Toyah Willcox's 38-year marriage to husband and why they chose to not have kids (original) (raw)
Strictly star Toyah Willcox's husband Robert Fripp and why they chose to not have kids
Toyah Willcox's husband Robert Fripp will be cheering on her as she takes to the dancefloor on Strictly Come Dancing. Here, we take a look at his music careers spanning 50 years
Toyah Willcox and Robert Fripp have been married for 38 years
Singer-songwriter Toyah Willcox is among the celebrities joining the Strictly Come Dancing line-up this year.
The 66-year-old artist said the whole team behind the BBC show has "done absolutely everything" to ensure all the stars are enjoying their time and living their experience to the fullest. In the wake of allegations concerning both professional dancers Graziano Di Prima and Giovanni Pernice, Toyah said she wouldn't want anyone suffering "in any way" but said she is committed to do her best on the show.
She described the team as "spectacular" and said there is "an openness where we can talk immediately if we have any concerns." Among those cheering on Toyah starting from the first episode of the show this evening will be her husband of 38 years, Robert Fripp. Here, we take a look at Robert's life and career.
Toyah is joining the Strictly Come Dancing line-up (
Image:
BBC/Ray Burmiston)
She will be cheered on by her husband Robert
He was born on May 16, 1946, in Wimborne Minster, Dorset, and began playing guitar at the age of 11. He soon became interested in jazz and rock music, according to DGM Live. Over the past 50 years, the 78-year-old guitarist and composer has been active as a recording musician and producer.
He is best known as the guitarist and founder of King Crimson, a progressive rock band formed in 1968 in London. The band had eight top ten UK albums including including "In the Court of the Crimson King" and "Red, and despite disbanding in 1974, it later reformed on a number of occasion.
During his career, Robert also worked with major artists including David Bowie, Brian Eno, Peter Gabriel, and Talking Heads. He also formed the group Fripp & Eno with Brian Eno and the Guitar Craft school.
Alongside his music career, Robert has also been an advocate for artist's rights and has been involved in organizations including the Musician's Union and the Featured Artists Coalition. Robert and Toyah tied the knot in 1986 and their marriage has been going strong for nearly four decades.
Earlier this year the pair, film themselves every week performing covers of huge hits including Slipknot's Psychosocial, Billy Idol's Rebel Yell and Foo Fighters' All My Life, shared the secret to their successful marriage Sharing what it is like touring together, Toyah said: "It's exactly the same as being married for 38 years, it's good. We both come from very different genres."
Toyah performing at Let's Rock Leeds: 2024 (
Image:
SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)
Robert added: "But we complement each other well, I have a wonderful time being out working with my wife, may I say, even having greater fun than when we were at home together." The couple have often spent much of their time apart due to their busy touring schedules. Speaking of lockdown, Robert said: "It was probably the first time since we've been married that we were actually together one day after the other on a continued basis. Up until that point, we'd only be together about eight weeks of the year because of our touring schedules."
The couple now head out on tour together thanks to the huge success of their online videos. She admitted performing together as husband and wife "normalises the experience" especially backstage. Toyah added: "Whereas if I'm working with other musicians that is purely a working relationship. But when we're working together I feel strangely more at home with the experience because I have a lifetime companion with me.
"When I'm on my own you just become a bit more of a self-surviving professional, whereas when you're together, everything is shared." Robert said: "I adore my wife. My wife is lots of fun to be with. My wife is constantly mischievous, and one of her favourite little things is to make me jump." Toyah quipped: "It does make me aware I might give them a heart attack!"
Explaining the key to their successful marriage, Toyah said: "I think we're both very independent. And because of our independent careers, we can have breathing away from each other. I would say to any couple trust and allow that in your relationships. Having these breathing space spaces, I think are really, really valuable.
"We don't have children, we never even considered having children. Hats off to those people who do because that commitment is extraordinary. I think with us we've managed to remain unique and independent as well as being a couple. We both travel the world independently of each other working, and we come back together because we want to - there's always a freshness in our marriage."
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