Toyah Willcox rejected two younger partners on Strictly Come Dancing, but the BBC respected her wishes for an older dancer and got things right the third time with Neil Jones
Pop sensation Toyah Willcox, 66, revealed she turned her nose up at two partners on Strictly Come Dancing.
The musician appeared on the BBC show this year, and recently shared that while she ended up dancing with Neil Jones, 42, she was first set up with two other ballroom pros – but told producers it wouldn’t work because of their ages. Toyah was first matched with Vito Coppola, 32, and then Nikita Kuzmin, 26, but thought that they were too young to dance with her.
Toyah told the Mail Online that she auditioned for the show with Vito, and he “loved her immediately” and wanted to partner with her on the show. Despite being honoured by Vito’s wish, Toyah asked for someone else.
Toyah said that both she and finalist Sarah Hadland thought it would be ‘inappropriate’ to have ‘young people’s heads near their crotches’ (
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“I would have hated to do an intimate dance with someone that young. I said I really want to be age appropriate and dance with someone who is right for my physicality, and I was asked if I would dance with Nikita and I just said look, it’s going to look so wrong,” she said.
Toyah explained that Miranda star Sarah Hadland felt the same way, and also asked for a more seasoned dancer. “I trusted Neil, he has experience and has the same mental experiences as me. Sarah Hadland and I said we don’t want young people’s heads anywhere near our crotches and I don’t want my head anywhere near their crotches…” she joked.
The singer added that production respected her request to keep things “age-appropriate,” after fearing that her 40-year age gap with Nikita would end up making him “frustrated.”
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Despite her one major demand on the show, Toyah appeared on Love Your Weekend with host Alan Titchmarsh, and said that she had a great time on Strictly. Alan asked about rumours of inappropriate behaviour on set, and Toyah said she was more than comfortable in the intense environment.
Alan asked: “There has been quite a bit of controversy about it, of late. So you didn’t feel threatened at all and you enjoyed the experience?” To which Toyah clarified that she “loved” her time on the show.
Toyah explained: “I’ve been in the business for 45 years and I’ve been criticised every day in my life so I’m used to it. I’m also used to being a woman having to prove myself so you toughen up to it and I still believe that it was a fantastic opportunity. Everyday opportunities will happen for me and I worked incredibly hard to make the most of it. I loved every second and it’s as simple as that.”
The star made a candid admission as she said: “I’ve worked with tougher directors. I’ve worked with George Cukor, who directed Judy Garland on A Star is Born and he shouted everyday at not only me.” Toyah again explained: “I’m used to this. When you are at the top it’s tough, it’s so tough.”
