I still pick up the phone to call Brucie.. I can’t quite believe he’s gone

and died in August. Wife Wilnelia, 60, and his six children were by his side.

Jimmy, who has an upcoming tour with Des O’connor, 86, has his own health issue – atrial fibrillation – with a rapid, irregular heart beat. He admits: “In 2006, I took part in Strictly but had to leave because I was getting dizzy and had high blood pressure. I had an operation the night I left to have stents put in my heart. Thank God, it worked well.”

Jimmy also reveals he has been warned by his wife Pauline and TV star daughter Liza to minimise his alcohol intake.

But he shrugs it off, saying: “I am as fit as I can be in my own way and I have cut my drinking. I play golf once a week.” Then he can’t resist another gag with a reference to a joint and stiffness drug, saying: “These shows with Des O’connor are the only tour sponsored by Voltaren.”

Jimmy appears in the BBC1 tribute to Brucie in a segment filmed at Wentworth golf course in Surrey. He says: “He was so competitive and a bloody old moaner. According to him he was the world’s unluckiest golfer. Once he lost a ball in the ball wash. He couldn’t get over that.

“The last time I ever saw Bruce we sat for an hour-and-a-half and just talked about lots of fun times. He was still cracking jokes and was on great form.”

When Jimmy was told Bruce had died he recalls how he said, “Goodnight, God Bless Mr Forsyth.”

He adds: “I will watch the show with a Bourbon – no ice – and raise a toast to him... Brucie, you may be gone but you will never be forgotten.”

features@sundaymirror.co.uk Sir Bruce: A Celebration, on BBC1 at 9pm. For details of Jimmy’s tour starting next month go to