An all round entertainer whose greatest talent lay in his interaction with the public, Forsyth was a former child entertainer who hit his stride professionally when he became host of Sunday Night At The London Palladium in 1958. A live variety show combining major international stars and games played out with members of the audience gave full rein to Forsyth’s skill at playing to the crowd.
He showcased his other talents in various televisions specials – he was an accomplished dancer, singer and musician – including The Bruce Forsyth Show (1965-73), but he frequently returned to the gameshow format that played to his strengths as a performer. Most notably he hosted The Generation Game (1971-78), returning for a four year stint in 1990. The programme paired different generations of the same family in a range of parlour games that delighted primetime audiences.
Other popular gameshows he hosted include Play Your Cards Right (1980-99), You Bet! (1988-90) and Bruce’s Price Is Right (1995-2001), all given the stamp of his winning sense of humour and love of a catchphrase that consistently caught the public imagination.
More recently he indulged his love of dance as host of the celebrity driven Strictly Come Dancing (2004 – 2015). In the course of a long career Forsyth tried his hand at drama in The Canterville Ghost (1966) and sitcoms such as Slinger’s Day (1986-87). He also appeared in a handful of movies, including Star! (1968), Can Hieronymus Merkin Ever Forget Mercy Humppe And Find True Happiness? (1969), Bedknobs & Broomsticks (1971) and The Magnificent Seven Deadly Sins (1971).
In 2005 A BAFTA Tribute to Bruce Forsyth commemorated his 60 years in showbusiness when it aired on the BBC. He was made a Fellow of the Academy in 2008 and was knighted in 2011 for his services to entertainment and charity.
Read more about Sir Bruce Forsyth's receiving the BAFTA Fellowship in 2008
