Toni Arthur
Encyclopedia
Toni Arthur-Hay is an English director, former folk singer
and television
presenter.
Arthur-Hay was born Antoinette Wilson in Oxford
, England. She was educated at Mary Datchelor's Girls School in Camberwell and the Royal Academy of Music. She is most popularly remembered as one of the presenters of the children's programmes Play School and Play Away
alongside Brian Cant
. She also presented Woman's Hour, TV-am
's breakfast show and many other programmes.
She married the singer and storyteller Dave Arthur in 1963. They had two children Jonathan and Timothy. With her husband, she released several folk music
albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including Morning Stands on Tiptoe (1967). She has written several plays and books.
In 2003 she directed a play by Adrian Poynton
based on the life of Graham Chapman
entitled A Very Naughty Boy, which won a Fringe First prize at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
She married the former Time Out Magazine comedy editor Malcolm Hay in 1996. Together they are writing more plays.
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
presenter.
Arthur-Hay was born Antoinette Wilson in Oxford
Oxford
The city of Oxford is the county town of Oxfordshire, England. The city, made prominent by its medieval university, has a population of just under 165,000, with 153,900 living within the district boundary. It lies about 50 miles north-west of London. The rivers Cherwell and Thames run through...
, England. She was educated at Mary Datchelor's Girls School in Camberwell and the Royal Academy of Music. She is most popularly remembered as one of the presenters of the children's programmes Play School and Play Away
Play Away
Play Away was a sister programme to Play School in the UK, aimed at slightly older children. It ran from 1971 until 1984. While Play School had a more gentle, intimate feel, featuring just two presenters in a studio with the usual collection of toys and pets, Play Away was much more lively,...
alongside Brian Cant
Brian Cant
Brian Cant is an English actor, television presenter and writer.-Personal life:Born in Ipswich, he currently lives in Buckinghamshire and is married to writer and director Cherry Britton, sister of TV presenter Fern Britton and actor Jasper Britton. They have three children, daughter Rose, and...
. She also presented Woman's Hour, TV-am
TV-am
TV-am was a breakfast television station that broadcast to the United Kingdom from 1 February 1983 to 31 December 1992. It made history by being the first national operator of a commercial television franchise at breakfast-time , and broadcast every day of the week for most or all of the period...
's breakfast show and many other programmes.
She married the singer and storyteller Dave Arthur in 1963. They had two children Jonathan and Timothy. With her husband, she released several folk music
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
albums in the late 1960s and early 1970s, including Morning Stands on Tiptoe (1967). She has written several plays and books.
In 2003 she directed a play by Adrian Poynton
Adrian Poynton
Adrian Poynton is a British screenwriter, playwright, stand up comedian and actor.He is the creator and writer of BBC Three sitcom White Van Man starring Will Mellor, Georgia Moffett and Clive Mantle. It began screening in March 2011 becoming the highest rated launch ever for a sitcom on BBC3...
based on the life of Graham Chapman
Graham Chapman
Graham Arthur Chapman was a British comedian, physician, writer, actor, and one of the six members of the Monty Python comedy troupe.-Early life and education:...
entitled A Very Naughty Boy, which won a Fringe First prize at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
She married the former Time Out Magazine comedy editor Malcolm Hay in 1996. Together they are writing more plays.