Brucie gets his knighthood

DESERVED: Arise Sir Bruce Forsyth!

STRICTLY Come Dancing host Bruce Forsyth has finally received a thoroughly deserved knighthood in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.  Forsyth, 83, who has graced the world of showbiz entertainment for over half a century has what many will well, a knighthood that should have happened ages ago.  He told Sky News of his feelings as he shall be better known now as Arise Sir Brucie;

     “It is a great accolade and one you always work for.  There has been a great amount of talk since I received the CBE (in 2006), maybe too much talk and hype.  However, I’m grateful to those people who campaigned on my behalf and to get it now is such a joyful occasion.”

     Bruce has been around in the entertainment industry for the best part of 60 years and is often referred to as ‘The King of Saturday Nights.’  He starred in The Generation Game, Play Your Cards Right and Bruce’s Price is Right, before landing the co-host gig alongside Tess Daly for the BBC Saturday night hit Strictly Come Dancing in 2004.  Since then, he has simply gone from strength to strength. 

     Away from Bruce’s success, there is also a deserved CBE for actor Colin Firth.  It completes an incredible year for Firth, who has won all the main acting gongs for his epic role in the film of the year, The King’s Speech.  In sport, golfer Lee Westwood gets an OBE for an incredibly consistent year on the European tour, which saw him be part of Europe’s Ryder Cup success last October and knock Tiger Woods off his perch as no.1 in the world.  England opening cricket batsman Alistair Cook, who hit century after century in the Ashes Down Under last winter, is made an MBE.  MBE’s also go out to world and European triple jump champion Phillips Idowu, heptathlon sensation Jessica Ennis and Mark Cavendish, who won several stages on last year’s Tour de France.  For their leading roles in the Ashes annihilation of the Aussies, captain Andrew Strauss and coach Andy Flower earn OBE’s.  Singer Bryan Ferry gets a CBE for his services to film.  There is also an MBE for Brooke Kinsella.  Kinsella, the former EastEnders actress has been successfully fighting a campaign against knife crime, since her brother Ben, was murdered in 2008.     

     However, it is the national treasure Bruce Forsyth himself, who takes the shining role in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List and I’m sure he has plenty of thrills and spills left in him yet.  Arise Sir Brucie!