Bruce Forsyth vows to quit Britain in the winter to dodge the cold

Bruce Forsyth vows to quit Britain in the winter to dodge the cold

Veteran presenter Sir Bruce Forsyth is so fed up with chilly British winters he wants to live abroad for six months of the year â€" while the show is still on.

The 85-year-old plunged his Strictly future in doubt by declaring he wants to head for warmer climes between October and May, even though the TV dance ­spectacular doesn’t finish until December.

Brucie moaned: “Look at this weather, I can’t even get out. It does make me depressed. I’m just back from Puerto Rico, where my wife’s family live and it’s 85C there. I don’t know why I came back to this stinking cold place. The winter has gone on for so long. We deserve a good summer.

“I would contemplate just doing six months a year in this country. If this is going to be our regular winter, I’m going to vanish in October and come back at the end of May.” When told this would clash with Strictly, Sir Bruce replied cryptically: “Oh yes, but we’ll forget about that.”

The TV star has begun informal talks with BBC bosses about hosting this year’s show â€" which he fronts with Tess Daly â€" but has already said he may scale back his role.

Brucie spoke of his winter blues in an interview with Radio Times. He also told how he has developed a thick skin to cope with the criticism he gets for fluffing his lines on Strictly.

He said: “How many ­newsreaders do you see making a slip?

“It happens all the time live. But, of course, with it being me, and being 85, they call me a silly old fool. Any excuse.”

Asked recently about the next series of the hit BBC dance contest, Bruce said: “I’m not getting any younger.”

“We’ve got a meeting. There could be other little ways of doing it, because it is hard.”

Bruce and his wife Wilnelia

Brucie has been married to beautiful Wilnelia Merced for over 30 years, and recently spoke about their happy union.

"It is beyond belief that it was 30 years ago we got married," he gushed. "It seems no time at all. To think she’s managed to put up with me for all these years, it must be charisma or charm or one of those things... that I used to have.

"When you get older, years pass like minutes. I wish there was a tape recorder where we could just slow our lives down."

 

Strictly Come Dancing return this autumn