Toyah Willcox had to expose her "vulnerability" by flaunting her legs on 'Strictly Come Dancing'.
Toyah Willcox felt very shy about showing off her legs on Strictly Come Dancing
For decades, the 66-year-old 'I Want to Be Free' hitmaker has not been afraid to get up on stage, strut her stuff and sing her heart out to her legion of fans across the world but she still had her reservations as she took to the ballroom floor on the BBC show alongside pro dancer Neil Jones.
She told the Metro: "I am very shy about my legs. My legs have never been great, but they are strong, brilliant, and work for me. I had to expose that vulnerability.
"The shoes didn’t suit me greatly. I don’t tend to wear strappy shoes. I was having to do things that I would never normally do, and this is why I went into 'Strictly.' "
She was determined to try "something new" on the show, even if she felt intimidated by the dancing professionals.
She added: "You do these things to experience something new, and I had to hold my confidence tight to me when it came to my legs being on display next to Nadiya [Bychkova] or Jowita [Przystał], it was like, 'Oh my god!'
"I’m standing next to these brilliant dancers who are all under the age of 30, and I’ve got to have my legs in tights!"
Despite her being the second contestant to be voted off, Toyah said the experience has helped her "put [herself] into perspective".
She added: "‘I had the mindset of a 24-year-old, and I don’t work much with young people. 'Strictly' was the first time I was in a room with at least 28 other people who were a lot younger than me!
"It helped me put myself into perspective, that I am 66 years old, that I am seen as someone who is wise and can give information to people. I should perhaps stop wearing short dresses.
"‘It gave me that perspective, and I’m very, very grateful for that because I think I’d have gone on behaving like a 24 year old for the rest of my life, so I see myself in a much more palatable and sensible way now."
The singing sensation revealed she is doing "disco dancing", but a return to ballroom is unlikely.
Toyah said: "I’m still dancing now, but I’m doing disco dancing and freeform, and I’m not sure if I would ever go back to ballroom … but I’m really glad I experienced it."