Sir Bruce Forsyth has died at the age of 89.
The legendary presenter – who had been unwell for some time and was hospitalised earlier this year with a severe chest infection – passed away on Friday (18.08.17).
The former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ host is survived by his wife Lady Wilnelia Forsyth and his six children – daughters Debbie, Julie and Laura from his first marriage with Penny Calvert, Charlotte and Louisa with his second spouse Anthea Redfern and a son with Wilnelia – as well as nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.
Bruce’s passing comes just two weeks after his close friend Jimmy Tarbuck admitted he is in a "very serious" state after two life-threatening aneurysms in 2015.
Jimmy, 77, said: "He’s okay but he’s a bit frail. He’s had an aneurysm. It’s very serious."
Bruce – who was known for his catchphrase "nice to see you, to see you nice" – hadn’t been seen in out in public for 19 months prior to his death this afternoon.
His reoccurring health issues led to him quitting ‘Strictly Come Dancing’, which he presented for 10 years, in 2014 because he felt it was having an affect on him.
He said at the time: "Live television is very strenuous, especially when some shows are an hour and 40 minutes. I have to do all the announcements and introduce the judges. And I’m running up and down the stars 40 to 50 times per show.’
"And I was getting the flu. I always got the flu in studios."
The television veteran started his career when he was just 14 years old when he launched his all-singing all-dancing act Boy Bruce, The Mighty Atom.
He then decided to learn to dance and later travelled around the UK with pantomimes, before a performance with the comedian Dickie Henderson in 1958 led to him being offered a job on ‘Sunday Night At The London Palladium’.
He continued to perform on stage throughout the 60s but it wasn’t until 1971 when he bagged ‘Bruce Forsyth And The Generation Game’ that he became a huge name.
However, his career suffered a hit in 1978 when he left the BBC in 1978 to present a show on ITV which later turned out to be a huge flop.
After being replaced on the ‘Generation Game’, things picked up again as he signed on to host ITV’s ‘Play Your Cards Right’ and ‘You Bet! and The Price Is Right’.
Sir Bruce Forysth is dead aged 89
