Everything you need to know about Toyah Willcox as she enters Strictly Come Dancing
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Each year, Strictly Come Dancing invites 15 enthusiastic celebrities to its famous dance stage for the opportunity to compete and win the sparkling glitterball trophy.
Although the roster of celebrity names typically features a blend of reality TV personalities and hosts, it's uncommon for the program to land a punk-rock icon like Toyah Willcox.
The 66-year-old, famous for her popular songs such as “It’s A Mystery,” “I Want to Be Free,” and “Brave New World,” boasts a career that has lasted over four decades. Throughout her journey, she has enjoyed eight songs that made it into the top 40, released 25 albums, and penned two books.
The vocalist gained recognition in the late 1970s as the lead of the band Toyah, and then she went on to pursue a solo career in the mid-1980s.
In addition to her impressive music career, Willcox has performed in over 40 stage productions and appeared in more than 20 feature films. Notably, she was in the 1979 movie Jubilee, which focused on Queen Elizabeth I, as well as the popular 1979 Mod film Quadrophenia, where she shared the screen with Sting, Ray Winstone, Phil Daniels, and Leslie Ash.
Her latest acting project is the short film "Ahhh!", a British horror comedy directed by Steve Oram. It features performances from Julian Rhind-Tutt, Noel Fielding, and Julian Barratt.
Willcox has made appearances on numerous reality TV programs, notably winning the Christmas edition of The Great British Sewing Bee in 2023.
In 2018, Paul McCartney presented Willcox with a Companionship from the Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts in recognition of his significant contributions to music, drama, performance, and media.
Reflecting on her debut in the Strictly ballroom, Willcox expresses her excitement: “I can’t believe I’m part of Strictly Come Dancing! This is going to be an amazing journey, and I’m ready to enjoy every dazzling moment.”
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“I’m accustomed to entertaining large audiences, but this is a totally new experience for me, so I have no idea how I’ll perform. I’m eager to dive in and start learning some dance routines right away!”
Willcox mentioned that her friend, broadcaster Angela Rippon, motivated her to participate in this year's event.
"I really need to do it sooner rather than later, because I won’t be able to move like that in two years," she shared with The Mirror in April, before her participation in Strictly was announced.
"I really appreciate the effort they put in. I'm friends with Angela Rippon, and she is truly remarkable."
She mentioned, "However, they're practicing for ten hours each day without a break. Then on Saturday, they perform twice."
When I arrived, they welcomed me to see their live broadcast. At nine o’clock, they began recording the Sunday program, and I found myself wondering, “Is this something I could do?”
"However, it's clear that everyone around the globe has a desire to participate in Strictly. I certainly wouldn't turn down the opportunity."
Willcox is set to join 14 other famous faces ready 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, Olympian Tom Dean, Sarah Hadland from Miranda, and JB Gill from JLS. You can see the complete list of contestants here.
This year's event will stand out in particular because it celebrates two decades since the very first episode aired.
Strictly is about to begin a new chapter, as this year’s participants will benefit from new welfare initiatives implemented in response to a series of allegations that have recently shaken the show.
Two professional dancers, Giovanni Pernice and Graziano Di Prima, have exited the show following claims regarding their behavior during rehearsals. Pernice has refuted accusations of “threatening and abusive conduct” put forth by Amanda Abbington, known for her role in Sherlock. Di Prima, on the other hand, expressed in a statement that he “deeply regrets” the incidents that occurred with his celebrity partner, Zara McDermott, during a practice session.
Following these developments, the BBC has decided to implement personal chaperones who will be designated for each celebrity participant throughout the course of the show.
