He looked so frail ...but I didn't feel the need for him to do a message...I just pressed the fast forward button .

But didn't he do well?

I'm guessing that he had decided months ago that this Christmas special was going to be his very last, so he wanted to be included

Was he your favourite?

You writing his epitaph already?

Exactly!

How does he want to be remembered? With this image?

Someone should have given him some better advice.

A verbal message would have been enough to avoid this rather sad "swan song."

I'm no fan of Brucie but saw absolutely no harm in his giving his little speach. As others have said, these days all one has to do is fast forward.

Moreover, he is a very old man and perhaps his family and friends thought it would be a fitting "goodbye" from him.

No i didnt see the point in it and i also like Bruce Forsyth

Christmas is a time for nostalgia, gooey sentiment, good will to all men and all that. You only have to look at the continual loop of sentimental movies in the run up to Christmas.

It's all about kindness to our fellow man and all that. Brucie was there at the start of SCD he was practically there at the start of BBC1 - quite clearly he's never gonna do live TV again. I shouldn't think there's a lot of years left in him.

It was an unashamed, sentimental nod of appreciation and I'm surprised that the majority on here just can't see that and accept it for what it was.

What a sad old world when an elder statesman of TV/Entertainment is begrudged a few minutes to say his little piece.

You're totally missing the point.

The man is obviously seriously ill,
To show him in that state, where I said the atrocious make-up made him look as if he were embalmed, did him no favours.
I'm surprised his advisers and the BBC allowed him to do it.
It will be an enduring "image" which will stay in my memory and probably many others, of a once great entertainer.
I believe his vanity clouded his judgement as he obviously wanted to stage "a last performance.," (which went on for too long anyway).

Far better for Tess to have read out a message from him, given a vote of thanks for his long contribution and encouraged the audience to give him him some resounding applause.

I've never been a big fan of Bruce, though I don't mind him -- and I thought his Christmas message was sweet - especially with his new granddaughter and his self-deprecating joke about hoping she had his chin. If that's the last I see of him, it'll be a fond memory.

I agree with this. I thought it was sweet and his message made me smile. Whatever people think about Brucie, im surprised anyone would begrudge him 60 seconds of their time on the Christmas show.

The Queen is the same age!!! Would you say she looked frail when recording her message for this Christmas?

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So? What point are you trying to make?

I imagine she has superior medical supervision

I believe the Queen is 3 year older than Bruce

By the time someone is in their eighties, one third of their contemporaries are dead. You really can't compare and contrast

saying that Bruce is a "very old man" implying past it to present a decent farewell speech, so bless etc etc

Next year will be Bruce-free, and there's a blessing.

Yes, I am crabby - I remember watching "The Generation Game" live and he was really cruel to some of the contestants - "humour" was very crude.

I disagree because the pitiful and unfunny Winkleman is far worse, imo. Peeps complained about Forsythe being unfunny but look what we have been landed with.

That's just your perception.

Bruce became extremely irritating, his jokes were lame, laboured and predictable.
He occasionally caused chaos by wasting time trying to draw attention to himself.
So the time had to be made up by missing out a judge's comments. Everything was "about him," as far as he was concerned.

In my opinion, Claudia, is naturally witty and funny. She's an entertaining addition to the show and is quite happy to suffer the "indignities" of the comedy bits. I and many others like her.

The show is far better without Bruce. He deserves a well-earned retirement and there's no need to include him in any further versions of Strictly.

And that's just your perception too. The producers of SCD obviously wanted to include Bruce one way or another in the Christmas show and that was a lovely gesture.

I'm sure the powers that be will decide whether there's any need to include him in any further versions of Strictly you sound very certain of it - I wouldn't be so sure. It's nice to know that there are still such things as loyalty and respect for an 'old man' at the BBC.

Bruce will be 88 in February and is recovering from a serious operation, he won't be returning to Strictly. The demands are far too great for someone of his age.
There's no reason to include him in any future shows, as the programme has moved on.

Yes, I'm shocked too.

There are people on here who seem to have had a goodwill by-pass, I can't believe some of the nasty responses.

I liked Bruce, and Tess "Clingy, Loud, Bonhomie" Daly is a large part of why I've given up watching; although I get that he is now too old and frail to present it any more, I think it's been a loss to Strictly.

He's another presenter who has been a part of my weekend TV (well, when I had a TV) for the whole of my life, I have many fond memories associated with Brucie and the programmes he has presented.

The crux of the matter is that his presence is the polar opposite for other people.

I do not wish him any ill will but I also do not want him on my TV.

I'm not the greatest Bruce fan but the total lack of respect shown for him is guite amazing,I'm sure if some were to meet him face to face I hope they would have the good grace of at least being polite,the BBC showed some kindness in allowing a small tribute to him to be shown.Unfortuatley its the in thing to sit at a keyboard and be as rude and obnoxious as you can,I was brought up with manners and to respect my elders even if I didn't particularly like them it's all to easy nowadays to be rude without reason.