Jim Davidson has revealed he had a secret feud with the late Sir Bruce Forsyth.
The comic has claimed the former ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ host refused to speak to him, after Jim succeeded him as the host of ‘The Generation Game’.
Speaking on a forthcoming episode of ‘Piers Morgan’s Life Stories’, Jim claimed Bruce left the show when bosses realised they could get him to host the gameshow for a cheaper fee.
“One day there was a knock on the door and a man said, ‘Jim, we are recording ‘The Generation Game’ tomorrow and Bruce has gone sick. Can you step in to do it?’,” he recalled. “I said I would give it a go. I was not particularly good, but it made Bruce get better really quickly.
“When negotiations came for series 34 for Bruce they used me as a chess piece to say, ‘We can’t go to that [his fee], Bruce. We have this guy.’
“I took over and I don’t think Bruce was very happy. He did not speak to me again for the rest of his life.”
He added: “He did not speak to me much anyway. I was always the upstart.”
Bruce first hosted ‘The Generation Game’ from its inception in 1971 to 1977, at which point Larry Grayson took over.
He later resumed his role as host in 1990 staying on the show for four more years. Jim replaced him in 1995, and continued at the helm until 2001.
The show is set to return to screens in 2018, with Mel Giedroyc and Sue Perkins as hosts, marking the first time it has ever been fronted by women.
But the former ‘Great British Bake Off’ pair didn’t seem to get Jim’s seal of approval, who told Piers: “It was of its day. I would rather watch Ant and Dec do it.”
Filming on the initial four-part run is already underway, and TV bosses want to make sure Bruce is honoured with a special tribute.
A source told The Sun: “The plan is to have Bruce suitably honoured in the first episode — almost as if he’s handing over the reins.
“He’s such a huge part of the show that it seems the right thing to do.
The reboot was originally slated to feature Miranda Hart on hosting duties, but she pulled out after filming a pilot in 2015.