Everything you need to know about Strictly’s Toyah Willcox
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Each year, Strictly Come Dancing invites 15 enthusiastic celebrities to its prestigious dance floor, where they compete for the chance to win the glitterball trophy.
Although the roster of famous personalities typically features a blend of reality TV stars and hosts, it's uncommon for the show to land a punk-rock icon like Toyah Willcox.
At 66 years old, the artist, renowned for popular tracks such as “It’s A Mystery,” “I Want to Be Free,” and “Brave New World,” boasts a career that extends over four decades. During this impressive journey, she has achieved eight top 40 hits, released twenty-five albums, and authored two books.
The singer gained popularity in the late 1970s as the lead of the band Toyah, later moving on to a solo career in the mid-1980s.
In addition to her impressive music career, Willcox has also performed in over 40 stage productions and appeared in more than 20 feature films. Notable works include the 1979 film "Jubilee," which focused on Queen Elizabeth I, and the popular Mod-themed movie "Quadrophenia," released the same year, where she starred alongside Sting, Ray Winstone, Phil Daniels, and Leslie Ash.
Her latest acting project features a short film titled Ahhh!, a British horror comedy directed by Steve Oram. The film also stars Julian Rhind-Tutt, Noel Fielding, and Julian Barratt.
Willcox has participated in numerous reality shows, including the 2023 Christmas edition of The Great British Sewing Bee, which she won.
In 2018, Paul McCartney presented Willcox with a prestigious recognition from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, honoring his exceptional accomplishments in music, drama, performance, and media.
Discussing her debut on the Strictly stage, Willcox expresses her excitement: “Wow, I can’t believe I'm part of Strictly Come Dancing! This is going to be an incredible journey, and I’m ready to enjoy every shimmering moment.”
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"I’m accustomed to entertaining large audiences, but this is an entirely new experience for me. I have no idea how I’ll manage… I just can't wait to dive in and start learning some dance routines!"
Willcox mentioned that her friend, broadcaster Angela Rippon, motivated her to participate in this year's show.
"I need to take action soon, as I won't be able to move like that in two years," she shared with The Mirror in April, prior to the announcement of her casting in Strictly.
"I really appreciate the effort they put in. I know Angela Rippon personally, and she's truly remarkable."
She mentioned, "They practice for 10 hours daily without fail. On Saturdays, they even have two performances."
When I arrived, they welcomed me to observe them performing their live show. At nine o’clock, they began recording the Sunday episode, and I found myself wondering, ‘Is this something I could actually do?’
"However, it's clear that everyone around the globe is eager to participate in Strictly, and I wouldn't turn down the opportunity."
Willcox will be teaming up with 14 other famous personalities to dance the Rumba, Cha Cha, and Waltz in this year's 20th anniversary edition of Strictly. Among the participants are Jamie Borthwick from EastEnders, Olympic athlete Tom Dean, Sarah Hadland from Miranda, and JB Gill from JLS. Check out the complete list of contestants here.
This year's edition will be particularly unique since it celebrates 20 years since the very first episode aired.
Strictly will be stepping into a new chapter this year, as the contestants will benefit from a new series of welfare protocols introduced in response to a recent surge of accusations that have shaken the show.
Professional dancers Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima have exited the show following accusations regarding their behavior during rehearsals. Pernice has refuted claims of "threatening and abusive conduct" that were brought forth by actress Amanda Abbington, while Di Prima expressed his deep remorse for incidents involving his celebrity partner Zara McDermott during a practice session.
Following these developments, the BBC has decided to implement a system of personal chaperones who will accompany each celebrity contestant throughout the duration of the program.
