Sir Bruce Forsyth says he doesn't miss Strictly Come Dancing


April 9, 2015

Former Strictly Come Dancing host Sir Bruce Forsyth has admitted he doesn't miss working on the show. The 87-year-old presented the BBC show from 2004 to 2013, but says it never quite lived up to his expectations.

"I don't miss doing Strictly, it was never the show I thought it would be," Bruce said during an interview on This Morning. "I thought it would be a comedy show, me getting amongst the contestants, showing them how to dance and them all falling over the place."

Bruce revealed that he found presenting the Saturday night show a "very lonely job", because he was often on his own with a cameraman while his co-host Tess Daly spoke to the contestants.

Bruce Forsyth says he doesn't miss working on Strictly Come Dancing

"People watching at home would see banter and interaction with the dancers, but in fact Tess did most of that. I'm a performer. I thrive on interaction, with an audience, with other performers. When you're a presenter, you don't get to do that."

However the veteran presenter conceded that it is a "great show" and he envies the energy that both the professional dancers and contestants can put into their performances.

"Knowing I used to do that kind of thing… I'm a bit limited now. Keep the wheelchair!" he quipped.

The veteran presenter hosted the show with Tess Daly

The performer, who is preparing to launch his own one-man show, also said he thought the reality television genre was "tired" and revealed what he would like to see broadcast in its place.

"I have had enough of it. I don't know how long it's been going on but it's probably well over ten years. I'd like to see performers playing together, having fun together, entertaining together, instead of this thing that we’re caught up in."

Sir Bruce confirmed that he was leaving Strictly in April 2014 after 11 series. The presenter continues to host the special episodes of the including the Christmas and Children in Need shows.

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