Wilnelia Forsyth has hit back after her late husband Sir Bruce Forsyth's Strictly Come Dancing co-star Anton Du Beke criticised the decision to inter his ashes at the London Palladium
Following Sir Bruce Forsyth's death in 2017, his ashes were interred beneath the stage of the London Palladium—a fitting homage to where the legendary television host made an indelible mark during his illustrious 70-year career in showbiz.
The gesture was a touching one, yet Anton Du Beke, who shared screen time with Sir Bruce on Strictly Come Dancing, is not so impressed. With the ashes of singer Des O'Connor also resting within the same iconic venue, Anton remarked: "I know that Brucie would have been furious about this because he was never a double act."
Nevertheless, Sir Bruce’s widow Wilnelia has now reacted saying she was "shocked and saddened" at the comment from the Strictly judge, who transitioned from professional dancer to panellist.
Talking to the Daily Mail, Lady Forsyth conveyed: "It's a place that we thought would be appropriate. The whole family thought that it would be the best place for him to be - and we still feel that way."
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At the theatre, a memorial plaque says: "Without question the UK's greatest entertainer, he rests in peace within the sound of music, laughter and dancing... exactly where he would want to be", reports Devon Live.
Anton has not shied away from praising Sir Bruce, whom he met when he was a pro dancer and Sir Bruce was fronting Strictly.
Anton has lauded Sir Bruce as an exceptional performer who embodied generosity, kindness, and a fantastic sense of humour. He has also hailed Sir Bruce's vigour in his eighties as a source of inspiration as he himself neared the milestone of 60 years.
However, despite his self-proclaimed status as a Brucie super fan, Anton was mistaken about one detail. Contrary to his assertion that Bruce never formed part of a double act, the renowned entertainer once graced the Palladium stage alongside another variety legend, Norman Wisdom, in 1961.
Bruce and Norman single-handedly filled an entire episode of ITV's Sunday Night at the London Palladium after it faced potential cancellation due to industrial action.
On Sunday, February 16, no members of the actors' union were allowed to participate in the live broadcast from the Palladium – effectively ruling out nearly every performer scheduled to appear.
Nevertheless, neither Bruce nor Norman were restricted by the picket line, as they were members of the competing Variety Artistes' Federation.
In a largely spontaneous performance, the duo sang, danced, and joked their way through the entire show – which included a chaotic sketch about decorators attempting to hang wallpaper that subsequently became a part of TV history. Bruce, whose television career commenced before World War II, first hosted Sunday Night At The London Palladium in 1958 and performed his one-man show there for the final time in 2015.
