Toyah Willcox reveals intense Strictly training regime has 'shrunk her breasts' and left her husband Robert Fripp feeling 'very upset'

During the pandemic, Toyah Willcox danced around in tight tops in her kitchen singing songs.

And at times, their weekly Lockdown Lunch became somewhat risque as she went braless.

But now, the singer, 66, says that her intense Strictly training regime has seen her breasts shrink - and her husband Robert Fripp, 78, couldn't be more upset about it.

Toyah, who is paired with Neil Jones , 42, for this year's series, also revealed she has lost half a stone as she struggles to eat enough to make up for the calories she is burning off.

She told The Mail on Sunday: 'I just can't eat enough to keep the weight on.'

She added: 'Robert is very upset about my top half disappearing. It has completely disappeared. I'm flat chested but I feel great.'

Toyah has been married to musician Fripp since 1986 and is the eldest contestant taking part in this year's Strictly Come Dancing competition and this week danced a jive to Nutbush City Limits by Ike & Tina Turner.

She says that he has joined in the Strictly fun with her and Neil, who has visited their home.

But she admits that her busy schedule means that she is struggling to find time to put his meals on the table so he has to now make them himself.

She said: 'He is loving being part of it, he has fallen in love with the show. He's cooking for himself which is a major achievement in 38 years of marriage.'

There are only six female contestants in this year's Strictly compared to nine men due to the scandal that has engulfed the show following allegations by Amanda Abbington that Giovanni Pernice bullied her in training, as well as Graziano Di Prima kicking his partner Zara McDermott.

Toyah admits that the allegations made her think more deeply about what her experience on the programme would be like.

When asked if recent 'gross misconduct' claims surrounding the programme had made her think twice about signing up, The It's A Mystery singer said: 'It made me take what's come very seriously.'

'What's happened in the last year is because this show is one hundred percent committed to dance.'

'And you have to go beyond your own personal comfort zone. And that's always been very very obvious.'

'And I know for me what's been going on this year, I have been thinking, well can I push myself beyond my own limitations.'

She concluded: 'And for me, it's now or never. Simple as that. That is what has made me commit to the show.'

The 20th-anniversary series of Strictly has been somewhat tainted after the BBC show was embroiled in scandal in a year plagued with controversy.

And the BBC failed to address the scandal during the launch episode despite the results of the misconduct investigation still pending.

It all began last October when actress Amanda, 50, unexpectedly quit the show before claiming that her partner Giovanni, 33, was abusive towards her.

The Sherlock actress has made a series of accusations about Giovanni's teaching methods and has described his behaviour as 'unnecessary, abusive, cruel and mean'. He strongly denies all of the claims.

Giovanni was suspended while a BBC probe is underway over allegations made by Amanda and two other former celebrity partners.

With the report into his misconduct due any day now, Amanda has reportedly been left deeply disappointed with the BBC bosses over fears they're 'protecting' the dancer amid the bullying probe.

There have been high-level meetings among BBC bosses as they navigate how to deliver their findings as they fear the looming possibility of legal action from either Amanda or Giovanni if either is disappointed by the outcome.

After Giovanni, the show was hit with a fresh wave of scandal when Graziano was sacked in July for ' kicking' his partner Love Island star Zara .

Zara explained she didn't report the incidents at the time as she was 'scared' of backlash.

Instead, it was junior production staff who came forward to share what they had witnessed as the investigation into pro dancer Giovanni was taking place.

Zara told her followers that while much of her time on Strictly 'was everything I could have dreamt of' inside the training room with Graziano there were 'particular incidents which are incredibly distressing '.

Strictly Come Dancing continues on Saturday at 18:15pm on BBC One and iPlayer.