New set of celebrities prepare for Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly star Toyah Willcox has revealed the arduous journey she underwent to relearn walking following corrective surgery, all while competing in the BBC's celeb-studded dance contest.
Toyah, 66, is tackling the challenge of Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with pro Neil Jones. After their first tango performance on Saturday, Toyah spoke during a rehearsal clip for the live show about potential difficulties due to past surgery.
She explained: "You have to twist your body - it's all about pivoting, which is something I've avoided for about 30 years."
When discussing her training experience, she admitted: "Obviously, there's gonna be moves you give me that my body is just gonna go 'stop now'."
She then opened up about her surgery at 51, revealing: "When I was 51 because I was born with one leg just under 2 inches longer than the other, I had corrective surgery to make my legs the same length, but then I had to learn to walk again."
Having been born with a twisted spine among other health struggles, Toyah has talked about her transformative 2009 surgery before, saying it "reinvented" her, reports the Mirror.
According to a report by the Belfast Telegraph, Toyah underwent hip replacement surgery due to an inflammation in her right hip that left her struggling to ambulate beforehand.
Speaking about her experience, she revealed: "I've had a titanium hip replacement and my leg shortened, so now it's the same size as the other one. I no longer have to wear special shoes."
At the time, Toyah disclosed, "It took me two months to learn to walk again."
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The talented artist hinted in a 2011 interview that she had gained "full mobility for the first time" post-surgery, which allowed her to navigate the stage with unprecedented ease.
In a separate conversation with the Daily Mail during the same year, Toyah opened up about having been born with "shallow hip sockets" and legs of differing lengths, which interfered with her mobility.
Reflecting on the corrective intervention, she confided to the outlet: "In the past two years my right hip became a nightmare so I had a replacement. I had to use crutches and learn to walk again, but it transformed my life."
