Tuning in…
Tuning in…
Castaway
1 appearance
A 1960s fashion model known for her waif-like look, later a singer, dancer and actress who starred in Ken Russell's film The Boyfriend.
On the island
Eight records
because it's the first song I remember being madly in love with
Adagio in G minor for strings and organ
Chamber Orchestra of Jean-François Paillard
It's absolutely lovely. And I'll burst into tears again.
Joan Sutherland and Montserrat Caballé
from Bellini's opera called Norma
In conversation
Presenter asks
3:56When you were born and bred in Neasden, what did you have in mind for yourself as a future?
Well, when I was very little I think I probably wanted to be something like a ballet dancer like all it. Not that I ever did ballet but… But except I was terribly shy and and my mum tried to take me to dancing class and I ran out screaming… So how I ever ended up doing what I do is quite amazing because I was so shy.
Presenter asks
4:47Where did Justin de Villeneuve come from and how did you meet him?
Uh my s I had a Saturday job at my sister's um hairdressing… Justin's brother worked downstairs… And he used to come in… And I was about fifteen and a half when I met first met him… he was very influential… he took me to Bieber's… then he had a friend who worked on a magazine… I went along… the woman said… you'll never make a model… they took the pictures… Leonard called Barry Lattigan… Deirdre McSharry saw it… two weeks later there was a double page… I had to ask my dad if I could leave school… he drew out all his savings… and said Justin's got to go with you everywhere… which is why he became my manager.
Presenter asks
9:24Do you ever see him now?
We hadn't seen each other for about ten years and that when I was in New York doing my one and only… he called me… we had tea together.
The keepsakes
The luxury
Presenter asks
13:08Tell me what happened when you met Ken Russell in 1970.
Well I I I met him a few years before… we had a dinner… he said… I'd love to direct a musical… you can play Polly Brown… I said… I can't act, I can't sing or dance… he fought for me for six months… I went off to class… it changed my life.
Presenter asks
17:17Did all that success bring you immediate happiness, or were there times when you were really depressed?
I don't get very depressed really. I mean I've hamm I've had times of tragedy in my life, as everybody has. when you feel very low. But I d I don't think I don't think I'm a moody person. I always tend to kind of carry on and and and the early times were wonderful.
Presenter asks
28:20What would you say is the secret of your success: talent, luck, hard work, or being the right person at the right time?
I think it's a mixture of all those. I think initially. The timing was right on the nose… I think the fact that I've hung in this long, hopefully there is some talent there. And also a lot of hard work. It's hard work. I think a lot of people who aren't in this business don't realize What hard work it is.
“And Tony used to call me Styx because of my legs. And I used to get furious, and Styx turned into Twiggy, and and Twiggy stuck. I'm lucky Sticks didn't stick, didn't they?”
“I will always thank him for protecting me, because there's a lot of sharks out there.”
“Two minutes before you go out, you think, What am I doing here? I must be mad. I hope the theatre burns down. I wish everyone would go away and I can go home But you don't, the curtain goes up, you go out, you do it.”
“No, Lee would come and find me. He'd come in a yacht or a white line below. He'd be my Knight in Shining Armour. He is my Knight in Shining Armour.”
“Then when Lee comes to rescue me I'll be like a prune, a shrivelled twiggy.”