BBC TV "WDYTYA?" Series 8 Episode #1: - Bruce Forsyth

[snowyw]

I agree about the term 'wid' not to be trusted.
In 1871, my gt grandfather was living as 'wid' with a string of his children, while his 'wife' was living with another man and new baby, assuming his name.  She then married him in 1873, but my gt grandfather didn't die until 1875!!!  I cannot say that she was a bigomist, as I have never managed to find a marriage for her to my gt grandfather, but they did have 11 children between them, before she 'moved on' and had 4 more!!!

[jillruss]

I enjoyed the programme, but I think they concentrated on his grandfather for far too long.

I agree with Nick!!! 

Concentrating on just one ancestor is dangerous programme making. The Bruce Forsyth programme worked - partly because there was a lot to say about his great grandfather, partly because he was far enough back in time for Bruce and the American branch not to be too upset or outraged and partly because Bruce turned out to be a very charming man.

However, one other occasion springs to mind when they concentrated on one ancestor - and that was the Kim Cattrall episode, which I thought was absolute drivel. It was nothing more than a witch hunt about a man no longer able to give his side of the story, but sufficiently recent for outraged daughters to be given a platform to air their grievances.

I really hope this is not a sign of things to come.

Jill

[Geoff-E]

One of my ancestors and his second wife were both "widowed" in 1901.

[toni*]

If any of you helped on my recent Sc Hunt you would have heard about George Isaac Culmer who although married and had a child in England did a flit to America presumably with some inheritance money and took with him a young girl also pregnant with his child so some similarities there. He stayed with the girl in America and had several more children when she died he married again and had more children.

[Gillg]

I was pleasantly surprised with the very restrained Brucie, but like many others I found it disappointing that the programme concentrated on just one line.  There was not even any need for the family tree diagram to be shown more than once or twice.

The saddest moment for me was when Bruce arrived at the unmarked grave with a large bouquet of flowers and just didn't know what to do with them. 

[Finley 1]

No I wasn't too happy with the prog.  just 'one line' followed and no actual in depth search into his family.
Just one man that proves success isnt all about status and money, the tale of so many 'letharios'...Why could we not have heard about the abandoned wife and her struggle for survival, and why where we shown only one pic of his 2nd partner that was not an attractive portrait...  Ok I dont particularly like Bruce Forsyth mainly because he comes over to me as liking himself too much.. He did show another side to him in this and yet it still focused on the image of 'a man' who only cared about what he wanted from life.. HOW can ANY man or woman be considered as worthy of 'note' when they abandon NINE children.......... I became angry that this man was so totally self interested and never seemingly considered his children -- yet he created them.  OK so he was a good gardener -- I dont think he was a good man in any way.   ABANDONMENT is the worst sin in my eyes.

So I am glad that Bruce has made something of his life - from such a dodgy background  -- I feel we should have heard about Bruces Fathers struggles more  and he must have struggled, I think that more was known to the previous generation and hidden or kept to themselves.

[jaywit]

If any of you helped on my recent Sc Hunt you would have heard about George Isaac Culmer who although married and had a child in England did a flit to America presumably with some inheritance money and took with him a young girl also pregnant with his child so some similarities there. He stayed with the girl in America and had several more children when she died he married again and had more children.

Toni That crossed my mind as I was watching last night. Mind you GIC did stay in New York.
It makes you wonder how many more immigrants did the same thing.

[Siamese Girl]

I think they might have mentioned in passing that the Forsyth bit comes from William Forsyth one of the founders of the RHS and the man who gave his name to that ubiquitous  shrub forsythia. The Forsyth family actually have a very well known and documented horticultural history.

I'm looking forwards to the Alexander Armstrong episode - it's VERY brave of him to do it for real after making that very funny spoof of WDYTYA on The Armstrong and Miller Show.

Carole

[jillruss]

I thought I'd read somewhere that Bruce had thought it was his great grandfather who had forsythia named after him but that turned out to be untrue.

Sorry - can't remember where I read it.

Jill