Strictly's Toyah Willcox sends defiant message to doubters after beating Olympian Tom Dean in tense...

Written by Laura Parkin for Mailonline

Posted: 10:02 AM BST, October 5, 2024 | Revised: 2:14 PM BST, October 5, 2024

Toyah Willcox confidently declared that she will 'show the skeptics they were mistaken' after emerging victorious in a nail-biting dance-off against Olympian Tom Dean on Strictly Come Dancing.

Responding to younger fans who believe she’s "really old," the 66-year-old singer acknowledged that she doesn’t act that way and considers herself to be quite resilient.

Last weekend, Tom was the first contestant to be eliminated from the competition after the judges chose to save Toyah and her professional partner, Neil Jones.

In an interview with The Sun, she said, "Everyone was totally astonished. Tom is an Olympic athlete, but when it comes to a dance-off, I'm going to put in my best effort against anyone."

They see a small 66-year-old who could easily be their mom or grandmother. I completely get that to younger folks, I seem really old, but I don't act that way.

Toyah Willcox boldly stated that she will "show the skeptics they are mistaken" after triumphing over Olympian Tom Dean in a nail-biting dance-off on Strictly Come Dancing (she's seen here with her professional partner, Neil Jones, from last weekend).

Last weekend, Tom was the first participant to be eliminated from the competition, while Toyah and her professional partner, Neil Jones, were spared by the judges.

Toyah mentioned, "I enjoy the fact that some younger individuals might not recognize me. It's interesting because they may not realize just how resilient I really am."

In another conversation, she revealed to The Mail on Sunday that her rigorous training for Strictly has led to a decrease in her breast size, much to the dismay of her husband, Robert Fripp, who is 78 years old.

Toyah also shared that she has dropped about seven pounds since she’s finding it difficult to consume enough food to compensate for the calories she is burning.

She shared with The Mail on Sunday: 'I simply can’t consume enough food to maintain my weight.'

"Robert is really distressed about my upper body vanishing. It’s totally gone. I may not have much there, but I feel fantastic."

Toyah has been married to musician Fripp since 1986 and is the oldest contestant in this year's Strictly Come Dancing. Last week, she performed a jive to "Nutbush City Limits" by Ike & Tina Turner.

She mentioned that he has participated in the Strictly festivities alongside her and Neil, who has come over to their house.

However, she acknowledged that her packed schedule makes it difficult for her to prepare meals, so he now has to cook for himself.

In response to younger fans who perceive her as "really old," the 66-year-old singer clarified that she doesn't act that way and considers herself to be strong.

She mentioned, "When they see a petite 66-year-old, who could easily be their mother or grandmother, I realize that I must seem really old to young people." (Image taken in 1980)

She mentioned, "He's really enjoying being involved; he's developed a genuine affection for the show. Cooking for himself has become quite an accomplishment after 38 years of marriage."

This year's Strictly features just six women among the contestants, a notable decrease compared to the nine men participating. This shift comes in the wake of a controversy surrounding the show, sparked by Amanda Abbington's claims that Giovanni Pernice mistreated her during rehearsals. Additionally, Graziano Di Prima faced backlash for reportedly kicking his partner, Zara McDermott.

Toyah reveals that the accusations caused her to reflect more on what her time on the show would entail.

When she was questioned about whether the recent allegations of 'serious wrongdoing' related to the show had made her reconsider participating, the singer of "It’s A Mystery" responded: "It definitely led me to take the recent issues very seriously."

In another part of the interview, she mentioned that her rigorous training for Strictly has caused her bust size to decrease, which has left her husband, Robert Fripp, 78, feeling quite unhappy about it (as seen in a 2011 photo).

"What occurred over the past year is a result of the show’s total dedication to dance."

"You need to push past your usual comfort zone, and this has always been quite clear."

This year, I've been reflecting on my own experiences and wondering if I can challenge myself to go beyond what I thought were my limits.

She stated, "To me, it’s a now or never situation. It's really that straightforward. That's what has pushed me to fully dedicate myself to the show."