Not a day goes by when I don’t think of my Bruce
Seven months after the death of Sir Bruce Forsyth, his widow Wilnelia tells how she still feels the pain of her loss every day. More than a husband, he was friend, soulmate and her eternal source of fun and laughter.
Wilnelia’s heartbreaking speech comes at the end of a tribute to the TV legend at the London Palladium, where family and showbiz friends came together to honour Brucie.
He and Wilnelia were married for 34 years, and his death at 89 in August, has left a huge hole in her life. Former Miss World Wilnelia, 60, said: “There are no words to express how much we miss him. There is not 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 he was my very dear friend.”
The concert was hosted by Bruce’s Strictly sidekick Tess Daly, and included performances by Michael Ball and Alfie Boe, Alexandra Burke and Shirley Bassey. Two of Bruce’s six children, Julie and Laura, daughters by his first wife Penny Calvert, also sang in their father’s memory.
But anecdotes told by Bruce’s friends provided some of the most moving moments. Russ Abbott, 70, recalled how Bruce reacted to being knighted in 2011.
Russ said: “I rang him to congratulate him. He said, ‘Thanks, love,’ and he told me he couldn’t wait to go to
the airport to pick up his beloved 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’.”
Sir Elton John, 70, also paid tribute. He said: “Take it from me, he was one of the greatest entertainers I have ever seen in my whole life. 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 recalled working with Bruce on the National TV Awards in 2012. Dec said: “I’ve got a photograph of the three of us on stage, it’s lovely. He was truly, a one-off. There will never be another Sir Bruce Forysth.” Ant, 42, said: “There’s quite a lot going on there, when you’re hosting those shows, and Bruce could do it all.” Dec, 42, added: “It takes two of us to do it.”
Bruce, who was married three times and had six children, was a golfer and he and Winnie lived by the course in Wentworth, Surrey, where he played with the likes of Anton Du Beke, Jimmy Tarbuck and former Strictly judge, Len Goodman.
Len, 73, recalled: “Half-way up the 18th hole he’d phone home and say, ‘We’re nearly finished, we’ll be in 10 minutes, have some food ready’.
“We’d go back and there would be all these lovely little tapas things to eat. I loved Bruce Forsyth. I miss him enormously.”
Bruce hosted Strictly from its launch in 2004 until 2013 and made sure it was the best it could be.
Soon after becoming BBC Chairman, Michael Grade had lunch with Bruce and recalled: “Bruce said to me, ‘I know it’s not the Chairman’s job, but the set on Strictly is not working for me. I am too far from the audience and the producers won’t listen’.”
Grade “broke all the rules” and intervened. He said: “The set was changed and the show improved. He knew his onions.”
After an event full of tears, laughter and memories, Wilnelia had the final word at the Palladium. She said: “To our friends and Brucie’s fans we thank you for all your support, for loving him and for allowing him to be part of your life.”
Sir Bruce: A Celebration is on BBC1 on Sunday at 9pm.