BBC Strictly Come Dancing's Toyah Willcox had to learn to walk again after horror surgery

Toyah Willcox, 66, has previously opened up about the corrective surgery she had in 2009, which saw her have a hip replacement and one of her legs shortened

Strictly Come Dancing star Toyah Willcox has opened up about her past health struggles, including having to relearn how to walk, while competing on the BBC hit show. The 66 year old star is currently partnered with professional dancer Neil Jones on the popular dance competition.

They debuted their first dance, a tango, on Saturday night. During a rehearsal for the live show, Toyah revealed that some of the dance moves might be challenging due to her previous corrective surgery.

Discussing the intricacies of the tango, she explained: "You have to twist your body - it's all about pivoting, which is something I've avoided for about 30 years."

When asked about her training experience, she admitted: "Obviously, there's gonna be moves you give me that my body is just gonna go 'stop now'."

She went on to share: "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."

This isn't the first time Toyah, who was born with a twisted spine and has faced various health challenges throughout her life, has spoken about her 2009 surgery, reports the Mirror. She has previously stated that the procedure "reinvented" her.

According to the Belfast Telegraph, two years on from her struggles, Toyah underwent a hip replacement. The publication detailed that her right hip, which had been relying solely on cartilage and muscle, became inflamed, leading to significant walking difficulties.

Reflecting on her surgery, she said: "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 also shared: "It took me two months to learn to walk again." In an interview given in 2011, the artist expressed that thanks to the surgery, she was enjoying "full mobility for the first time" in her life, allowing her to navigate the stage "more freely" than ever before.

Speaking with the Daily Mail in the same year, Toyah disclosed her congenital condition, having been born with "shallow hip sockets" and a leg discrepancy. She elaborated on the transformative nature of the surgical intervention, telling the newspaper: "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."

Strictly Come Dancing airs on BBC One and iPlayer