Eighties pop star Toyah Willcox reveals real reason she signed up for Strictly – saying ‘it’s still tough for women’
POP star Toyah Willcox’s reason for signing up to Strictly Come Dancing may be found hidden in a blog post.
The It’s A Mystery singer, 66, will take to the ballroom next month with a yet to be revealed professional partner, along with 14 other celebrities.
A 2022 blog post on her official website, suggests money could be the driving force behind the decision.
The music star wrote about her friend Hazel O’Connor, who was in the early stages of recovery from a life-threatening bleed on the brain at the time, and explained how a crowdfunding page had been set up to help her.
She then segued into the pay discrepancy between men and women in the music industry.
“It may come as a surprise that crowdfunding is needed,” she wrote. “I can give one huge example of what this industry is like for women, even women as successful as Hazel and myself……… we earn one tenth of what men earn in the industry.
“I work 350 days of the year and earn one tenth of what Fripp earns, even my charting albums bring me income as little as One per cent of what Fripp’s royalties are.”
Fripp is Toyah’s husband Robert Fripp, who is considered the godfather of progressive rock due to his work with seminal band King Crimson.
She went on: “Hazel apparently has virtually no royalties. It’s still tough for women and I love Taylor Swift for standing her ground this week against unfair criticism. We are all out there surviving.”
Meanwhile Toyah recently shared her concerns about the gruelling Strictly training schedule.
Four months ago, prior to being announced for Strictly, she was asked whether she would like to take part.
She told The Mirror: “Oh, God yeah. Well, I’d have to do it sooner rather than later, because I’m not going to be able to move like that in two years’ time.
“I do understand how hard they work. I’m friends with Angela Rippon and she was extraordinary.”
She added: “But they’re rehearsing 10 hours a day every day. And then on Saturday, they do two shows. As I went there, they invited me to watch them do the live show. Then at nine o’clock, they film the Sunday show, and I’m thinking, ‘Could I do this?’”
The Sun revealed in June that the 80s punk singer had signed up for this year’s Strictly.
She is one of just six women taking part in the new series – the fewest number of female celebrities in the BBC One show’s history.
It comes in the wake of pro dancer Graziano di Prima being sacked for kicking partner Zara McDermott during last year’s training sessions.
Toyah Willcox's career timeline
From punk princess to chart-topping diva
Toyah burst onto the scene in the late ’70s, a dynamo of dyed hair and fierce attitude, ready to shake up the establishment. With her distinctive voice and theatrical flair, she quickly became the poster girl for a new wave of punk rock. Her band, simply named Toyah, smashed onto the charts with hits like “It’s a Mystery” and “I Want to Be Free,” catapulting her into the limelight and turning her into a household name.
A rebel with a cause
But Toyah wasn’t just about the music; she was a symbol of empowerment and defiance. Her boundary-pushing fashion and outspoken persona made her a role model for a generation of young fans looking for a voice that resonated with their own desire for freedom and self-expression. Whether she was rocking the stage or taking on roles in film and TV, Toyah embodied the spirit of rebellion and creativity.
From stage to screen and back again
As if dominating the music charts wasn’t enough, Toyah’s talents spilled over into the world of acting. She dazzled audiences with her performances in cult classics like “Quadrophenia” and “Jubilee,” proving that her star power was unstoppable.
The comeback queen
Just when you thought she’d done it all, Toyah staged a triumphant comeback in the unlikeliest of ways. Her recent collaborations, including a viral YouTube series with husband Robert Fripp filmed inside their country home, have shown that Toyah’s creativity knows no bounds and that she’s still as relevant and riveting as ever.
Colleague Giovanni Pernice is also being investigated following similar complaints from his partner Amanda Abbington – although he vehemently denies the allegations.
A TV insider said: “Looking at the figures, it’s hard to see how the ongoing controversy over bullying could not have affected the recruitment process for this year’s Strictly.
“At no point in the show’s history has there been such a small proportion of women.
“It probably wasn’t the landmark number they wanted, given the show is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.”
Strictly's full scandal so far
Strictly Come Dancing's scandal has been growing over the past few months, with several major players speaking out about what went on. Here are the key moments of what's happened so far
16th May: Giovanni Pernice sensationally quits Strictly Come Dancing after nine years on the show.
17th May: Giovanni becomes the centre of an official investigation after three former partners – believed to be Amanda Abbington, Laura Whitmore and Ranvir Singh – make complaints to the BBC.
16th June: Giovanni releases an official statement vowing to clear his name and denies any wrongdoing.
8th July: Strictly confirms Aljaz Skorjanec will return to the series, replacing Giovanni, after initially quitting the show two years ago.
10th July: Amanda Abbington launches fresh legal proceedings to get the rehearsal footage from her time with Giovanni, after allegedly he refused to release the videos.
13th July: Graziano Di Prima is axed from Strictly for “gross misconduct” after footage of his treatment of Zara McDermott is brought to the attention of the BBC.
Graziano quickly broke his silence, apologising for his behaviour in a statement and saying he “deeply regrets it”, adding his “intense passion and determination to win might have affected his training regime.”
15th July: Strictly bosses implement new duty of care protocols, including having a chaperone present throughout all rehearsals.
16th July: Zara McDermott speaks out publicly for first time. She states while the production team were “amazing to work with”, she found the rehearsal room “completely different”, confirming there’s footage of “certain situations”.
19th July: Anton Du Beke is put under the spotlight for his “1970s attitude” and treatment of female celeb stars, particularly after allegedly referring to 2009 partner Laila Rouass as a “p***” after getting a spray tan.
21st July: Paralympian Will Bayley, who has limb condition arthrogryposis, revealed he was encouraged to leap from a table during a dance routine, despite fears. The stunt caused an injury that forced him to withdraw from the show.
22nd July: MasterChef’s Gregg Wallace admits he broke down in tears and got a nasty stress rash on his face during his time on Strictly in 2014.
22nd July: Despite ongoing issues, the Strictly professional cast begin rehearsals for this year’s series.
23rd July: Celebrity agent Melanie Blake claims she was sexually assaulted by an unnamed pro dancer while backstage on the show, and claims she witnessed ageism, rudeness and a rough treatment to the point of injury.
23rd July: Strictly is forced to beef up security after ‘an intruder scales the wall of the rehearsal studio’.
23rd July: BBC boss Tim Davie breaks his silence on the ongoing allegations against Strictly, saying he is ‘deeply sorry’, adding: “Hundreds of people, be they pros, contestants or crew have been part of it and had a brilliant experience.
“At the same time if someone thinks there was something wrong or they want to talk about their experience then of course we want them to raise that with us. Be in no doubt we will take it seriously, listen and deal with it as appropriate.”
24th July: Strictly 2023 star Krishnan Guru-Murthy holds a bombshell interview with Amanda Abbington on Channel 4 news, where she claims she was bullied, with some of the ‘humilation being of a sexual nature’.
27th July: Laura Whitmore releases a statement regarding her Strictly experience, saying “I thought my experience was specific to me but I’ve since learned I was wrong”.
She adds she is not part of the official complaint, but has come forward to support Amanda with the BBC, alongside others.
28th July: Laila Rouass speaks out against the accusations regarding Anton Du Beke, saying she “never felt pressured” by him and “personally insisted on six to seven hours training a day”.
10th August: Graziano breaks his silence on his Strictly axe, saying “these vile, false allegations have ruined my life.”
He also told of the “shocking” end to his friendship with Zara McDermott.
We also revealed that Amanda Abbington was also quizzed for a second time as Strictly execs recruited 15 new staff to monitor rehearsals.
11th August: Just as the investigation was expected to conclude, Amanda made a dramatic intervention. Giovanni was on the brink of being cleared until Amanda handed in more text messages.
24th August: Graziano Di Prima called in top lawyers to sue the BBC and to try to clear his name. He recruited big hitters Whitestone Chambers to fight his corner.
A source said: “They’ve also looked at his BBC contract and believe there are grounds to sue.”
Meanwhile, the BBC also delayed releasing the findings of the probe into Giovanni Pernice. The Sun revealed that the results of the three-month investigation were unlikely to be announced in August.