[Scarlett.]

The 82-year-old said he did not consider the ITV programme, the seventh series of which is due to air later this year, entertainment.

“It’s not my cup of tea,” he told the Daily Mirror.

“I haven’t watched an entire show. I can’t hear people singing for two hours, that to me is not entertainment.

“I’m an old variety performer, I want to see a juggler, or something to break it up. I hate seeing people disappointed in public. It can be embarrassing at times.

“Bigger venues and the pyrotechnics made it much more of an event last year. Sometimes it was like a firework display with someone singing to be voted on. The electricity bill must have been enormous.”

Forsyth also claimed he and his fellow comedians had been overlooked for knighthoods because their profession is not deemed a “proper job”.

“Do the people in charge think making millions laugh is less important than being a great actor, sportsman, or pop star? Getting a laugh can be very hard work. It’s so fine-tuned.

“Great comics like Morecambe and Wise, the Two Ronnies, Tommy Cooper and Les Dawson were more than worthy of being knighted. Do those in charge not think we’ve got a proper job?

“Maybe it dates back to jesters in the king and queen’s court when they were treated as buffoons. I’m very happy with my CBE, but if I get a knighthood it would be a great honour.”

And he said he had not decided whether to host another series of Strictly Come Dancing.

“I’ll make up my mind a few months before. I’ll listen to my head and see how I feel.”

On Wednesday, he appears on C4’s Comedy Roast where pal Jonathan Ross jokingly calls him “------- ugly”.

Next week he starts filming the BBC’s Who Do You Think You Are? and will also host the last episode of this series of Have I Got News for You?

He added: “Bruce has been busy. When will I stop? When I can no longer walk on to a studio floor and feel 35. You never know when it’s going to stop. I’m still having fun making people laugh.”

Telegraph

Someone should tell this old perv to shut up