TOYAH ON
BBC RADIO SCOTLAND
AFTERNOONS
WITH MICHELLE MCMANUS
  13.2.2025  

MICHELLE: I am so excited for my first guest today. She is iconic. Toyah Willcox is an artist that has continued to reinvent herself in the UK entertainment and music for decades, pushing the boundaries of success

She is a singer. She is an actress, an author, a composer and a performer, and a beloved household name that has won numerous awards and recognition over the span of a hugely impressive career

This February Toyah joins the cast of "NOW That's What I Call A Musical" as a guest star. The show comes to the Edinburgh Playhouse from the 25th of February up until the first of March. Here is a recent snippet of what's in store

Plays a clip of the songs in the show

MICHELLE: How amazing does that sound? Just a wee taste ahead of the show coming to Edinburgh. I'm delighted to say I'm joined now by the iconic Toyah Willcox. Hello, Toyah!

TOYAH: Hello, Michelle. How are you?

MICHELLE: I am so wonderful and I'm all the better for speaking to you. Toyah, we're so excited to have you on the show

TOYAH: Oh, thank you so much. I'm going to have a week in Edinburgh and I can't wait


MICHELLE: We cannot wait. We are hoping, Toyah, that the weather will stay dry for you. It's been a bit of a hit and miss up here. But listen, who cares? Because you're coming, and also you're a guest star in the most fabulous show - but people are coming just to see you alone. This show has been so hugely successful. You must love coming into a production like this?

TOYAH: Oh, it's absolutely perfect for someone like me. Every town has a different guest star. So as you know I'm doing Edinburgh, but I was in Hull last week rehearsing the show and doing the dress rehearsal, ready for me to be in Edinburgh, and Sinitta was the guest star in Hull. It's just so wonderful

It's such a reveal. It's a very dramatic and a funny reveal for all of us. The scene is very funny because "Gemma", played by Nina Wadia, is praying to a poster of her 80s idol asking for help. And then suddenly one of these idols comes through the wall and gives her advice. It's not always the advice you want to hear (Michelle laughs) but it's very funny

MICHELLE: But such a moment in the show, right? And such an era for music. You know that better than anyone, right? Probably the best, I would say, in terms of just how diverse the music was and how it really changed the landscape of music as well during that period

I think in 2025 it's lovely to have a show like this, Toyah, because it's such a trip down memory lane. It's nostalgia, it's escapism. It must be really lovely and I'm sure you'll experience that the audience are just so on your side and everyone's there for a party

TOYAH: It's very much a party atmosphere. We all have our unique memories for every song that's on, whether it's Spandau Ballet, Simple Minds, Trevor Horn or ABC. We all have our unique memories. The thing is - 80s music was storytellers music, and the lyrics fit so beautifully within this very well crafted play. It is a musical, but it's also a play, and the performers sing so well

My goodness Nina is a fabulous singer. Sam Bailey is a wonderful singer. My gosh, her voice is huge! It's so exciting! Sam was talking to me in Hull and she said “you know that I was a prison officer?” and I said "no, I just thought you're an all time singer" (Michelle laughs) because her voice is so big!

MICHELLE: She's such a lovely person. We did “Celebrity Pointless” (a quiz show) together because we are both from singing reality shows, and we actually got all the way. I'd never met her before, and obviously we just met in the green room before we went in. She's a powerhouse when it comes to singing

I think that's the calibre and that's why the show's so good, right? Because of the ensemble. I think that works for someone like you because you are an icon stepping into this as a guest star. You know that you're walking into a great ensemble and a great show, because everyone loves that era of music. It's real nostalgia for the “NOW” albums. They're celebrating 40 years or something like that

So I think it's so multi-layered, right? That people are coming along to see the show for a variety of different reasons. For us in Edinburgh I think we've hit the jackpot that you're going to be in the show. We're so excited!


TOYAH: I've definitely hit the jackpot. It's one of my favorite cities in the world. And I must add this musical is choreographed by Craig Revel Horwood

MICHELLE: Your "Strictly" ("Strictly Come Dancing") buddy!

TOYAH: Yeah, well, I don't know if I'm buddies with any of the judges (Michelle laughs) They gave me a hard time, but the choreography on the musical is breathtaking! It's made me forgive Craig Revel Horwood for all of his meanness

MICHELLE: But you know it's complete pantomime. Because with "Strictly" we forget it's one the biggest shows on telly in terms of Saturday night. Everyone round the telly, family viewing. The way we stream now, the way we watch now - whether it's the way we listen to radio or watch TV - is so different. I feel "Strictly" still takes us back to a place of that kind of Saturday night

We know all the drama that goes on but they all secretly love you guys. We all sit and watch in awe because you think you could do something like that but I don't think people quite understand it's the dedication, it's the work, it's the Monday to Friday stuff. Just trying to learn these routines. I don't think anyone quite realises just how much it takes out of you

TOYAH: I loved it! I loved the rehearsal room. It was just me, Neil Jones, and we all had a psychologist sit with us in case we needed to talk, but we had so much fun. We worked so hard, but I really loved it. I have always loved immersing myself in my work, and this was one of those very special jobs

I adored it and I really hated coming off. I think all the celebs will tell you when we were voted off it was really painful. None of us wanted to come off. Chris McCausland thought he'd be off in the first week and he was begging to be off and look at the journey he made. He was outstanding

MICHELLE: We spoke to him just a few days after his win and I ended up crying. He ended up crying. He was saying "people are coming up to me and pouring their heart out and saying "do you know what you did for me being on a show like that because of someone in my family"". He was so extremely brave to go and do something like that

And then we all talk about that journey, right? For him to go that distance and to be able to do what he did - he's just so used to making people laugh as a comedian, but really having to open up that emotional side of him and being very vulnerable and without having the jokes beside him. He was still blown away literally a couple of days after he won

It was a really special series last year and every single celebrity contributed to that. Also who doesn't want to wear sequins constantly, Toyah, and look so gorgeous and glamorous and get to dance with professionals


TOYAH: I would like to tell you that I'm wearing a "Strictly" outfit on “NOW That's What I Call A Musical,” but I'm not. I'm wearing something I have never worn the likes of before, and I really like it

MICHELLE: Well, don't tell us anymore because we're going to buy tickets to come see it, right? So we don't want to give too much away. I love the fact how control you are of your career. It's really empowering actually to see when you're releasing music, making videos. But I also love the “Toyah At Home” (above) stuff as well

I think COVID changed everything. Look at us - we're talking right now down the line. We're not actually in a studio with each other. We changed. The fact that when COVID hit everybody we started to communicate with each other directly through the wonders of the internet

That really was a lifesaver for a lot of people, and a way for folk to connect when they weren't able to leave the house. But you've been going from strength to strength to strength with us, because you really do keep up to date with the fans on a weekly basis

TOYAH: It's been a phenomenal few years. As social media went through the roof in lockdown, and my husband and I - we've been married for 39 years -

MICHELLE: Congratulations!

TOYAH: Thank you. We've never had more than about three months together consecutively (Michelle laughs), and suddenly we were in a house together. I think our social media helped both of us deal with not being able to perform. Both of us were bereft that we couldn't perform for our audiences, and social media was the next best thing

So we went from 100 000 views in our first week up to 133 million last August (Michelle laughs) It's growing and growing. We think what's happening is that the world is seeing us as their favorite grandparents. They wish their grandparents were perhaps as off the wall and kooky as we are, because there's a definite fondness of us - which we really like

MICHELLE: I'm sure people do not think of you anywhere close to being a grandparent. You look far too phenomenal for that. Social media and influencers are all very young. They're going for a certain audience in their 20s and their 30s

But I think there's a whole group of people online that are 40-50 plus and they aren't really being paid attention to. You're so smart to do this with your husband and opening yourself up. I think there's a whole group of people in that age range upwards who want that content


TOYAH: Men want it too. I think there's a whole audience of, as you say, 45 upwards that want representation but they also want verification of who and what they are. We know an awful lot of women watch and get their husbands to watch and the women are saying “I want a husband like Robert Fripp” (Michelle laughs) I think men are doing the same with their wives. It represents something that you don't see much of on TV and that's happy elderly people

MICHELLE: Surely there's a production company out there - it would be a genius move to put that on TV, right? You're talking about 130 odd million views online. That is a gift waiting to be handed to the right production company

TOYAH: I agree. We had a camera crew following us for the whole of 2023 but they've gone off on another project. We're thinking "you've got to come back soon, because we might not be around much longer". They don't want to miss the ending!

MICHELLE: I actually think there'll be such a want for that kind of content. You've already proved that because people actually have to go and find content online. It's not just delivered to them the way that they'll get it through terrestrial TV or even the streaming platforms

People have to go to a lot of effort to find that. People naturally want to see you guys and to see what you do. So you can imagine if that was more readily available on TV. I'm telling you, Toyah, you're going to be on your new TV show within a year

TOYAH: BBC Scotland are very welcome to sign us up!

MICHELLE: I would love to see the big bosses listen to me, Toyah. You and I both know that will not be the case (Toyah laughs), but if they are listening - we have got great studios up here and a great production arm of the BBC. So I think someone's missing a trick there. Toyah, it has been such a joy to speak to you. We're so excited you're coming to Edinburgh. Have the best time in this musical. It sounds fantastic

TOYAH: It's lovely. It's a wonderful night out. It's very funny and the music is fantastic. I cannot wait. So thank you, Michelle

MICHELLE: An absolute pleasure. The icon that is Toyah Willcox will be joining the cast of "NOW That's What I Call A Musical" as a very special guest star in the Edinburgh Playhouse from the 25th of February until the first of March. That will be a great night

Listen to the interview HERE