Toyah Willcox

Toyah Willcox (b.18 May 1958) is a British singer, songwriter, musician, actress and TV presenter. Between 1977 and 1983, she fronted the band Toyah, before embarking on a solo career in the mid-1980s. Born in a suburb of Birmingham, she moved to London at the height on the puck-rock movement, originally taking up a career in acting.

After starring in several plays and starting out in movies, she also formed the Toyah band who began recording and releasing their music on an independent label. Meanwhile Willcox continued to have roles in films and TV dramas as well as appearing as the occasional TV presenter. After the band split, in 1985 released her first solo studio album Minx. In 1986 she married British guitarist and songwriter Robert Fripp. She has since continued to release music under the name of Toyah, her last album being Posh Pop (2021) recorded during the COVD-19 pandemic and lockdown.

She currently lives in Pershore, Worcestershire with Fripp.

TV
as actress unless otherwise stated


 * 1976: Second City Firsts: Glitter (BBC2)
 * 1977: Three Piece Suite (BBC2)
 * 1978: Premiere 2 (BBC2) rpt.1980
 * 1979: Look! Hear! (BBC Midlands, presenter), Shoestring (BBC1, rpt.1981)
 * 1980: A Question of Guilt (BBC2), David Hemmings as Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (BBC2), Friday Night ... Saturday Morning (BBC2), Toyah (documentary, ATV)
 * 1981: Get Set For Summer (BBC1, guest presenter 18 July ed.), Pop Quiz (BBC1, contestant), Parkinson (BBC1, guest)
 * 1982: Dear Heart (BBC2), Pop Quiz (BBC1, contestant)
 * 1983: Russell Harty (BBC2), Did You See...? (BBC2), The Get Set Picture Show (BBC1), Pebble Mill at One (BBC1)

Radio

 * 07 November 1981 - My Top 12 (R1)
 * 07 January 1984 - Annie in Conversation, also feat. Sting 8R1)
 * 01 April 1985 - Six Women (R4)
 * 19 May 1985 - The Great Rock'n'Roll Trivia Quiz
 * 31 July 1985 - Woman's Hour (R4)
 * 05 September 1985 - The Evening Show, co-host with Janice Long
 * 18 November 1986 - Optimistic Tragedy (R3, radio play)
 * 17 March 1990 - Options (series, R4) The Science of Sound 1: An Introduction to Sound Whale song and the language of drums, music and the mysteries of the inner ear. Toyah Willcox begins a six-part investigation of the aural world
 * 03 May 1990 - Bombay Mix (R4, comedy)
 * 16 September 1991 - Woman's Hour (R4) - Toyah Willcox recreates the story of rock star Janis Joplin.
 * tb cont. (see search index)