Bruce Forsyth

Bruce Forsyth

Sir Bruce Forsyth quit 'Strictly Come Dancing' because he didn't find it fun anymore.

The 86-year-old television presenter and entertainer - who announced he was leaving the show earlier this year after 11 series as its iconic host - admitted he started to find the process of filming exhausting.

He told The Daily Mirror newspaper: "I don't have the feeling I usually get every time this year, knowing I've got to slog away until Christmas and then go away dog tired.

"I'll feel very strange and I'll miss it like mad, but when you've been with something for 10 years that will happen.

"But I'll miss it in a relaxed way, rather than thinking: 'Oh I wanna be up there!', I don't particularly want to be."

Bruce - who has also presented a number of game shows in his career - admitted the 'Strictly' job had become stressful and too high pressure for him.

He explained: "With Strictly I did have a problem with it personally: I couldn't get enough fun out of doing it.

"When I first started I hoped I would be able to get it in amongst it all. 'Play Your Cards Right' and the 'Generation Game', they were fun shows.

"With Strictly I was mostly a presenter - good or bad - but there wasn't an avenue in it where I could have fun."

Bruce's co-host Tess Daly will be joined by Claudia Winkleman on the new series, which is due to return to BBC One in the Autumn.

Speaking of the new presenting duo, Bruce said: "They've done it before when I was off last year.

"The public accepted them nicely, so I don't see any reason why it shouldn't work."