I can't remember bruce being rude to John Sergeant last year, he may have made an "ageist" joke but Bruce is old so he probably feels he can. As for telling someone to "shove off", surely he didn't mean it rudely, was it not tongue in cheek? I think I have a good rudeness radar and haven't noticed anything except the inappropriate remark to Erin this year which was tasteless but, as we are told, he doesn't write the jokes.
I am surprised that Bruce is rude to audiences. I have heard people say how good he is with the audiences in the past (I mean recent past). Men often get crotchety in old age and people are always clamouring for Bruce's retirement on those grounds so maybe it is time.....but we should not be too sensitive about what are meant as light hearted comments.
I can remember when Penny Lancaster was a contestant he kept referring, in joke, to her height, and I thought that was a bit much. As if there was nothing else to comment on and she was a lovely contestant.