Knight to see you... Sir Bruce Forsyth receives honours

Sir Bruce Forsyth described his joy at being knighted by the Queen today and vowed to keep on entertaining the country.

The veteran performer received the honour at Buckingham Palace after years of campaigning by fans.

Strictly Come Dancing host Sir Bruce was championed by a Facebook campaign, newspapers and even a parliamentary Early Day Motion, signed by 73 MPs, before the accolade was announced in the Queen's Birthday Honours.

The 83-year-old entertainer looked ecstatic after the ceremony and said: "It's absolutely wonderful to get the knighthood.

"It's been a thing that's been going on for a long time but it's not often one can say the press has been right behind you in my business - but they have been.

"Entertaining - it's been the only thing I've ever wanted to do and I've done it for many, many years. Who feels like quitting? I want to go on."

Earlier, in the palace's magnificent ballroom, the television star was called forward by his full name - Sir Bruce Forsyth-Johnson - and knelt on a velvet investiture stool to receive the accolade.

He was dubbed a knight by the Queen, who lightly touched him on the shoulder with a sword that belonged to her father, George VI.

The king used the ceremonial weapon when he was colonel of the Scots Guards while Duke of York, before being crowned.

As he emerged from the ballroom, Sir Bruce called out "Good luck" to honours recipients on their way to receive their awards.

One joked "We were impressed to see you get off your knees" and the entertainer replied: "That was an effort, I can tell you."

Sir Bruce was watched by the investiture audience, who included his Puerto Rican-born wife Wilnelia, a former Miss World, their 24-year-old son Jonathan Joseph, known as JJ, and his daughters from previous marriages Charlotte, 34, and Laura, 48.