Fans to give Brucie an Abbey send-off
Service planned to celebrate the life of a showbiz legend
SIR Bruce Forsyth’s life will be celebrated in a huge memorial service rivalling send-offs for fellow legends Terry Wogan and Ronnie Corbett at Westminster Abbey.
The biggest names of stage and screen will recall the entertainer’s best stories and gags from a career spanning seven decades.
Following on from a private funeral for family and very close friends, the event will allow hundreds of showbiz pals and countless fans to pay tribute to the former Strictly Come Dancing host, who died last week aged 89.
A source close to Forsyths said: “The family are still coming to terms with Sir Bruce’s death but plans are now well under way and are expected to be finalised this weekend.
“The funeral itself will be quite a private service for family and very close friends. But the idea is there will then be a memorial service which will allow everyone he knew and the public to celebrate his extraordinary life and career.
“The exact details of both services are likely to be confirmed next week.”
The memorial is expected to be similar in scale to those at Westminster Abbey recently for Brucie’s pals Terry and Ronnie, both of which he was too ill to attend.
Brucie’s ex-Strictly co-host Tess Daly could be among those to pay tribute, along with veteran entertainer Jimmy Tarbuck.
Widow Lady Wilnelia is thought to have a prominent role in organising the service and music.
The BBC said any plans they had would be announced at the “appropriate time”. Brucie’s manager Ian Wilson declined to comment.
Ronnie, who died in March 2016, aged 85, had his life celebrated in June this year in a service with tributes read by Rob Brydon and Tarbuck.
Simon Parker Bowles and Joanna Lumley both gave Bible readings at the event.
Broadcaster Sir Terry was honoured there in September last year after he died, aged 77, in January, with Lumley, Chris Evans and Peter Gabriel among those to pay tribute. The service was broadcast live on Radio 2 and later shown on TV.
Brucie’s long showbusiness career began when he was aged just 14.
After becoming a star in the 50s through the ITV series Sunday Night at the London Palladium, he went on to host game shows like The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right and The Price is Right.