Not a day goes by when I don’t think of my Bruce
Family and stars remember TV great in a variety show he would have loved
SIR Bruce Forsyth’s wife Wilnelia has admitted she still misses the TV legend every day.
The pair were together from when they first met in 1980 until his death last August.
At a London Palladium tribute event for the great entertainer, Winnie spoke about life without Bruce.
She said: “There are no words to express how much we miss him. There isn’t a day that goes by where I don’t think of him.
“He brightened my days with laughter and his sense of humour. He was a great father, a great husband and, most of all, my very dear friend.”
Winnie’s words closed the concert, which will air on Sunday night on BBC1 and features the stars of Strictly Come Dancing, music from Brucie’s beloved “Rat Pack” tunes performed by Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, and Alexandra Burke and Shirley Bassey belting out some of his favourite songs and stories from an incredible 75-year career.
Former Miss World Winnie was the last and truest love of his life.
Married three times previously, he met her at a Miss World gala and three years later, they got married.
They have a son Jonathan Joseph, known as JJ, meaning Bruce is survived by a total of six children.
He was married to Penny Calvert from 1953 until 1973 and they had three girls – Debbie, Julie and Laura. He has two daughters, Charlotte and Louisa, from his second marriage to Anthea Redfern.
At the concert, viewers will see Julie
We should be so proud of him. It took him far too long to get a knighthood SIR ELTON JOHN
sing a solo and Laura perform with the Sing Gospel Choir.
Close pal Russ Abbott said: “He doted on his family and worshiped Winnie. He was madly in love with her, and his girls and boy JJ.
“When it had just been announced he was going to be honoured with a knighthood, I rang Bruce to congratulate him. I said, ‘Well done, it’s well-deserved.’ He said ‘Thanks love’ and told me he couldn’t wait to go to the airport to pick up Winnie, who was on her way back from Puerto Rico.
“He said, ‘I can’t wait to go and meet her off the plane and say welcome home, Lady Forsyth.’ Isn’t that nice? That was the man I knew. He was special, he really was.”
Other celebrities remember growing up watching Bruce on TV then working with him or helping him achieve his dream day at Buckingham Palace.
Sir Elton John said: “When I was young, Saturday night at the London Palladium was probably the highlight of my week.
“He was the reason I tuned in. What a career he had, and what a wonderful man.
“He was one of the greatest entertainers I’ve ever seen.
“He was British and we should be so proud of him. It took him far too long to get a knighthood. We were all knocking on that door for him and eventually he got it. He so deserved it.”
Ant and Dec wiped away tears as they recalled a night working with Bruce at the National Television Awards in 2012.
Dec said: “I’ve got a photograph of the three of us on stage, it’s lovely.”
Golf also played a big part in Bruce’s life and he lived with Winnie near a prestigious course in Wentworth, Surrey, where he played with the likes of Anton Du Beke, Jimmy Tarbuck and former Strictly judge Len Goodman.
Len said: “One of the nice things about playing golf with Bruce at Wentworth was halfway up the 18th hole, he’d phone home and say, ‘We’ll be in in 10 minutes, have some food ready.’
“We’d go back in and there would be all these lovely little tapas things to eat and we’d sit in his little den. I loved Bruce and I miss him enormously.” ● Sir Bruce: A Celebration is on BBC1 on Sunday night at 9pm.