Bruce Forsyth

 ( 1928 Births ) 

In 1958, an appearance with the comedian Dickie Henderson led to his being offered the job of compère of Val Parnell's weekly TV variety show, Sunday Night at the London Palladium. He hosted the show for two years, followed by a year's break, then returned for another year. His schedule of stage performances, which continued throughout the 1960s, forced him to give up the job of host.

Forsyth appeared in the London production of Little Me, along with Avril Angers in 1964. In the musical film Star! (1968), a biopic of stage actress Gertrude Lawrence, he played alongside lead performer Julie Andrews as Lawrence's father.

On 7 October 1968, he was top of the bill on the opening night of the Golden Garter nightclub, Wythenshawe.

London Weekend Television persuaded him to return to the screen later that year to present Bruce Forsyth's Big Night, a two-hour Saturday-night show on ITV encompassing a variety of different entertainment formats (later reduced to 90 minutes). However, the show was not a success and lasted for just one series. Forsyth remained with ITV, hosting the game show Play Your Cards Right, which was the UK version of the US original Card Sharks, from 1980 to 1987, 1994 to 1999, and a brief period from 2002 to 2003, before the show was pulled mid-run.

In 1986, he went to the United States to host a game show on ABC, Bruce Forsyth's Hot Streak, which ran for 65 episodes from January to April that year. Shortly after, Forsyth was considered by Mark Goodson to be a candidate for hosting the revival of ''Card Sharks''; ultimately the jobs went to Bob Eubanks (for the daytime version that aired on CBS), and Bill Rafferty (who hosted the night-time syndicated version). Forsyth starred in the Thames Television sitcom Slinger's Day in 1986 and 1987, a sequel to Tripper's Day which had starred Leonard Rossiter, whom Forsyth replaced in the new show. He was the original host of You Bet! (1988 to 1990).

Forsyth fronted the third version of The Price Is Right (1995 to 2001), titled Bruce's Price Is Right during his era as the host. His unsuccessful gameshows include Takeover Bid (1990 to 1991), Hollywood Or Bust (1984), and Didn't They Do Well! (2004). During the 1970s Forsyth featured in the Stork margarine adverts on television, and then during the 1980s and 1990s he appeared in an advertising campaign for the furniture retailer Courts, in which he dressed as a judge.

Forsyth celebrated his 70th birthday in 1998 and appeared in a week-long run of his one-man show at the London Palladium. In 2000, Forsyth hosted a revived series called Tonight at the London Palladium.

On 7 April 2010, Forsyth became one of the first three celebrities to be subjected to the British version of the American institution of a comedy roast, on Channel 4's A Comedy Roast. Forsyth was the subject of the BBC genealogy series Who Do You Think You Are?, broadcast on 19 July 2010. On 20 March 2010, Forsyth appeared on the autobiography-interview programme Piers Morgan's Life Stories, which was broadcast on ITV.

In 2011, Forsyth released a collection of songs on CD called These Are My Favourites. He chose the songs for their personal and musical importance, including a duet with his granddaughter, Sophie Purdie. These Are My Favourites also includes a recording of "Paper Moon" with Nat King Cole.

In 2001, Forsyth became a patron for the international charity EveryChild, which supports vulnerable children around the world. For his 80th birthday in 2008, he requested that people donate to EveryChild instead of buying him presents.

Forsyth was heavily involved with the charity Variety, which assists disabled and disadvantaged children. As part of this work, he helped provide the charity with its signature "Sunshine Coaches," which are specially adapted minibuses.

Forsyth was a supporter and ambassador for the children's charity John Caudwell, regularly appearing at many of their fundraising events.

A patron of this Surrey-based charity for over two decades, Forsyth supported its work by attending events, playing in golf tournaments, and donating Strictly Come Dancing tickets for auctions.

An avid golfer, Forsyth played in and hosted numerous pro-celebrity tournaments for many good causes, including his own Bruce Forsyth Pro-Am Charity Classic. Events he hosted at his home on the Wentworth estate raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for Sparks, a charity that supports children's medical research.

He also lent his support to organizations such as Cats Protection, Help for Heroes, and the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

Forsyth regularly participated in fundraising drives, including a charity auction for child victims of the Balkan conflict and specials for the BBC's Children in Need, including a special episode of Strictly Come Dancing.

On 7 June 1959 Forsyth was inducted into the elite entertainers' fraternity, the Grand Order of Water Rats, Water Rat number 566.

In 1987, a fan club was created – the Great Bruce Forsyth Social Club. They would later go on to assist Forsyth in singing his opening number, "It's Never Too Late", at his Audience With show. He repaid this favour by adding the society to his busy schedule in June 1997 and appeared at their 10th annual general meeting in Plymouth.

Forsyth was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1998 Birthday Honours, and Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2006 New Year Honours.

On 27 February 2005, the BBC screened A BAFTA Tribute to Bruce Forsyth to mark the entertainer's 60 years in show business. He had a bronze bust of himself unveiled at the London Palladium in May 2005. The sculpture was created by his son-in-law and is on display in the theatre's Cinderella Bar.

In 2008, Forsyth received the BAFTA Fellowship. In 2009, he was awarded the Theatre Performer's Award at the annual Carl Alan Awards. Hosted by the International Dance Teachers' Association, the awards are voted for by the leading dance organisations in the United Kingdom and recognise those who have made an exceptional contribution to the world of dance and theatre.

Forsyth received a Royal Television Society Lifetime Achievement Award on 17 March 2009. On 26 January 2011 he received the National Television Awards special recognition award.

Forsyth was made a Knight Bachelor in the 2011 Birthday Honours for services to entertainment and charity. This followed a years-long public campaign to award him a knighthood. His investiture, by Elizabeth II, took place on 12 October 2011 and he became Sir Bruce Forsyth CBE.

In July 2012, Forsyth was given the honour of carrying the Olympic flame through London, as it finally reached the city on the penultimate day of the London 2012 Torch Relay.

Forsyth earned a place in the 2013 Guinness Book of World Records as the male TV entertainer having had the longest career, calling it a "wonderful surprise". He also appeared at the 2013 Glastonbury Festival on the Avalon stage, becoming the oldest performer to ever play at the festival. In 2018 the NTAs honoured the memory of Forsyth by naming an NTA award after him.

In 1973, he married Anthea Redfern, the hostess on The Generation Game. They had daughters Charlotte and Louisa, before they too divorced in 1979. Asked to judge the 1980 Miss World competition, Forsyth met Puerto Rican beauty queen Wilnelia Merced, who was the 1975 winner and a fellow judge. They married in 1983 and had one son together.

Forsyth lived on the Wentworth Estate in Surrey. Until 2000, he also occupied a flat in Nell Gwynn House, Sloane Avenue, Chelsea. Homepage of Nell Gwynn House at nellgwynnchelsea.london, accessed 13 January 2018

Forsyth was a supporter of the Conservative Party, admired Margaret Thatcher, and attended fundraising events for the party.

In 2008, he told the Radio Times that he was a fan of Prime Minister's Questions, describing the weekly debates between then prime minister Gordon Brown and then leader of the opposition David Cameron as "pure vaudeville", and remarked that the verbal jousting of Brown and Cameron reminded him of the comedians Frankie Howerd and Les Dawson.

During a 2008 appearance on the BBC's This Week, he expressed his admiration for the US political system's primary debates, suggesting a similar system could make UK politics more exciting.

In August 2014, Forsyth was one of 200 public figures who signed a letter to The Guardian expressing their hope that Scotland would vote to remain part of the United Kingdom in September's referendum on that issue.

In a 2015 interview with the Radio Times, he declined to reveal his specific party allegiance, explaining that it's more accepted for entertainers to state their preference in the United States than in the UK.