Hometown may give ‘Brucie’ his own real statue
THE late Bruce Forsyth made a mark on people up and down the country – but nowhere more so than in the north London area where he grew up.
The entertainer, who died on Friday, aged 89, was known by his trademark statuesque pose, so perhaps it is no surprise that councillors in his hometown of Edmonton are considering a commemorative statue for their most famous son.
Nesimi Erbil, an independent member of Enfield borough council for the Lower Edmonton ward, is to raise the issue of an appropriate commemoration with the rest of the councillors.
“I think everyone will have a different view, but personally I would certainly support something to remember him,” Mr Erbil said.
“When I heard he was from Edmonton I was so proud to learn it. Edmonton is forgotten compared to London.”
The issue was due to be discussed at a full council meeting yesterday. A motion would then be raised at the next meeting, which is due to place in two weeks’ time.
The nature of the tribute will depend on planning consent, he added, but options under consideration would include a statue or plaque.
Sir Bruce was born in 1928 and brought up in Victoria Road, in Edmonton Green. His family owned a car repair garage and he went to the Latymer School, a wellregarded grammar school a short distance away, before training as a dancer in Tottenham and Brixton.
Locals were among those paying tribute to the star, who died after a recordbreaking career in showbusiness. Edmonton theatre the Millfield, which has an auditorium named after the star, opened by him in 2009, tweeted: “We are so sorry to hear the news that our patron Sir Bruce Forsyth has died today. He was a son of Edmonton and a real inspiration to us.”
A programme looking back over his 75-year career was also broadcast by the BBC in place of The One Show on Friday evening.
Tributes continued to pour in to the veteran entertainer yesterday after his death was announced following a long illness.
Sir Elton John said it was an “honour” to work with him, adding that he was “a treasured part of my life since I was a young boy”.
Comedian Jimmy Tarbuck credited him with “changing his life” and Strictly Come Dancing dancer Brendan Cole said he was “honoured” to have known and worked with Sir Bruce and “to have had my life touched by such greatness”.
His family said he died peacefully at home surrounded by his children and his wife Wilnelia.
A new series of Strictly Come Dancing is due to start at the end of next month. The BBC said an appropriate commemoration was likely to be under discussion but no firm plans had yet been made.