BRUCIE DEAD AT 89
Nice to see you.. ..to see you nice
SIR Bruce Forsyth has died aged 89 after contracting bronchial pneumonia following a long battle with ill health.
The TV legend whose career spanned seven decades died peacefully at his home yesterday afternoon with all his children and wife Wilnelia by his side. National treasure Brucie had not been seen in public for nearly two years after suffering a series of health problems. BBC director-general Tony Hall said Sir Bruce was “one of the greatest entertainers our country has ever known” who “defined Saturday night television for decades”. He had a joke on his lips even in his final days, manager Ian Wilson revealed as he announced Bruce’s death “with great sadness”. He said: “A couple of weeks ago, a friend visited him and asked him what he’d been doing these last 18 months. With a twinkle in his eye, he responded, ‘I’ve been very, very busy… being ill!’
“Unfortunately, not long after this, his health deteriorated and he contracted bronchial pneumonia.
“The family would like to express their thanks to the many people who have sent cards and letters to Bruce wishing him well over his long illness and know that they will share in part the great, great loss they feel.”
Mr Hall said of the former Strictly Come Dancing host: “He has delighted millions of people and defined Saturday night television for decades.
“His warmth and his wit were legendary. I’ve never seen anyone quite like him when it comes to performing in front of a crowd.
“He had a remarkable chemistry with his audience – that’s what made him such an amazing professional and why he was so loved. He has been part of all of our lives, and we’ll miss him dearly.”
The One Show was cancelled last night to make way for a one-off tribute about Brucie’s life and career. Sir Bruce was last seen in public in November 2015, when he danced with wife Lady Wilnelia, 59, at an event at Gatwick airport.
The next month he cradled baby granddaughter Anastasia Monro in a recorded message for the Christmas edition of Strictly.
He had undergone surgery that year after suffering two aneurysms that were discovered in tests after he suffered a fall at home.
He was too frail to attend the funerals of close friends Ronnie Corbett and Sir Terry Wogan early last year, and also missed Wilnelia’s luxury candle launch at Fortnum & Mason department store in Piccadilly, Central London months later.
A source close to Sir Bruce said at the time his recovery was taking “longer than hoped”.
He was back in hospital in March this year when he spent five nights in intensive care at St Peter’s Hospital in Chertsey, Surrey after developing a severe chest infection.
Earlier this month close friend Jimmy Tarbuck said Sir Bruce was battling hard to
recover his health. Tarby, 77, told an audience in Blackpool: “He’s OK but he’s a bit frail. He’s had an aneurysm. It’s very serious. I saw him a week ago and he is on good form.”
A source close to Sir Bruce said at the time: “It’s been a long road to recovery after the fall and operations, we don’t know where or when the journey ends. He’s not at the point of resuming public life, and he may never do that.”
Puerto Rican 1975 Miss World winner Lady Wilnelia spoke of her husband’s health struggles last year, saying she found it difficult to think about a future without the man she had been married to for 36 years.
“I don’t think about it too much,” she said. “I hope I’ll be prepared somehow, but it doesn’t feel real. He’s the man I fell in love with because his brain is there. He has a bit of a problem moving, but we still laugh and talk. I pray, I believe. The main thing is that he’s doing well. The pain is more emotional; sometimes we cry, mostly we laugh.”
Telling of his fall, she added: “It was very scary to see him because he was very bruised. It was really, really awful.
“The doctor decided to do a whole-body scan, and that’s when they found the two aneurysms. One was in the abdominal, and one was near his right hip. Then it was a big question, do we go ahead and have the operation?
“As doctors said, if you have internal bleeding it’s very difficult to make it.”
She also told how the star enjoyed spending time with his grandchildren and still had a keen interest in television.
“He enjoys watching Question Time, we do puzzles and he loves the internet. I used to go to a zumba class to keep fit, now I do it at home in front of him. The children come to stay all the time, so there’s plenty of love around.” Lady Wilnelia said at the time she hoped he would be able to perform again, but added: “He doesn’t want to do anything publicly until he’s 100% well.
“I respect that. The operation took his energy because of his age, there’s no question about it. Some days are better than others. On the not-sogood days he tries to rest. He is in incredible shape mentally but he does get very tired.”
Sir Bruce cemented his place in the hearts of the nation as the host of ITV’s Sunday Night at the London Palladium in 1958.
He went on to host BBC game show The Generation Game from 1971 to 1977 and again at the beginning of the 1990s. At its peak, the show attracted more than 20million viewers. After more success with Play Your Cards Right, from 1980 to 2003, he hosted BBC1 hit Strictly from 2004, before announcing he was leaving in 2014.
By then he had won a new generation of fans. In 2013, when he stepped on to the Glastonbury stage to perform classic songs, festival-goers got to their feet and gave him a standing ovation.
His warmth and wit were legendary. He was part of all our lives and we’ll miss him TONY HALL DIRECTORGENERAL OF THE BBC