Bruce Forsyth's comfort calls

Friday, 30 October 2009

Bruce Forsyth telephoned a dying fan every week for three years.

Last night it was revealed the 'Strictly Come Dancing' host had been in regular contact with breast cancer victim Gloria Park during the years leading up to her death.

The 81-year-old funnyman made regular calls to Gloria - who sadly lost her battle against the illness in 1997, aged 56 - to keep her upbeat and help her battle through her darker days.

Gloria's son William Park said yesterday: "She was really ill in hospital. There were some days when she was so down that she didn't want to speak at all. But he would talk to her on the phone, for an hour or an hour and 20 minutes, just to cheer her up.

"Mum always liked him, all through her life. She grew up with him on the TV. So when she was on the phone to him her eyes would just light up.

"I think that he kept her going in the last years. I don't know what they chatted about in particular, but I think mainly he told her about what he'd been up to. Sometimes she wouldn't respond because she was so ill, but he would carry on talking regardless because he knew it kept her going."

Bruce was contacted by the woman's carers in 1994, who told the veteran presenter it was her dying wish to have a chat with him.

Over the next three years, Bruce rang Gloria at her home in Darlington, County Durham for weekly chats.

These increased to daily natters in the week leading up to her death, when Bruce even consoled her grieving family.

In 1998, Gloria's husband Billy and their two sons, William and David, were invited to meet Bruce on the set of his quiz show 'The Price is Right', in Leeds.

Bruce's spokesman has said of his calls to Gloria: "Bruce would really rather not discuss this as he would like this side of his life to remain private."