Strictly host Sir Bruce Forsyth fuels speculation 'depressing' British weather could waltz him away

Bruce Forsyth poses for photographs after receiving his knighthood in 2011 (Getty Images)

Strictly Come Dancing host Sir Bruce Forsyth has sparked speculation that the "depressing" British weather could force him to quit the BBC1 show.

The TV star, 85, who has hosted the hit ballroom dancing competition with Tess Daly since its 2004 launch, said that he would consider living abroad for six months of the year if temperatures continued to plummet.

Sir Bruce, who was knighted in 2011, said that the disappointing summer and "long" winter had prevented him from getting on to the golf course on the doorstep of his home.

"Look at this weather - I can't even get out. It does make me depressed," he told the Radio Times.

"I'm just back from Puerto Rico, where my wife's (Wilnelia) family lives, and it's 85F (29C) there. I mean, something's wrong somewhere. I don't know why I came back to this stinking cold place!"

The former Play Your Cards Right host added: "The winter has been going on for so long. No summer, and then into this! Well, we deserve a good summer. If we don't, questions will be asked!

"I would contemplate just doing six months a year in this country, actually. If this is going to be our regular winter, I'm going to vanish in October and come back at the end of May!"

When told that he could not leave Britain in October because Strictly does not finish until December, the former Generation Game host added: "Oh, yes...but we'll forget about that..."

Sir Bruce has previously dismissed reports that he is ready to step down, saying: "I am certainly not going to retire - that is the last thing on my mind. It is the buzz of working that keeps me going."

The presenter, who announced in 2010 that he would stop hosting the Sunday results show It Takes Two, revealed that he was doubtful that Strictly would be a success when he was first approached about the programme.

He told the magazine: "It's just a great show and it's so many different things. It's a dancing show, it's a reality show, with the women it's a fashion show, there's a few bits of comedy in it from the judges and myself... I don't know how it works and I don't know why it works, but this year it all came together and was as finely tuned as a Rolex watch.

"It really is amazing, because when I first saw the show on paper I didn't think it would work - it was too bitty - but somehow it does."

Sir Bruce hit out at critics of his performance on the BBC1 show, won last year by gymnast Louis Smith and Flavia Cacace.

"I got criticised last year because at the end of the final, when people started rushing onto the dance floor, I got rid of them. One newspaper said I was like a demented caretaker.

"I just said, 'do I have to do everything?' which I thought was a bit of fun, but people said, 'Why was he going so crazy?'

"I did it because I didn't want to spoil Louis and Flavia's final moment - they did that wonderful lift from Dirty Dancing - well, you couldn't do that with all these people pushing in and getting their faces back on TV - I'm surprised that (previous contestant) John Sergeant didn't pop up."

He added: "How many newsreaders do you see every morning making a little slip-up? How many? It happens all the time. If anybody is doing anything live, it's going to happen - but, of course, with it being me, and being 85, they (the newspapers) call me a silly old fool. Any excuse."

Strictly enjoyed record ratings last year and beat The X Factor in the Saturday-night ratings battle.

He said of the X Factor: "The audience had seen it for too long. I don't watch those kinds of shows - singer, singer, singer, singer - it's the same every time. I can't watch it. Let's just hope the viewers won't go back!"

Sir Bruce has previously spoken of his disappointment at not making it into films.

But he told the magazine: "I would have loved to go to Hollywood...but there you are. It wasn't in the stars."

PA