Bruce Forsyth will not be hosting this year's Children in Need Strictly special. Tess and Claudia will be doing it.

The last time he was seen live on TV was last year's CIN special. He appeared in a video message on the Christmas Special following his operation.

No word yet on whether or not he will host the Christmas special and no confirmation that he has retired.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entr...b0c6d521b505f3

Thank goodness!

Every cloud, eh?

I guess this speaks badly about his health. From what he said before, his hope would have been to get back to things but it must be too much for him

Likely the BBC has said they don't want him anyway.

It's a fast paced show, difficult enough for anyone to host who is fully fit.

In the state he must be in now, he wouldn't be able to handle it.

It'd be an embarrassment all round.

Best he goes to his home in Puerto Rico to live out his last years.
Not ideal for him to spend another winter in England.

Maybe the insurance for him is too much.

It was announced recently that Bruce had retired from showbiz but now that has become vague. At 88 I think he's had a good run and should take it easy.

The BBC have never ever said they do not want him, and for an entertainer who has given us so much, and been given a Sir by our queen, I find this post very offensive.

I wish him good health.

As you're always nit-picking my posts. I'll do the same for you.

A "Sir?"

Do you mean a knighthood?


You don't know they "never" said they do not want him. So don't pretend you do.

I only said it was "likely," that they didn't want him.

Wouldn't have done the show much good if he "likely" still looked ill on it. They'd be having kittens that he made it through.

I've suggested what he should do to improve his health and prolong his life, how "offensive," is that?

However, if you find my posts "offensive," I suggest you stop reading them.

Keep yours coming though, as I find them amusing.

I don't know enough about Bruce to decide whether his attention-seeking persona and irritation he showed was just schtick, reality+schtick or just reality. He did seem genuinely annoyed when John Sergent moved across the glitter ball presentation one year
When Bruce was in his heyday maybe 40 years ago he had a good crack at being an all-rounder. If he didn't know when to retire gracefully, maybe he should settle on accepting his forced retirement gracefully.

Why are you always sneering at everyone and being constantly confrontational?

I read or heard on radio last week that SBF wouldn't be doing Strictly again.
Hope he is well enough to enjoy his retirement.

More confusion?

I'll put you down as one of those who objects to anyone who has a different view from your own.

I can't be "confrontational" if I'm in the first place expressing a personal opinion without quoting or referring to, anyone else's post, can I? Check the thread.

The "confrontation" occasionally comes from those who quote my post and then make wild accusations, based on no evidence at all. "Confrontation" also may come when they don't like me taking them to task, when they get "personal." as you have just done.

But that's DS for you.

It may be better that people with "delicate sensibilities" avoid exchanges with people who post opinions they don't like.

What a mean spirited post.

Oh dear!

Unfortunately, anyone taking a pragmatic view to a situation is anathema to some on DS

You don't have to like my opinions, I don't mind. But whinging about them won't change them.
Why do a few have to take so "personally" opinions they don't share?

think your second paragraph nailed it. You watch old clips of him doing the Gen game first or second time round and he was superb and I am one of those people who in a way wish he had got the Strictly gig had he say been 60 or so, as IMHO he would have been brilliant. Having said all that you are SPOT ON he has gone on miles too long and became a massive embarrassment hosting the show- Cannot believe his contract was continually renewed.

Said poster has always been a bit of a miserable, cynical so-and-so. That's clearly his shtick. I find it easier to just ignore his performance.

Back on topic, I don't see Bruce ever returning to TV now. I just can't see his health being quite good enough. I suspect the reason he hasn't officially announced his retirement is because that feels like admitting it's the end and that has scary connotations for someone who has worked so long.

But you can't resist getting personal over it can you?

How can you call that "ignoring?"

You aren't on your own.
Your post is typical of some on DS.

Why do a few people get so emotional over a business decision taken by the BBC (you can bet in the first place it was them suggesting he should give up Strictly rather than him wanting to retire and therefore not wanting him back in any capacity) and my suggestion that he should move to his holiday home where his life expectancy could be prolonged?

As the BBC (and all businesses) have to insure anyone who works for them, I doubt that any insurer would be willing to offer cover for him as he obviously hasn't fully recovered from his operation as well as his age, therefore, if for no other reason, I'd bet they wouldn't want him back now. In fact, if that is the case, they couldn't have him back so it wouldn't be up to him.

Fully agree.

Looking at the situation with a business mind, I'm sure the BBC were becoming increasingly concerned that they had a presenter well into his eighties heading the most watched BBC programme on TV.

In the back of their mind must have been the tragedy of Tommy Cooper dying during a live show on LWT.

I hesitate to use the word "fortunately," but it was a one off programme and not part of a series, so there were no lasting effects on viewing numbers.

If the same thing had happened to Bruce, it would have killed Strictly stone dead.

It was obvious he was struggling when he stopped doing the Sunday show.

It's likely that the BBC would have had a "quiet word" with him and told him they weren't renewing his Strictly contract. He would have been allowed to announce it as his decision to retire.
Any further involvement now, in any programme would only be a recorded clip to be inserted in a live show, but he's obviously not up to that.
It amazes me that I've read that his agent has contradicted the suggestion that he has retired.

Long term readers may recall that until a few years ago I was one of his supporters on DS, when he was starting to get some criticism.
As his performances got progressively worse and he became an irascible old man, which sadly may be his legacy as far as the perception of younger viewers go, I started suggesting it was time for him to go.
He'd love to still be on TV but his health isn't up to it.

Time to put his feet up at his holiday home.

There!

That's an opinion without me having to get "personal" with someone who has a different opinion.

Not hard is it?

Poor old sod. He's old, sick and he's quite probably failing.

He's not hosting the thing.

Why is he receiving the tongue lashing? That's an honest question for the sake of perspective. He won't be there.

It's pretty obvious that he has to all intents and puproses retired - but if him not formally retiring is keeping some sort of hope or spark alive and giving him purpose then how is that a bad thing?

That's how I see it. It's like opening a window to let in some air

Yep - it's like some older people who refuse to sell their cars just in case they may be able to drive again - gives them something to hang onto.

well said