Bruno Tonioli paid respects to Bruce Forsyth's ashes during BGT filming

21 April 2024 , 09:24

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Bruno Tonioli paid respects to Bruce Forsyth's ashes during BGT filming

Bruno Tonioli has said that he paid respect to Sir Bruce Forsyth's ashes when filming for ITV's Britain's Got Talent arrived at the London Palladium..

The 68-year-old BGT judge, who worked with Brucie on Strictly Come Dancing when he hosted the BBC show and Bruno was one of the judges, and he said that he couldn't pass up the opportunity to visit Sir Bruce's final resting place, where he is laid beneath the stage at the West End theatre, where he had first hosted Sunday Night at the London Palladium in 1958.

The theatre is also the venue of Sir Bruce's last performance of his one-man show in 2015, before he passed away from pneumonia in August 2017 at the age of 89 after 70 years in showbusiness. Auditions for BGT arrived at the London Palladium earlier this year and before the screening of the first episode of the 17th series on ITV last night, Bruno explained why he felt that he had to see Sir Bruce for one last time.

Bruno Tonioli, Alesha Dixon, Amanda Holden and Simon Cowell - the judges on Britain's Got Talent (David Fisher/REX/Shutterstock)

Speaking at the launch of BGT, Bruno said that it was natural that he should pay his respects to his former colleague. He said: "Bruce was just downstairs. We went and saw him. I loved working with him. It was him that moved me from the last seat to the first seat in Strictly. On the first show, I was at the far end and on show two I was moved. He sensed I had something. I loved him for that."

Craig Revel Horwood, Darcy Bussell, Len Goodman, Bruno Tonioli, Bruce Forsyth in a BBC Children in Need edition of Strictly Come Dancing (Guy Levy/ BBC)

It has been five years since Bruno quit Strictly and he said that he has only just been able to watch the show and enjoy it. He said: "I never watched Strictly when I was in it. The show is fantastic. What they have done very well is not trying to do what we did. They're doing it their way. I do watch it now. I said to (current judges) Shirley (Ballas) and Anton (du Beke) to just be you. I am still very friendly with all of them. When we see each other, it is like the old days.

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"With Britain's Got Talent you are getting a range of talent. You cannot compare anyone, everyone is singular. Strictly was different, everyone had to tick the same boxes. You can't compare the shows. In this show, I don't feel like I am judging but I am participating."

James Brinsford