Sir Bruce Forsyth hates being described as a "national treasure".
The veteran entertainer – who recently announced he was stepping down as ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ host – insisted he doesn’t like the title because it makes him feel like he "should be buried".
He told the Daily Mail newspaper: "I hate being called a ‘national treasure’, because it sounds like I should be buried."
The 86-year-old star was criticised during his time on the ballroom dancing contest for "fluffed lines", which he has put down to the autocue rather than old age.
He explained: "They’re always having a go at me about the autocue. Of course there’s a few fluffed lines because it’s live. Newsreaders often make mistakes but that’s forgotten about.
"But I don’t have that luxury. I’m up there to be shot at. As soon as I fluff it, it’s all, ‘Well he’s 86 – it’s hardly surprising’.
"It’s always about my age. It’s patronising and it’s very unkind and very uncalled for … But it’s live television – people don’t seem to know what live telly really is."
Bruce Forsyth ‘hates’ being called a national treasure
