Cutting Edge: Living With Brucie

By Ian Cullen Jul 16, 2010, 7:51 GMT

The first in the series of Cutting Edge, a Channel 4 television series, which is usually based around the lives of not-so-ordinary people opened up with a episode that focused on the life of the UK’s national treasure, Bruce Forsyth, who has been a mainstay in the light entertainment industry since the 1950’s.

Synopsis: Documentary on the private lives of Wilnellia Merced and her husband, TV presenter Bruce Forsyth, after three decades of marriage, with the 82 year-old setting out to sign another contract.  

The first in the series of Cutting Edge, a Channel 4 television series, which is usually based around the lives of not-so-ordinary people opened up with a episode that focused on the life of the UK’s national treasure, Bruce Forsyth, who has been a mainstay in the light entertainment industry since the 1950’s. 

For those in the USA that may not be aware, Bruce Forsyth is perhaps one of the most recognised faces on UK television, and is known to several generations of television viewers for having hosted light entertainment shows such as "The Generation Game," "Play Your Cards Right" and "Strictly Come Dancing." 

"Living With Brucie" is a fly-on-the-wall documentary where camera’s follow the TV personality and his considerably younger wife for a six month period and ask the couple questions about their lives. 

There’s a 30 year age gap between Forsyth and his wife, who is a former Miss World, but when watching I couldn’t help but think that she seemed to be a bit more balanced and mature in her approach to situations than Forsyth, who at one point was literally threatening the security staff on a golf course with legal action for trying to stop him for his own safety. A situation which wife Wilnellia smoothed over very quickly. 

One question which seemed to be continuously brought up with Forsyth was the 'what would you like done when you die?'  Which had me thinking, 'Yes, right, he is 82 years-old, but the show is called ‘Living With Brucie’ not 'Dying With Brucie.' 

If I admire Bruce Forsyth for anything, it is the mere fact that he is still doing so much at 82 years-old.  He is up at 6 AM most mornings and works into the evenings.  

Behind the scenes footage from Forsyth’s latest stint on ‘Have I Got News Fore You!’  illustrated just how much of a toll the showbiz lifestyle is beginning to have on the old fellow.  

The documentary offered a fair few insights into the man behind the entertainer, but in parts, the "entertainer" seemed to seep through in segments where Bruce forgets that it’s a documentary and not a game show.

He tends to look right into the camera, and even tries to produce what goes on film and what doesn’t by giving directions to the cameraman.  By contrast, his wife seemed to be much more at ease with the format of a documentary than her showbiz spouse. 

Interestingly enough, since this was made, Bruce has recently announced that he will be cutting back the hours in his schedule for the next season of 'Strictly Come Dancing,' which is a series he has been hosting for a few years now, and sees him playing host to celebrities as they learn the different dance styles of Ballroom. 

 Monsters and Critics' contributing writer Ian Cullen is a former actor and community artist, and a lifetime fan of Science Fiction and television. He runs www.scifipulse.net  - a site, which follows the trends of science fiction television and movies.  He lives in Manchester, England.