TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO 2
THE SCOTT MILLS
BREAKFAST SHOW
8.8.2025
BBC RADIO 2
THE SCOTT MILLS
BREAKFAST SHOW
8.8.2025
SCOTT MILLS: Hi! This is Big Guest Friday, and Toyah is here. Good morning!
TOYAH: Good morning you gorgeous creature!
SCOTT MILLS: How are you?
TOYAH: I'm really good. It's a beautiful day out there. It's gorgeous being here with you
SCOTT: Good vibe in here, isn't it?
TOYAH: It's a really good vibe!
SCOTT: How is it possible that you are celebrating 45 years in music?
TOYAH: Well, you're very kind. I actually think it's closer to 50 because I was an actress when I was 18 at the National Theatre and that was 1976. So we're touching that 50 year mark
SCOTT: Yeah, we are
TOYAH: It feels great though!
SCOTT: Yeah, you look amazing as well
TOYAH: Thank you
SCOTT: The summer outfit. We're gonna talk about the hair in a second
TOYAH: Oh, really?!
SCOTT: Everything is just on point as I would expect
TOYAH: Well, thank you so much!
SCOTT: Amazing. Rod says “my first ever gig was toy at Odeon New Street, Birmingham”
TOYAH: Oh, Rod! I remember it because there was a kind of riot on stage that particular night. I have one of these very strange memories Scott
SCOTT: So you can remember this gig?!
TOYAH: I can remember this gig. I can remember what I was wearing. I was all in white and I had tassels that span round me when I used to spin. But about 40 kids stormed the stage
My parents were in the balcony and my mother was so frightened for me. I was having a fantastic time! And then the police had to get us out the building
SCOTT: Oh, god, yeah, that's dramatic!
TOYAH: I know, but that's what rock and roll is about
SCOTT: Yeah. This month we are celebrating all things 80's on Radio 2. Take us back in time. What did the 80's mean for Toyah?
TOYAH: Well, I started in punk in 1977 and by the time I got to the 80's, I felt like a veteran -
SCOTT: Did you?
TOYAH: Because I'd been through punk, I was then new wave. Then this 80's explosion of synth rock came about. I loved every minute and to do Top Of The Pops on a regular basis
And then we used to come off stage at Top Of The Pops and have a little prop plane waiting for us at a private airfield to take us to Belgium or to Germany where we would do a rock festival and then fly straight back through the night
It was so crazy, so romantic. We were creating our own looks, our own hair, our own clothes. Individualism was huge in the 80's and the boys wore makeup which I thought was gorgeous
SCOTT: Is it the best decade?
TOYAH: I think for music it's a stunning decade
SCOTT: It's a stunning decade and you'll hear all of it on Sounds and on Radio 2 this month. If you search the 80's on Sounds, there's so much for you. We can't really not mention the iconic hair. Would you ever go bright orange again?
TOYAH: I've been thinking about it
SCOTT: Have you?!
TOYAH: Yeah, I have been thinking about it. The reason I have normal looking hair is I can go into acting at any minute and you get called up by casting people. I've got a movie in February and they will not appreciate me having pink hair
SCOTT: What's the movie? Are we allowed to say?
TOYAH: It's a very noir movie. It's about a pathogen on a ship. That's all I can tell you. But my leading man - I'm so excited about my leading man! He's done “Star Wars” and everything. It's gonna be great, really good
I think we're filming on a ship in the North Sea. That will be a problem because I even got seasick when I did “Strictly (Come Dancing)” (below with her partner Neil Jones) I'm not good with being spun round and shaken about but life is busy and it's good
SCOTT: Great. Joanna Lumley was here this time last week. She cuts her own hair
TOYAH: No!
SCOTT: I'm not being funny. That is the work of a hairdresser. Is it not?
TOYAH: Well, the fridge fringe is my own work
SCOTT: Is it?!
TOYAH: I shouldn't admit that because my hairdresser scolds me every time I cut my own fridge. But when you're so busy and you can't get to a hairdresser and you just cannot see -
SCOTT: Snip away!
TOYAH: Just snip away
SCOTT: Yeah, we had Mariah Carey on the show yesterday
TOYAH: Oh, did she know that Katy Perry had been up to the moon?
SCOTT: She did not
TOYAH: I think that's fabulous. What a world to inhabit. I love her
SCOTT: She didn't know and I was the first person to tell her that
TOYAH: But it was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment, because Mariah Carey is so successful, she doesn't have to know what's going on in the world! I love that!
SCOTT: It's Maria's world!
TOYAH: It's Mariah's world!
SCOTT: She said that she had people doing her makeup on a plane while she was asleep. Now think back to the 1980's. That must have happened to you? Tell me the most ridiculously glam thing? I can picture you on Concorde getting your glam done
TOYAH: I can tell you 4 hours ago I got up in my flat in Chiswick and I put my own makeup on. I was still asleep, but I put my own makeup on. What happened with me is my makeup took about 12 hours because I had painted face. I had this massive hair -
SCOTT: Every time?!
TOYAH: It took about 12 hours when I did Drury Lane, Old Grey Whistle Test (above), which, by the way, had 12 million viewers on BBC Two. That took all day to do the makeup and the concert took an hour
SCOTT: And then you take it off and do it all over again!
TOYAH: Oh, take it off and then try and make me look young and beautiful again. It's time consuming. No wonder Mariah Carey has a private jet and sleeps while it's done
SCOTT: What was the most showbiz thing you did in the 80's? Did you go on Concorde?
TOYAH: No, I never did and I'm quite relieved, actually. I'm a bit scared of flying. I think one of the most amazing things I have ever done was to go to tea with the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. I got summoned mid-recording “Anthem”. They said “we want to meet you at St James's (Palace) at four o'clock for tea”
SCOTT: This is amazing!
TOYAH: I went with the designer Katharine Hamnett and we had a wild time. The Queen Mother was just breathtaking. She was so funny, so witty. But then Princess Margaret came in and she was just wicked. So we had tea, we had scones
We were surrounded by their security. I don't know why, whether they thought we might mug them or something. And then I went back to the studio and carried on recording my multi gold album “Anthem”
SCOTT: That's amazing
TOYAH: Yeah
SCOTT: I actually think Margaret and the Queen Mother would have been a right laugh. Was it fun?
TOYAH: They were like a girl gang. Fabulous!
SCOTT: Right! We're going to play one of Toyah's biggest hits, and then we'll get another guest in on Big Guest Friday. Here is “It's A Mystery” on Radio 2!
It's A Mystery plays
SCOTT: Toyah, let me read you some of these. “I saw Toyah at the Isle Of Wight Festival last year (below). I have been a fan since the very start of her career and she was nothing but pure joy. What a beautiful soul she is”. That's from Carmen in Cardiff
TOYAH: Carmen! Hello!
SCOTT: “Toyah is magnificent. I was about six when “It's A Mystery” was in the charts. I was obsessed by such an incredible voice and look because it was so different at the time and she is still incredible today”. That's from Steve
TOYAH: Steve! I love you!
SCOTT: “I was named after Toyah Willcox, born in 1982. My sister loved her when my mom was pregnant and they ended up naming me Toyah. I love my name. Please shout out for me”. That's Toyah from Shetland
TOYAH: Hello Toyah from Shetland!
SCOTT: So many stories, so much love. “I saw Toyah at Hitchin College, maybe 1980. She then gave us a lift back to Stevenage in a clapped out transit van”
TOYAH: I remember it
SCOTT: You remember everything!
TOYAH: I do remember everything!
SCOTT: It's Big Guest Friday. You've got a greatest hits album and a tour coming up
TOYAH: Yeah. “Chameleon” is a 45 year retrospective of my career. It's fabulous! It's even got the original demos of the singles on. It's got unheard demos. It's fabulous! And then I'm playing Islington, Union Chapel. I've got Warwick Arts Center
Then I'm on the road with Big Country but next year I have 50 dates of a storytelling tour with a new book release. And before that we think we're going to release a brand new album in January. You're the first to hear that
SCOTT: You are incredible!
TOYAH: It's busy!
SCOTT: It's busy. I love it! (A jingle plays) “Radio 2 In The Park!” Craig, you were there last year. Good vibes, isn't it?
2nd GUEST CRAIG DAVID: Beyond good vibes. So many beautiful people together. Got the chance to meet up with Sting after all those years
SCOTT: Who also taught you how to do crosswords?
CRAIG: Absolutely, I learned from the best
TOYAH: No?!
CRAIG: Yeah, we did the “Rise And Fall” video and in the breaks he would just be “come over here, son. Sit down.” “What are we doing over there?” “Let's do the crossword. Keep your mind sharp”. I was like wow! This is with Sting
SCOTT: And that opened everything to Craig
CRAIG: Wordsmith, 16 bars after that
TOYAH: When I did “Quadrophenia” with Sting (above, on the left with Toyah just behind him) he taught me how to sing the backing vocals on “Roxanne”. He's such kind man!
CRAIG: What a dream!
TOYAH: He's such a good teacher!
SCOTT: And you always have a better story!
TOYAH: No, sorry, that wasn't meant to be one-upmanship! That was probably before Craig was born!
CRAIG: It's always love. Like when you've shared things today I've learned so much -
SCOTT: So have I!
CRAIG: And I've always had this profound love for you
SCOTT: Incredible stories is what I meant!
CRAIG: The stories are so deep and rich
TOYAH: Aww
CRAIG: Imagine singing background for “Roxanne”
SCOTT: Yeah, I know!
Listen to the interview
TOYAH: Good morning you gorgeous creature!
SCOTT MILLS: How are you?
TOYAH: I'm really good. It's a beautiful day out there. It's gorgeous being here with you
SCOTT: Good vibe in here, isn't it?
TOYAH: It's a really good vibe!
SCOTT: How is it possible that you are celebrating 45 years in music?
TOYAH: Well, you're very kind. I actually think it's closer to 50 because I was an actress when I was 18 at the National Theatre and that was 1976. So we're touching that 50 year mark
SCOTT: Yeah, we are
TOYAH: It feels great though!
SCOTT: Yeah, you look amazing as well
TOYAH: Thank you
SCOTT: The summer outfit. We're gonna talk about the hair in a second
TOYAH: Oh, really?!
SCOTT: Everything is just on point as I would expect
TOYAH: Well, thank you so much!
SCOTT: Amazing. Rod says “my first ever gig was toy at Odeon New Street, Birmingham”
TOYAH: Oh, Rod! I remember it because there was a kind of riot on stage that particular night. I have one of these very strange memories Scott
SCOTT: So you can remember this gig?!
TOYAH: I can remember this gig. I can remember what I was wearing. I was all in white and I had tassels that span round me when I used to spin. But about 40 kids stormed the stage
My parents were in the balcony and my mother was so frightened for me. I was having a fantastic time! And then the police had to get us out the building
SCOTT: Oh, god, yeah, that's dramatic!
TOYAH: I know, but that's what rock and roll is about
SCOTT: Yeah. This month we are celebrating all things 80's on Radio 2. Take us back in time. What did the 80's mean for Toyah?
TOYAH: Well, I started in punk in 1977 and by the time I got to the 80's, I felt like a veteran -
SCOTT: Did you?
TOYAH: Because I'd been through punk, I was then new wave. Then this 80's explosion of synth rock came about. I loved every minute and to do Top Of The Pops on a regular basis
And then we used to come off stage at Top Of The Pops and have a little prop plane waiting for us at a private airfield to take us to Belgium or to Germany where we would do a rock festival and then fly straight back through the night
It was so crazy, so romantic. We were creating our own looks, our own hair, our own clothes. Individualism was huge in the 80's and the boys wore makeup which I thought was gorgeous
SCOTT: Is it the best decade?
TOYAH: I think for music it's a stunning decade
SCOTT: It's a stunning decade and you'll hear all of it on Sounds and on Radio 2 this month. If you search the 80's on Sounds, there's so much for you. We can't really not mention the iconic hair. Would you ever go bright orange again?
TOYAH: I've been thinking about it
SCOTT: Have you?!
TOYAH: Yeah, I have been thinking about it. The reason I have normal looking hair is I can go into acting at any minute and you get called up by casting people. I've got a movie in February and they will not appreciate me having pink hair
SCOTT: What's the movie? Are we allowed to say?
TOYAH: It's a very noir movie. It's about a pathogen on a ship. That's all I can tell you. But my leading man - I'm so excited about my leading man! He's done “Star Wars” and everything. It's gonna be great, really good
I think we're filming on a ship in the North Sea. That will be a problem because I even got seasick when I did “Strictly (Come Dancing)” (below with her partner Neil Jones) I'm not good with being spun round and shaken about but life is busy and it's good
SCOTT: Great. Joanna Lumley was here this time last week. She cuts her own hair
TOYAH: No!
SCOTT: I'm not being funny. That is the work of a hairdresser. Is it not?
TOYAH: Well, the fridge fringe is my own work
SCOTT: Is it?!
TOYAH: I shouldn't admit that because my hairdresser scolds me every time I cut my own fridge. But when you're so busy and you can't get to a hairdresser and you just cannot see -
SCOTT: Snip away!
TOYAH: Just snip away
SCOTT: Yeah, we had Mariah Carey on the show yesterday
TOYAH: Oh, did she know that Katy Perry had been up to the moon?
SCOTT: She did not
TOYAH: I think that's fabulous. What a world to inhabit. I love her
SCOTT: She didn't know and I was the first person to tell her that
TOYAH: But it was beautiful. It was a beautiful moment, because Mariah Carey is so successful, she doesn't have to know what's going on in the world! I love that!
SCOTT: It's Maria's world!
TOYAH: It's Mariah's world!
SCOTT: She said that she had people doing her makeup on a plane while she was asleep. Now think back to the 1980's. That must have happened to you? Tell me the most ridiculously glam thing? I can picture you on Concorde getting your glam done
TOYAH: I can tell you 4 hours ago I got up in my flat in Chiswick and I put my own makeup on. I was still asleep, but I put my own makeup on. What happened with me is my makeup took about 12 hours because I had painted face. I had this massive hair -
SCOTT: Every time?!
TOYAH: It took about 12 hours when I did Drury Lane, Old Grey Whistle Test (above), which, by the way, had 12 million viewers on BBC Two. That took all day to do the makeup and the concert took an hour
SCOTT: And then you take it off and do it all over again!
TOYAH: Oh, take it off and then try and make me look young and beautiful again. It's time consuming. No wonder Mariah Carey has a private jet and sleeps while it's done
SCOTT: What was the most showbiz thing you did in the 80's? Did you go on Concorde?
TOYAH: No, I never did and I'm quite relieved, actually. I'm a bit scared of flying. I think one of the most amazing things I have ever done was to go to tea with the Queen Mother and Princess Margaret. I got summoned mid-recording “Anthem”. They said “we want to meet you at St James's (Palace) at four o'clock for tea”
SCOTT: This is amazing!
TOYAH: I went with the designer Katharine Hamnett and we had a wild time. The Queen Mother was just breathtaking. She was so funny, so witty. But then Princess Margaret came in and she was just wicked. So we had tea, we had scones
We were surrounded by their security. I don't know why, whether they thought we might mug them or something. And then I went back to the studio and carried on recording my multi gold album “Anthem”
SCOTT: That's amazing
TOYAH: Yeah
SCOTT: I actually think Margaret and the Queen Mother would have been a right laugh. Was it fun?
TOYAH: They were like a girl gang. Fabulous!
SCOTT: Right! We're going to play one of Toyah's biggest hits, and then we'll get another guest in on Big Guest Friday. Here is “It's A Mystery” on Radio 2!
It's A Mystery plays
SCOTT: Toyah, let me read you some of these. “I saw Toyah at the Isle Of Wight Festival last year (below). I have been a fan since the very start of her career and she was nothing but pure joy. What a beautiful soul she is”. That's from Carmen in Cardiff
TOYAH: Carmen! Hello!
SCOTT: “Toyah is magnificent. I was about six when “It's A Mystery” was in the charts. I was obsessed by such an incredible voice and look because it was so different at the time and she is still incredible today”. That's from Steve
TOYAH: Steve! I love you!
SCOTT: “I was named after Toyah Willcox, born in 1982. My sister loved her when my mom was pregnant and they ended up naming me Toyah. I love my name. Please shout out for me”. That's Toyah from Shetland
TOYAH: Hello Toyah from Shetland!
SCOTT: So many stories, so much love. “I saw Toyah at Hitchin College, maybe 1980. She then gave us a lift back to Stevenage in a clapped out transit van”
TOYAH: I remember it
SCOTT: You remember everything!
TOYAH: I do remember everything!
SCOTT: It's Big Guest Friday. You've got a greatest hits album and a tour coming up
TOYAH: Yeah. “Chameleon” is a 45 year retrospective of my career. It's fabulous! It's even got the original demos of the singles on. It's got unheard demos. It's fabulous! And then I'm playing Islington, Union Chapel. I've got Warwick Arts Center
Then I'm on the road with Big Country but next year I have 50 dates of a storytelling tour with a new book release. And before that we think we're going to release a brand new album in January. You're the first to hear that
SCOTT: You are incredible!
TOYAH: It's busy!
SCOTT: It's busy. I love it! (A jingle plays) “Radio 2 In The Park!” Craig, you were there last year. Good vibes, isn't it?
2nd GUEST CRAIG DAVID: Beyond good vibes. So many beautiful people together. Got the chance to meet up with Sting after all those years
SCOTT: Who also taught you how to do crosswords?
CRAIG: Absolutely, I learned from the best
TOYAH: No?!
CRAIG: Yeah, we did the “Rise And Fall” video and in the breaks he would just be “come over here, son. Sit down.” “What are we doing over there?” “Let's do the crossword. Keep your mind sharp”. I was like wow! This is with Sting
SCOTT: And that opened everything to Craig
CRAIG: Wordsmith, 16 bars after that
TOYAH: When I did “Quadrophenia” with Sting (above, on the left with Toyah just behind him) he taught me how to sing the backing vocals on “Roxanne”. He's such kind man!
CRAIG: What a dream!
TOYAH: He's such a good teacher!
SCOTT: And you always have a better story!
TOYAH: No, sorry, that wasn't meant to be one-upmanship! That was probably before Craig was born!
CRAIG: It's always love. Like when you've shared things today I've learned so much -
SCOTT: So have I!
CRAIG: And I've always had this profound love for you
SCOTT: Incredible stories is what I meant!
CRAIG: The stories are so deep and rich
TOYAH: Aww
CRAIG: Imagine singing background for “Roxanne”
SCOTT: Yeah, I know!
Listen to the interview
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