Awards, Toyah was nominated for British Breakthrough Act, and Best Female Solo Artist. Toyah was nominated a further two times in this category in 1983, and in 1984. Her hit singles include "
It's a Mystery ''It's a Mystery'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). As with his prior album, it is credited to the Silver Bullet Band, though many of the tracks feature a wide arra ...
", " Thunder in the Mountains" and " I Want to Be Free".


Childhood and early life

Willcox was born on 18 May 1958 in
Kings Heath Kings Heath (historically, and still occasionally King's Heath) is a suburb of south Birmingham, England, four miles south of the city centre. Historically in Worcestershire, it is the next suburb south from Moseley on the A435, Alcester road. ...
, Birmingham. Her father Beric Willcox ran a successful
joiner A joiner is an artisan and tradesperson who builds things by joining pieces of wood, particularly lighter and more ornamental work than that done by a carpenter, including furniture and the "fittings" of a house, ship, etc. Joiners may work in ...
y business and owned three factories. Her mother Barbara Joy, née Rollinson, was a professional dancer, with whom he fell in love after seeing her on stage in
Weston-super-Mare Weston-super-Mare, also known simply as Weston, is a seaside town in North Somerset, England. It lies by the Bristol Channel south-west of Bristol between Worlebury Hill and Bleadon Hill. It includes the suburbs of Mead Vale, Milton, Oldmix ...
with singing and comedy double act
Flanagan and Allen Flanagan and Allen were a British singing and comedy double act most active during the 1930s and 1940s. Its members were Bud Flanagan (1896 – 1968, born Chaim Weintrop) and Chesney Allen (1894–1982). They were first paired in a Florrie Ford ...
, and married in 1949. Barbara had to give up her career after giving birth to Nicola (born 1950) and Kim (born 1953), Willcox's elder sister and brother, respectively. Willcox has suggested her first name could be in reference to Toyah, Texas or to a Native American word "toyah" meaning "water," although she notes her parents deny both origins. Willcox enjoyed a financially comfortable childhood,Archived a
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 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. An absentee pupil and frequently rebellious, she sat
O-levels The O-Level (Ordinary Level) is a subject-based qualification conferred as part of the General Certificate of Education. It was introduced in place of the School Certificate in 1951 as part of an educational reform alongside the more in-depth ...
a year late, owing to corrective surgery on her feet. She achieved one O-level pass, in music. Alienated by her background and surroundings, her rebellious behaviour led to her shunning male company and adopting an aggressive and flamboyant identity. 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 The Old Rep (originally Birmingham Repertory Theatre) is the United Kingdom's first ever purpose-built repertory theatre, constructed in 1913, located on Station Street in Birmingham, England. The theatre was a permanent home for Barry Jacks ...
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 The Alexandra, commonly known as the Alex, is a theatre on Suffolk Queensway in Birmingham, England. History Construction of the theatre commenced in 1900 and was completed in 1901. The architects were Owen & Ward and the theatre was opened on 2 ...
, and the
Birmingham Hippodrome The Birmingham Hippodrome is a theatre situated on Hurst Street in the Chinese Quarter of Birmingham, England. Although best known as the home stage of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, it also hosts a wide variety of other performances including vi ...
. Because of her distinctive appearance and gaudily dyed hair, repertory actors referred to her as "The Bird of Paradise." A friend's suggestion that she should see the Sex Pistols led to her being attracted to the
punk movement The punk subculture includes a diverse and widely known array of ideologies, fashion, and other forms of expression, visual art, dance, literature, and film. Largely characterised by anti-establishment views, the promotion of individual freedom ...
, but she resolved to do better, travelling to London to take up a career in acting and music.


Move to London

After appearing as an extra in a drama being made at the
BBC #REDIRECT BBC #REDIRECT BBC Here i going to introduce about the best teacher of my life b BALAJI sir. He is the precious gift that I got befor 2yrs . How has helped and thought all the concept and made my success in the 10th board exam. ...
...
Pebble Mill Studios Pebble Mill Studios was the BBC's television studio complex located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, England, United Kingdom, which served as the headquarters for BBC Birmingham from 1971 until 2004. The nine-acre site was opened by Princess Anne o ...
in Birmingham, an opening came to take a role in ''Glitter'' (1976), a play in the BBC ''
Second City Firsts ''Second City Firsts'' is a British drama anthology series of single plays, broadcast by the BBC, all lasting thirty minutes. Recorded at BBC Pebble Mill in Birmingham, or sometimes filmed on location, the series was broadcast between 1973 and 19 ...
'' series, alongside
Noel Edmonds Noel Ernest Edmonds (born 22 December 1948) is an English television presenter, radio DJ, writer, producer, and businessman. Edmonds first became known as a disc jockey on Radio Luxembourg before moving to BBC Radio 1 in the UK. He has presente ...
and
Phil Daniels Philip William Daniels (born 25 October 1958) is an English actor, musician and singer, most noted for film and television roles playing Londoners, such as the lead role of Jimmy Cooper in ''Quadrophenia'', Richards in '' Scum'', Stewart in '' T ...
. 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 Baggins Bilbo Baggins is the title character and protagonist of J. R. R. Tolkien's 1937 novel ''The Hobbit'', a supporting character in ''The Lord of the Rings'', and the fictional narrator (along with Frodo Baggins) of many of Tolkien's Middle-ear ...
and who dreamed of appearing on ''
Top of the Pops ''Top of the Pops'' (''TOTP'') is a British music chart television programme, made by the BBC and originally broadcast weekly between 1January 1964 and 30 July 2006. The programme was the world's longest-running weekly music show. For most o ...
''. In the course of the 30-minute play, Willcox performed two songs she had co-written: "Floating Free" (an acoustic ballad, with
Phil Daniels Philip William Daniels (born 25 October 1958) is an English actor, musician and singer, most noted for film and television roles playing Londoners, such as the lead role of Jimmy Cooper in ''Quadrophenia'', Richards in '' Scum'', Stewart in '' T ...
accompanying her on guitar) and "Dream Maker". The play was seen by
Kate Nelligan Patricia Colleen Nelligan (born March 16, 1950), known professionally as Kate Nelligan, is a Canadian stage, film and television actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for the 1991 film ''The Prince of Tide ...
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 "Tales from the Vienna Woods" (german: "Geschichten aus dem Wienerwald", links=no, italic=no, occasionally ) is a waltz by Johann Strauss II. Composed in 1868, , Op. 325, was one of six Viennese waltzes by Johann Strauss II which featured a vi ...
'', directed by Schell. The opening led to her relocating to London. 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 which featured
Joel Bogen Joel Bogen (born 3 September 1958) is an English rock and punk guitarist. He worked with Toyah Willcox from the late 1970s to 1983 as the guitar player in her eponymous band and was the co-writer on nearly all of the material they recorded. B ...
on guitar, Mark Henry on bass, Steve Bray on drums, Peter Bush on keyboards, and herself on vocals. Having never considered herself a musician, she found herself fronting a successful band, although still uncertain about her own sexuality and repelled by her bandmates' antics with groupies. Introduced by actor
Ian Charleson Ian Charleson (11 August 1949 – 6 January 1990) was a Scottish stage and film actor. He is best known internationally for his starring role as Olympic athlete and missionary Eric Liddell in the Oscar-winning 1981 film '' Chariots of Fire''. ...
to director
Derek Jarman Michael Derek Elworthy Jarman (31 January 1942 – 19 February 1994) was an English artist, film maker, costume designer, stage designer, writer, gardener and gay rights activist. Biography Jarman was born at the Royal Victoria Nursing Home ...
, Willcox was offered 'any part you want' in ''
Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
'' (called ''Down with the Queen'' at the time). 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. She went on to play 'Monkey' in the 1979 film of
The Who's The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
''
Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the two previous being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, Whil ...
,'' having been introduced to director
Franc Roddam Francis George "Franc" Roddam (born 29 April 1946) is an English film director, businessman, screenwriter, television producer and publisher, best known as the creator of '' Auf Wiedersehen, Pet'' and the director of ''Quadrophenia'' (1979). He i ...
through an association with John Lydon. Willcox demanded the part of Monkey from Roddam. She completed filming despite requiring medical attention for pneumonia. The possibility of a role in the Sex Pistols' film, ''
The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle ''The Great Rock 'n' Roll Swindle'' is a 1980 British mockumentary film directed by Julien Temple and produced by Don Boyd and Jeremy Thomas. It centres on the British punk rock band Sex Pistols and, most prominently, their manager Malcolm Mc ...
'' under director
Russ Meyer Russell Albion Meyer (March 21, 1922 – September 18, 2004) was an American film director, producer, screenwriter, cinematographer, and editor. He is known primarily for writing and directing a series of successful sexploitation films that fea ...
having fallen through, Willcox went on to play Miranda in Jarman's film '' The Tempest'' which won her a nomination as Best Newcomer at the 1980 ''
Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...
'' Awards. Continuing a stage career alongside film work, in 1979, on London's
Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...
stage, Willcox played Sharon in Nigel Williams' ''Sugar and Spice'', Tallulah in Stephen Poliakoff's ''American Days'' at the ICA, playing alongside
Mel Smith Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and director. Smith worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. ...
,
Antony Sher Sir Antony Sher (14 June 1949 – 2 December 2021) was a British actor, writer and theatre director of South African origin. A two-time Laurence Olivier Award winner and a four-time nominee, he joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1982 a ...
and Phil Daniels and taking a film role opposite Katharine Hepburn in the made-for-television film ''
The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...
'', directed by
George Cukor George Dewey Cukor (; July 7, 1899 – January 24, 1983) was an American film director and film producer. He mainly concentrated on comedies and literary adaptations. His career flourished at RKO when David O. Selznick, the studio's Head ...
. 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. Feeling her musical career was not taken as seriously as her acting, she nevertheless viewed her acting role as 'highbrow' and her musical career as 'lowbrow'.


Acting career

Willcox played
Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Lat ...
at the
Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. Opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, it was the last theatre to be built in Shaftesbury Avenue. History The theatre was ...
and was a guest vocalist in the anniversary concert of ''
The Rocky Horror Show ''The Rocky Horror Show'' is a Musical theatre, musical with music, lyrics and book by Richard O'Brien. A humorous tribute to the Science fiction film, science fiction and Horror film, horror B movies of the 1930s through to the early 1960s, the ...
'' at the
Royal Court Theatre The Royal Court Theatre, at different times known as the Court Theatre, the New Chelsea Theatre, and the Belgravia Theatre, is a non-commercial West End theatre in Sloane Square, in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England ...
. She had many television roles, including series such as ''
Quatermass Professor Bernard Quatermass is a fictional scientist, originally created by the writer Nigel Kneale for BBC Television. An intelligent and highly moral British scientist, Quatermass is a pioneer of the British space programme, heading the Brit ...
'' (1979) and ''
Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...
''. She starred opposite
Laurence Olivier Laurence Kerr Olivier, Baron Olivier (; 22 May 1907 – 11 July 1989) was an English actor and director who, along with his contemporaries Ralph Richardson and John Gielgud, was one of a trio of male actors who dominated the Theatre of the U ...
in ''
The Ebony Tower ''The Ebony Tower'' (1974) by John Fowles is a collection of five novellas and short stories with interlacing themes, each built around a medieval myth: ''The Ebony Tower,'' ''Eliduc'', ''Poor Koko'', ''The Enigma'' and ''The Cloud''. Plot s ...
'' (1984) and opposite
the Who The Who are an English rock band formed in London in 1964. Their classic lineup consisted of lead singer Roger Daltrey, guitarist and singer Pete Townshend, bass guitarist and singer John Entwistle, and drummer Keith Moon. They are considered ...
's
Roger Daltrey Roger Harry Daltrey (born 1 March 1944) is an English singer, musician and actor. He is a co-founder and the lead singer of the rock band The Who. Daltrey's hit songs with The Who include " My Generation", " Pinball Wizard", " Won't Get Fooled ...
in '' Murder: Ultimate Grounds for Divorce'' (1984). She also appeared on '' Kavanagh QC'' and ''
Secret Diary of a Call Girl ''Secret Diary of a Call Girl'' is a British drama television series that aired from 27 September 2007 to 22 March 2011 on ITV2, based on the blog and books by the pseudonymous Belle de Jour. It stars Billie Piper as Belle, a high-end London ...
''. 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 The Mermaid Theatre was a theatre encompassing the site of Puddle Dock and Curriers' Alley at Blackfriars in the City of London, and the first built in the City since the time of Shakespeare. It was, importantly, also one of the first new the ...
, 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 Amadeus may refer to: *Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756–1791), prolific and influential composer of classical music *Amadeus (name), a given name and people with the name * ''Amadeus'' (play), 1979 stage play by Peter Shaffer * ''Amadeus'' (film), ...
. Although she had presented the magazine series ''Look! Hear!'' for BBC Birmingham between 1979 and 1981, it was in the 1990s that Toyah's career as a TV presenter took off. She began by presenting arts programmes ''First Night'' and ''Time Off'' in 1993. By the mid to late 1990s, Toyah 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. Viewers could accompany Toyah to various locations worldwide during her tenure as a reporter on BBC travel shows such as ''Holiday'' and ''Holiday- Fasten Your Seatbelts.'' In 1996, Toyah had the unique honour of simultaneously hosting both '' Songs of Praise'' on the BBC and ''Good Sex Guide Late'' on
ITV ITV or iTV may refer to: ITV *Independent Television (ITV), a British television network, consisting of: ** ITV (TV network), a free-to-air national commercial television network covering the United Kingdom, the Isle of Man, and the Channel Islan ...
. At the turn of the millennium, Toyah 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 Discovery Health Channel was an American subscription television channel. Launched in July 1998, it was owned by Discovery Communications as a spin-off of Discovery Channel, focusing on health and wellness-oriented programming. In the beginni ...
. As the noughties progressed, Toyah had stints presenting ''Head2Head'' and ''Destination Lunch'' on the Overseas Property TV channel, was a newspaper reviewer on Sky News, hosted various music programmes for Vintage TV and was a guest presenter on '' Loose Women'' in 2007. In 1999, she took the lead in the children's television series ''
Barmy Aunt Boomerang Barmy Aunt Boomerang is a children's comedy television series broadcast on BBC1 in the United Kingdom from 16 September 1999 to 21 December 2000. Sebastian's world is turned upside down by the arrival of his unconventional Australian aunt Boomera ...
''. She also provided the voices for the children's television programmes ''
Teletubbies ''Teletubbies'' is a British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC. The programme focuses on four differently coloured characters known as the Teletubbies, named after the television screens on t ...
'' and '' Brum''. She has also appeared in the reality television series '' I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!'' and ''
I'm Famous and Frightened! ''I'm Famous and Frightened!'' is a Living TV reality TV show in which eight celebrities stayed for three nights in a "haunted" castle. They had to then do terrifying challenges to raise money for charity; each one was evicted until only the wi ...
''. In December 2018, she won her heat of '' Celebrity Mastermind''. In the 2000s, Willcox had a busy schedule with theatre commitments, including appearing on stage in London's West End performing the title role of ''
Calamity Jane Martha Jane Cannary (May 1, 1852 – August 1, 1903), better known as Calamity Jane, was an American frontierswoman, sharpshooter, and storyteller. In addition to many exploits she was known for being an acquaintance of Wild Bill Hickok. Lat ...
'' (nominated for an ''
Evening Standard The ''Evening Standard'', formerly ''The Standard'' (1827–1904), also known as the ''London Evening Standard'', is a local free daily newspaper in London, England, published Monday to Friday in tabloid format. In October 2009, after be ...
'' Award for Best Musical) at the
Shaftesbury Theatre The Shaftesbury Theatre is a West End theatre, located on Shaftesbury Avenue, in the London Borough of Camden. Opened in 1911 as the New Prince's Theatre, it was the last theatre to be built in Shaftesbury Avenue. History The theatre was ...
in 2003. In June 2008, Willcox appeared on '' Living with the Dead'' on
Living Living or The Living may refer to: Common meanings *Life, a condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic objects and dead organisms ** Living species, one that is not extinct *Personal life, the course of an individual human's life * ...
to share her experiences of living in her haunted home. On 24 July 2008, Willcox appeared on UK
ITV1 ITV1 (formerly known as ITV) is a British free-to-air public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the British media company ITV plc. It provides the Channel 3 public broadcast service across all of the United Kingdom except for t ...
's '' This Morning'' to discuss her role as a vampire in the rock musical '' Vampires Rock''. Toyah has also appeared in shows looking back on popular culture, including the ''I'm a Celebrity'' series, and various 'Top 100 favourite' shows. More recently, Willcox played Queen Ivannah in ''
Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is a 19th-century German fairy tale that is today known widely across the Western world. The Brothers Grimm published it in 1812 in the first edition of their collection ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'' and numbered as T ...
'' at the
Lyceum The lyceum is a category of educational institution defined within the education system of many countries, mainly in Europe. The definition varies among countries; usually it is a type of secondary school. Generally in that type of school the t ...
in
Sheffield Sheffield is a city status in the United Kingdom, city in South Yorkshire, England, whose name derives from the River Sheaf which runs through it. The city serves as the administrative centre of the City of Sheffield. It is Historic counties o ...
for the 2009 Christmas season. In October 2009, she made a guest appearance in the BBC drama series ''
Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...
''. Willcox has also been heard on radio, including the 2002
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
series ''
The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes ''The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes'' is a series of radio dramas based on Arthur Conan Doyle's detective Sherlock Holmes. Written by Bert Coules as a pastiche of Doyle's work, the series was broadcast on BBC Radio 4 in 2002, 2004, 2008 ...
''. She is also played the widow
Fantine Fantine (French pronunciation: ) is a fictional character in Victor Hugo's 1862 novel ''Les Misérables''. She is a young '' grisette'' in Paris who becomes pregnant by a rich student. After he abandons her, she is forced to look after their chil ...
in Focus on the Family radio theatre's version of ''
Les Misérables ''Les Misérables'' ( , ) is a French historical novel by Victor Hugo, first published in 1862, that is considered one of the greatest novels of the 19th century. In the English-speaking world, the novel is usually referred to by its origin ...
''. In December 2006, she joined the radio drama series ''
Silver Street ''Silver Street'' is a radio soap opera broadcast on the BBC Asian Network from 24 May 2004 to 26 March 2010. It was the first soap to be aimed at the British South Asian community, Broadcast history It was introduced in 2004 as part of the S ...
'' on the
BBC Asian Network BBC Asian Network is a British Asian radio station owned and operated by the BBC. The station's target audience is people "with an interest in British Asian lifestyles", especially British Asians between the ages of 18 and 34. The station has ...
as Siobhan Brady. In November 2017, she played
Queen Elizabeth II Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 1926 – 8 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. She was queen ...
in a theatre adaptation of Derek Jarman's film ''
Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
'' at Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre. This production transferred to the Lyric Hammersmith for a London run in March 2018. In recent years, there has been renewed interest in Toyah as a film actress, as she has appeared in a number of British films. These include: ''Aaaaaaaah!'', ''Extremis'', ''Lies We Tell'', ''SwipeRight'', ''Hound'', ''Heckle'' and ''Invasion Planet Earth''.


Musical career

In London, Willcox lived in a place called "Mayhem", a converted British Rail warehouse serving as a studio. 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 The French Red Cross (french: Croix-Rouge française), or the CRF, is the national Red Cross Society in France founded in 1864 and originally known as the ''Société française de secours aux blessés militaires'' (SSBM). Recognized as a public ...
to transport victims of fatal accidents. Citing her role in ''
Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the two previous being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, Whil ...
'' as a boost to her musical career, with growing audiences Toyah signed to
Safari Records Safari Records was a British independent record label based in London, England, and operating between 1977 and 1985. Safari Records was formed early in 1977 by Tony Edwards (former co-manager of Deep Purple), Andreas Budde (the son of German musi ...
, releasing a debut single "
Victims of the Riddle "Victims of the Riddle" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as the band's debut single in 1979 by Safari Records. The song later featured on the band's album ''Sheep Farming in Barnet''. Background ...
", which topped the UK Indie Charts. This was followed by the ''
Sheep Farming in Barnet ''Sheep Farming in Barnet'' is the debut studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records. Background The album was produced by Steve James and future band member Keith Hale. The al ...
'' 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. Willcox's second album, ''
The Blue Meaning ''The Blue Meaning'' is the second studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Wilcox, released in 1980 by Safari Records. It reached the Top 40 on the UK Albums Chart. Background The album was recorded at the Parkgate ...
'', went up to no. 40 in the
UK Albums Chart The Official Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales and (from March 2015) audio streaming in the United Kingdom. It was published for the first time on 22 July 1956 and is compiled every week by the Official Charts C ...
in June 1980. By this time she is reported as announcing she had severed all ties with punk aesthetics. In January 1981, the live album '' Toyah! Toyah! Toyah!'', recorded at the Lafayette Club in
Wolverhampton Wolverhampton () is a city, metropolitan borough and administrative centre in the West Midlands, England. The population size has increased by 5.7%, from around 249,500 in 2011 to 263,700 in 2021. People from the city are called "Wulfrunians ...
the previous June, made it to the Top 30, backed up by a TV documentary ''Toyah''. By now the original band had broken up and a new lineup was in place, consisting of
Phil Spalding Philip Spalding (born 19 November 1957, London, England) is an English bass player. He is best known as a session musician and player of Fender Precision Bass guitars. He has played and appeared with performing artists such as Mick Jagger, Se ...
,
Nigel Glockler Nigel Glockler (born 24 January 1953) is an English musician, best known as the longtime drummer for the heavy metal band Saxon, which he first joined in 1981. Career Glockler began his musical career in 1980 as the drummer for the British band ...
and
Adrian Lee Adrian Lee (born 9 September 1957, London, England) is an English musician, known especially for his brass instrumentation work with several well-known acts of the 1980s. Career Lee was first signed to Phonogram Records in the late 1970s as g ...
, only Joel Bogen remaining and Toyah. 1981 saw Willcox's strengthened presence in the charts with hits such as '' Four from Toyah'' EP (no. 4, February 1981, including "
It's a Mystery ''It's a Mystery'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). As with his prior album, it is credited to the Silver Bullet Band, though many of the tracks feature a wide arra ...
"), the third studio album '' Anthem'' that went to no. 2 in May 1981 to be later certified platinum, " 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). In 1981 she alone, according to Safari, sold in the UK more units than the whole of the
Warner Bros. Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. (commonly known as Warner Bros. or abbreviated as WB) is an American film and entertainment studio headquartered at the Warner Bros. Studios complex in Burbank, California, and a subsidiary of Warner Bros. D ...
put together.Archived a
Ghostarchive
and th
Wayback Machine
 In 1982 '' The Changeling'' album was released, produced by
Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite, (born 15 March 1955) is a British record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts XTC, Bi ...
, marking a turn for a more goth-tinged sound, it went up to no. 6 in the UK. ''The Changeling'' was followed in the same year by a double live album '' Warrior Rock: Toyah on Tour''. Also in 1982, Willcox appeared in ''
Urgh! A Music War ''Urgh! A Music War'' is a 1982 British concert film featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk bands and artists. Filmed in August to September 1980 it was directed by Derek Burbidge and produced by Michael White and Lynd ...
'', 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 ''Brave New World'' is a dystopian novel by English author Aldous Huxley, written in 1931 and published in 1932. Largely set in a futuristic World State, whose citizens are environmentally engineered into an intelligence-based social hiera ...
", " Ieya" and "
Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard) "Be Proud Be Loud (Be Heard)" is a song by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released as a single in 1982 by Safari Records. It was a Top 40 chart success in the UK and Ireland. Background The track was written by Toyah ...
" charted in the Top 50. 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. 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), and with a 1984 greatest hits compilation, released by
K-tel K-tel International Ltd is a Canadian company which formerly specialized in selling consumer products through infomercials and live demonstration. Its products include compilation music albums, including ''The Super Hits'' series, ''The Dynamic ...
and called confusingly '' Toyah! Toyah! Toyah! All the Hits'', failing to chart. Toyah Willcox disbanded her group, signed a recording contract with Portrait Records, and in 1985 released the solo studio album ''
Minx Minx, MinX or MINX may refer to: Music * MINX (band), dissolved South Korean girl group replaced by Dreamcatcher * MINX (musician) (born 1983), Australian DJ and producer * ''Minx'' (Leatherface album), 1993 * ''Minx'' (Toyah album), 1985 Pr ...
'', which contained several
cover version In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...
s including
Alice Cooper Alice Cooper (born Vincent Damon Furnier, February 4, 1948) is an American rock singer whose career spans over five decades. With a raspy voice and a stage show that features numerous props and stage illusions, including pyrotechnics, guillot ...
's " School's Out", as well as her own hit, " Don't Fall in Love (I Said)". Willcox married British guitarist
Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...
, founding member of
King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
, in
Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Counc ...
, Dorset 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 A soulmate is a person with whom one has a feeling of deep or natural affinity. This may involve similarity, love, romance, platonic relationships, comfort, intimacy, sexuality, sexual activity, spirituality, compatibility and trust. D ...
'. That same year she also sang lead vocals on the track "Lion of Symmetry" by Tony Banks of
Genesis Genesis may refer to: Bible * Book of Genesis, the first book of the biblical scriptures of both Judaism and Christianity, describing the creation of the Earth and of mankind * Genesis creation narrative, the first several chapters of the Book of ...
. Her next solo studio album ''
Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
'' (1987) was less successful although the single with her version of "
Echo Beach "Echo Beach" is a song recorded by the Canadian group Martha and the Muffins in 1979. Written by band member Mark Gane, it was released as a single from their album '' Metro Music'' in 1980 and went on to reach number 5 in Canada, number 6 in Aus ...
" made it 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. This experimental
concept album A concept album is an album whose tracks hold a larger purpose or meaning collectively than they do individually. This is typically achieved through a single central narrative or theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, or lyrical. Som ...
, 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." Robert Fripp joined his wife on her studio album ''
Ophelia's Shadow ''Ophelia's Shadow'' is the fourth solo studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 1991 by E.G. Records. Some musicians playing on this album have been members of King Crimson at a certain moment, people like Robert Fripp, Gor ...
'' (1991) which, along with ''
Dreamchild ''Dreamchild'' is a 1985 British drama film written by Dennis Potter, directed by Gavin Millar, and produced by Rick McCallum and Kenith Trodd. The film, starring Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher, Nicola Cowper and Amelia Shankley, is ...
'' (1994), received good reviews. In 1996 Willcox released '' The Acoustic Album'' on Aardvark Records, featuring strings from Royal Philharmonic Orchestra and produced by Oliver Davis.


Later career

In 2001, Willcox was awarded an
honorary doctorate An honorary degree is an academic degree for which a university (or other degree-awarding institution) has waived all of the usual requirements. It is also known by the Latin phrases ''honoris causa'' ("for the sake of the honour") or ''ad hon ...
by the
University of Central England , mottoeng = "Do what you are doing; attend to your business" , established = 1992—gained university status1971—City of Birmingham Polytechnic1843— Birmingham College of Art , type = Public , affiliation = ...
in recognition of her achievements in performing arts, media and broadcasting. 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. 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 Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club is a jazz club that has operated in Soho, London, since 1959. History The club opened on 30 October 1959 in a basement at 39 Gerrard Street in London's Soho district. It was set up and managed by musicians Ronnie Sc ...
. 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. In 2004 she performed as part of The Best of the 80s tour in the UK alongside
Nick Heyward Nicholas Heyward (born 20 May 1961) is an English singer-songwriter and guitarist. He came to international attention in the early 1980s as the lead singer and songwriter for Haircut One Hundred. He and the band parted ways after their first alb ...
,
Curiosity Killed the Cat Curiosity Killed the Cat was a British pop band that achieved success in the UK in the late 1980s, with hit singles such as " Down to Earth", " Misfit" and " Ordinary Day", from their No. 1 debut album, '' Keep Your Distance''. This was follo ...
and
Altered Images Altered Images are a Scottish new wave/post-punk band who found success in the early 1980s. Fronted by singer Clare Grogan, the group branched into mainstream pop music, having six UK top-40 hit singles and three top-30 albums from 1981 to 1 ...
. A live DVD followed in 2005, the year that also saw two parts of ''The Safari Records Singles Collection'' being issued. In May 2007, she collaborated with
Bill Rieflin William Frederick Rieflin (September 30, 1960 – March 24, 2020) was an American musician. Rieflin came to prominence in the 1990s mainly for his work as a drummer with groups (particularly in the industrial rock and industrial metal scene ...
as the Humans for live dates in
Estonia Estonia, formally the Republic of Estonia, is a country by the Baltic Sea in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, a ...
, to where she had been invited by the Estonian president. According to ''
The Northern Echo ''The Northern Echo'' is a regional daily morning newspaper based in the town of Darlington in North East England, serving mainly southern County Durham and northern Yorkshire. The paper covers national as well as regional news. In 2007, its ...
'', 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. Also in 2007, Willcox signed a new worldwide publishing deal with
Zomba Music Group The Zomba Group of Companies (sometimes referred to as Zomba Music Group or just Zomba Group) was a music group and division owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was place ...
. 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) "Latex Messiah (Viva la Rebel in You)" is a song by the British rock singer Toyah Willcox, released in 2007. Background The song was written by Toyah and her collaborator Simon Darlow, and was produced by Darlow. It was her first single release s ...
'', 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. As part of Liverpool's European Capital of Culture year, she performed for the first time ever at the newly opened
Liverpool Echo Arena Liverpool Arena, known for sponsorship reasons as the M&S Bank Arena, and previously Echo Arena, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the city centre of Liverpool, England. The venue hosts live music, comedy performances and sporting events, and ...
and Conference Centre. 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. Willcox continued to perform with The Humans, featuring Bill Reiflin, Chris Wong and occasionally husband Robert Fripp. Described as "European experimental meets
West Coast West Coast or west coast may refer to: Geography Australia * Western Australia *Regions of South Australia#Weather forecasting, West Coast of South Australia * West Coast, Tasmania **West Coast Range, mountain range in the region Canada * Britis ...
American grunge", the Humans recorded their debut studio album '' We Are the Humans'' in
Seattle Seattle ( ) is a seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the seat of King County, Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in both the state of Washington and the Pacific Northwest regio ...
in 2008, released in Estonia in May 2009 to coincide with the band's return to play in front of the country's president. The album received a UK digital release in September 2009, along with a single "
These Boots Are Made for Walkin' "These Boots Are Made for Walkin' is a hit song written by Lee Hazlewood and recorded by American singer Nancy Sinatra. It charted on January 22, 1966, and reached No.1 in the United States ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and in the UK Singles Chart. Su ...
". 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 Some of the earthquakes in Haiti have been very destructive to the country. The widespread damage and high-number of casualties of events in 2010 and 2021 can be partially blamed on the fact that most of the population in Haiti resides in struct ...
fundraiser concert. 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 ''It's a Mystery'' is the fifteenth studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Seger, released in 1995 (see 1995 in music). As with his prior album, it is credited to the Silver Bullet Band, though many of the tracks feature a wide arra ...
" and the platinum-selling album '' Anthem'', starting at the London's
Leicester Square Theatre The Leicester Square Theatre is a 400-seat theatre in Leicester Place, immediately north of Leicester Square, in the City of Westminster, London. It was previously known as Notre Dame Hall, Cavern in the Town and The Venue. The theatre hosts st ...
. The set included selections drawn exclusively from Toyah's first three albums, ''
Sheep Farming in Barnet ''Sheep Farming in Barnet'' is the debut studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records. Background The album was produced by Steve James and future band member Keith Hale. The al ...
'' (1979), ''
The Blue Meaning ''The Blue Meaning'' is the second studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Wilcox, released in 1980 by Safari Records. It reached the Top 40 on the UK Albums Chart. Background The album was recorded at the Parkgate ...
'' (1980) and '' Anthem'' (1981). Andi Fraggs, a British electronic musician, supported her on chosen dates. 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). 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". In 2013, 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. Willcox continued to tour both with her full band and also with an acoustic line-up for her "Up Close and Personal" shows. 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 charts. In 2019, Willcox charted at no. 74 in the UK album charts with a re-issue of her 2008 album ''In the Court of the Crimson Queen''. 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 British album charts since 'Minx' in 1985. 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. In 2020, following their acquisition of the Toyah Safari catalogue,
Cherry Red Records Cherry Red Records is a British independent record label founded in Malvern, Worcestershire by Iain McNay in 1978. The label has released recordings by Dead Kennedys, Everything But the Girl, The Monochrome Set, and Felt, among others, as well ...
began reissuing Toyah's early albums in deluxe 2CD/DVD and vinyl formats. Both ''Sheep Farming in Barnet'' and ''Blue Meaning'' have been reissued at the time of writing, both charting in the UK album charts and the independent charts. During the first UK lockdown of 2020, Toyah began broadcasting from her home across social media and
YouTube YouTube is a global online video platform, online video sharing and social media, social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by ...
. 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 notoriety, frequently going viral and racking up millions of hits on YouTube. She 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 Toyah and " Slave to the Rhythm" co-writer Simon Darlow. The album reached no. 22 in the charts. Alongside Fripp, Toyah continued with their ''Sunday Lunch'' online series. Recent editions of Willcox and Fripp’s weekly covers series – which they launched amid COVID-19 lockdowns in 2020 – have included their take on Slipknot's "
Psychosocial The psychosocial approach looks at individuals in the context of the combined influence that psychological factors and the surrounding social environment have on their physical and mental wellness and their ability to function. This approach is ...
",
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
's "
Rebel Yell The rebel yell was a battle cry used by Confederate soldiers during the American Civil War. Confederate soldiers used the yell when charging to intimidate the enemy and boost their own morale, although the yell had many other uses. No audio ...
", Rammstein's "Keine Lust", Foo Fighters' "All My Life (Foo Fighters song), All My Life", Grace Jones' " Slave to the Rhythm" and Rage Against the Machine's "Killing in the Name". On 12 August 2022, they released "Slave to the Rhythm" as a digital download and streaming single. In August 2022, she appeared as herself in two episodes of the
BBC Radio 4 BBC Radio 4 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC that replaced the BBC Home Service in 1967. It broadcasts a wide variety of spoken-word programmes, including news, drama, comedy, science and history from the BBC' ...
series ''The Archers''. Toyah will be joining
Billy Idol William Michael Albert Broad (born 30 November 1955), known professionally as Billy Idol, is a British-American singer, songwriter, and musician. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer o ...
on his UK live dates this October on The Roadside Tour 2022, alongside special guests, Killing Joke.


Personal life

She has been married since 1986 to musician
Robert Fripp Robert Fripp (born 16 May 1946) is a British musician, songwriter, record producer, and author, best known as the guitarist, founder and longest-lasting member of the progressive rock band King Crimson. He has worked extensively as a session ...
, founder and guitarist of the progressive rock group
King Crimson King Crimson are a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London, England. The band draws inspiration from a wide variety of music, incorporating elements of classical, jazz, folk, heavy metal, gamelan, industrial, electronic, experime ...
. The couple have no children and have arranged their wills so as to leave their estates to the establishment of a musical educational trust for children. 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 incites creativity and craving for a fuller life experience. In 2002, she became a prominent opponent of planned accommodation centres for asylum seekers near the Worcestershire village of Throckmorton, Worcestershire, Throckmorton, protesting together with more than one thousand villagers. 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.


Discography

* ''
Sheep Farming in Barnet ''Sheep Farming in Barnet'' is the debut studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Willcox, released in 1979 by Safari Records. Background The album was produced by Steve James and future band member Keith Hale. The al ...
'' (1980) * ''
The Blue Meaning ''The Blue Meaning'' is the second studio album by the English new wave band Toyah, fronted by Toyah Wilcox, released in 1980 by Safari Records. It reached the Top 40 on the UK Albums Chart. Background The album was recorded at the Parkgate ...
'' (1980) * '' Anthem'' (1981) * '' The Changeling (1982) * '' Love Is the Law'' (1983) * ''
Minx Minx, MinX or MINX may refer to: Music * MINX (band), dissolved South Korean girl group replaced by Dreamcatcher * MINX (musician) (born 1983), Australian DJ and producer * ''Minx'' (Leatherface album), 1993 * ''Minx'' (Toyah album), 1985 Pr ...
'' (1985) * ''
Desire Desires are states of mind that are expressed by terms like "wanting", "wishing", "longing" or "craving". A great variety of features is commonly associated with desires. They are seen as propositional attitudes towards conceivable states of aff ...
'' (1987) * '' Prostitute'' (1988) * ''
Ophelia's Shadow ''Ophelia's Shadow'' is the fourth solo studio album by the British singer Toyah Willcox, released in 1991 by E.G. Records. Some musicians playing on this album have been members of King Crimson at a certain moment, people like Robert Fripp, Gor ...
'' (1991) * ''Take the Leap!'' (1993) * ''
Dreamchild ''Dreamchild'' is a 1985 British drama film written by Dennis Potter, directed by Gavin Millar, and produced by Rick McCallum and Kenith Trodd. The film, starring Coral Browne, Ian Holm, Peter Gallagher, Nicola Cowper and Amelia Shankley, is ...
'' (1994) * ''Looking Back (Toyah album), Looking Back'' (1995) * ''The Acoustic Album (Toyah Wilcox album), The Acoustic Album'' (1996) * '' Velvet Lined Shell'' (2003) * '' In the Court of the Crimson Queen'' (2008) * '' Posh Pop'' (2021)


Tours

* 1979: The Resurrection Tour * 1979: Sheep Farming in Barnet Tour * 1980: Bird in Flight Tour * 1980: Ieya Tour * 1981: College Tour * 1981: Anthem Tour * 1981: Good Morning Universe: European Tour * 1982: Changeling Tour * 1982: Mini Tour * 1983: Rebel Run Tour * 1988: Fripp Fripp Tour * 1989: Sunday All Over the World Tour * 1993: Take the Leap! Tour * 1994: Leap 2 Dream Tour * 1994: Acoustic Dreamchild Tour * 1994: Has God Ceased 2 Dream You? Tour * 2002: Here and Now Tour * 2004: Best of the 80s Tour * 2006: The Hitmakers Tour * 2010: From Sheep Farming to Anthem: Classics Revisited Tour * 2012: The Changeling Resurrection Tour * 2012: The Changeling Resurrection II * 2013: Love Is the Law & More Tour * 2014: Crimson Queen/Greatest Hits... Live! * 2014: Acoustic, Up Close & Personal * 2014: North American Tour (with The Humans) * 2014: Songs From The Intergalactic Ranch House... and Beyond! * 2015: Loud, Proud & Electric Tour * 2017: 80s Invasion Tour * 2018: #Toyah60 Tour * 2019: Thunder in the Highlands Scottish Tour * 2021/22: Posh Pop Tour * 2022: Electric Ladies with Hazel O'Connor


Filmography


Feature films

* 1978: ''
Jubilee A jubilee is a particular anniversary of an event, usually denoting the 25th, 40th, 50th, 60th, and the 70th anniversary. The term is often now used to denote the celebrations associated with the reign of a monarch after a milestone number of y ...
'' as Mad * 1979: ''
The Corn Is Green ''The Corn Is Green'' is a 1938 semi-autobiographical play by Welsh dramatist and actor Emlyn Williams. The play premiered in London at the Duchess Theatre in September 1938; with Sybil Thorndike as Miss Moffat and Williams himself portraying Mo ...
'' as Bessie Watty * 1979: '' The Tempest'' as Miranda * 1979: ''
Quadrophenia ''Quadrophenia'' is the sixth studio album by the English rock band the Who, released as a double album on 26 October 1973 by Track Records. It is the group's third rock opera, the two previous being the "mini-opera" song "A Quick One, Whil ...
'' as Monkey * 1981: ''
Urgh! A Music War ''Urgh! A Music War'' is a 1982 British concert film featuring performances by punk rock, new wave, and post-punk bands and artists. Filmed in August to September 1980 it was directed by Derek Burbidge and produced by Michael White and Lynd ...
'' as herself * 1984: '' Murder: Ultimate Grounds for Divorce'' as Valerie Cunningham * 1984: ''
The Ebony Tower ''The Ebony Tower'' (1974) by John Fowles is a collection of five novellas and short stories with interlacing themes, each built around a medieval myth: ''The Ebony Tower,'' ''Eliduc'', ''Poor Koko'', ''The Enigma'' and ''The Cloud''. Plot s ...
'' as Anne, 'The Freak' * 1993: ''Anchoress (film), Anchoress'' as Pauline Carpenter * 1999: ''Julie and the Cadillacs'' as Barbara Gifford * 1999: ''The Most Fertile Man in Ireland'' as Dr. Johnson * 2011: ''The Power of Three'' as Michelle * 2015: ''Aaaaaaaah!'' * 2017: ''The Last Laugh'' * 2017: ''Lies We Tell'' * 2017: ''In Extremis'' * 2017: ''The Apple Picker'' * 2018: ''Hound'' * 2019: ''Heckle'' * 2019: ''Invasion Planet Earth'' * 2020: ''To Be Someone'' (post-production) * 2020: ''SwipeRight'' (post-production) * 2020: ''Doll House'' (in production) * 2020: ''Give Them Wings'' as Alice Hodgson * 2021: ''Ghosts of Borley Rectory'' as Estelle Roberts


TV appearances

* 1976: ''Second City Firsts'' as Sue * 1977: ''Three Piece Suite'' as Buzz – This Situation * 1978: ''Premier'' as Fran * 1979: ''The Quatermass Conclusion'' as Sal * 1980: ''Shoestring (TV series), Shoestring'' as Toola * 1980: ''A Question of Guilt'' as Alice Fulcher * 1980: ''
Minder A minder is the person assigned to guide or escort a visitor, or to provide protection to somebody, or to otherwise assist or take care of something, i.e. a person who " minds". Government-appointed persons to accompany foreign visitors are of ...
'' * 1982: ''ITV Playhouse'' as Sheryl * 1982: ''Animal Magic'' as herself * 1982: ''Dear Heart'' as Super Advice Person * 1982: ''Tales of the Unexpected (TV series), Tales of the Unexpected'' as Myra, known as Marigold * 1984: ''Pop Quiz, Pop Quiz – Christmas Special'' * 1985: ''Function Room'' * 1985: ''Pob's Programme, Pob'' as herself * 1987: ''The Grand Knockout Tournament'' as herself * 1988: ''French and Saunders'' as herself * 1988: ''Boudicca'' * 1990: ''Cluedo (UK game show), Cluedo'' as Miss Scarlet * 1990: ''The Tale of Little Pig Robinson'' as Ship's Cat * 1991–1994: '' Brum'' as Narrator * 1992 ''Hairy Jeremy'' as Narrator * 1992: ''First Night on TV'' – hosting * 1993: ''Maigret'' as Gigi * 1993: ''Doctor Who: Thirty Years in the TARDIS'' as herself * 1994: ''The Ink Thief'' * 1995: '' Kavanagh QC'' * 1995: ''The Shooting Gallery'' * 1996: ''Good Sex Guide Late'' * 1997: ''Presenting... Toyah on VH1'' * 1997: ''Light Lunch'' * 1997–2001: ''
Teletubbies ''Teletubbies'' is a British children's television series created by Anne Wood and Andrew Davenport for the BBC. The programme focuses on four differently coloured characters known as the Teletubbies, named after the television screens on t ...
'' as Narrator (opening and closing) * 1998: ''Boys from the Black Country – The Slade Story'' – hosting * 1998–2005: ''List of Never Mind the Buzzcocks episodes, Never Mind the Buzzcocks'' * 1999: ''It's Slade'' * 1999: ''
Barmy Aunt Boomerang Barmy Aunt Boomerang is a children's comedy television series broadcast on BBC1 in the United Kingdom from 16 September 1999 to 21 December 2000. Sebastian's world is turned upside down by the arrival of his unconventional Australian aunt Boomera ...
'' * 2000: ''Doctors'' as Marcy Preston * 2002: ''Mr Bean: The Animated Series'' Additional Voices * 2002: ''Rock Legends'' as herself * 2002: ''Open House Panto Special'' * 2005: ''QueenMania'' * 2006: ''Proud Parents'' as herself * 2007–2008: ''
Secret Diary of a Call Girl ''Secret Diary of a Call Girl'' is a British drama television series that aired from 27 September 2007 to 22 March 2011 on ITV2, based on the blog and books by the pseudonymous Belle de Jour. It stars Billie Piper as Belle, a high-end London ...
'' * 2007: '' Loose Women'' – One Time Panellist * 2008: ''In Your Dreams'' as herself * 2008: '' Living with the Dead'' * 2008: '' Celebrity Mastermind'' * 2008: ''Ready Steady Cook, Ready Steady Cook – Celebrity Christmas Special'' as herself * 1982: ''FM (TV series)'' as Herself * 2009: ''Psychic Therapy'' as herself * 2009: ''Celeb Experiences'' as herself * 2009: ''Hole in the Wall (UK game show), Hole in the Wall'' as herself * 2009: ''Celebrity Brides Unveiled'' as herself * 2009: ''Celebrity Life Skills'' as herself * 2009: ''The One Show'' * 2009: ''
Casualty Casualty may refer to: *Casualty (person), a person who is killed or rendered unfit for service in a war or natural disaster **Civilian casualty, a non-combatant killed or injured in warfare * The emergency department of a hospital, also known as ...
'' * 2010: ''Greatest Christmas TV Moments '' (TV Movie documentary) * 2010: ''Gayle Tuesday: The Comeback '' * 2010: ''Greatest Christmas TV Ads '' (TV Movie documentary) * 2011: ''Celebrity Ghost Stories#Celebrity Ghost Stories UK, Celebrity Ghost Stories'' * 2012: ''The Women of Doctor Who (TV Movie documentary)'' * 2012: ''Doctor Who: Best of Specials (TV Mini-Series documentary)'' * 2013: ''The Big Fat Quiz of the 80s (TV Movie)'' * 2013: ''All Star Mr & Mrs'' * 2013: ''3 Sides of the Coin (Short)'' * 2013: ''The Power of Three'' * 2013: ''Dun Punkin: Ep.1 – 'Boys Will Be Boys' (Short)'' * 2014: ''Splash! (UK series 2), Splash!'' * 2014: ''Pointless (game show), Pointless'' * 2014: ''Who's Doing the Dishes?'' * 2015: ''Doctors'' as Bill * 2016: ''The Chase (British game show), The Chase Celebrity Special'' * 2018: ''Celebrity Mastermind'' as herself * 2020: ''Celebrity Catchphrase'' * 2021: ''Pointless Celebrities'' * 2021: ''Celebrity Tipping Point'' * 2021: ''Britain's Biggest 80s Hits'' (also known as ''The 80s Greatest Hits'') various episodes as herself (talking head contributor) * 2021: ''Britain's Biggest 70s Hits'' (later years) as herself (talking head/punk-era expert) * 2022: ''Fame in the Family''


Books

* 2000: ''Living Out Loud'' * 2005: ''Diary of a Facelift''


Sources


General

* * *


References


External links

* * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Willcox, Toyah 1958 births 20th-century English singers 21st-century English singers E.G. Records artists English new wave musicians English stage actresses English television actresses Women new wave singers Living people Musicians from Birmingham, West Midlands Musicians from Worcestershire People from Pershore English women pop singers English film actresses Toyah (band) members I'm a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! (British TV series) participants