Police are investigating multiple raids carried out at the abandoned £5.7million mega mansion of the late TV star Sir Bruce Forsyth which are believed to have been carried out by ‘urban explorers’.
At least two home invasions are thought to have taken place at Brucey’s former luxury Surrey home in just the last month.
Police were called in following reports from concerned neighbours on the Wentworth Estate.
A £500-day-private security team has also been dispatched to protect the nine-bedroom property, known as Straidarran, from being raided again.
It is unclear if anything has been taken from the property.
One local, who did not want to be named, told the Daily Mail they were ‘angered’ over the home invasions.
They added: ‘To see these low life’s break in and film themselves inside for clicks and views on YouTube is just so heartless.’
Several videos shared online appear to show so-called ‘urban explorers’ breaking into the property and snooping around inside. Others have accessed the site and prowl around looking for unlocked entry points.
Another video appears to show two YouTubers walking the grounds, commenting on the property’s condition and peeping into a bar before entering an outbuilding.
At least two incidents are thought to have taken place at Sir Bruce’s former Surrey home in just the last month
The trespassing was posted online by accounts related to ‘urban exploring’
Sir Bruce left the sprawling mansion to his widow Lady Wilnelia Forsyth-Johnson who sold it in 2020 (the couple pictured together in 2015)
Although the house appears abandoned, it is protected around the clock by private security
Some have posed for mocking pictures inside a dressing room while another appears to show a group of men lurking around an algae-filled pool.
A separate video appears to show two YouTubers prowling the grounds, commenting on the property’s condition and peeping into a bar before entering an outbuilding.
The property is thought to have laid empty since at least April 2020 when it was sold by Brucey’s widow Lady Wilnelia Forsyth-Johnson for £5.7million.
It has since fallen into disrepair, with the tennis court, pool and house itself showing clear signs of decay.
Pictures shared online inside the home show it frozen in time, with old fittings, carpets and furniture still in place.
The inside pool appears in the worst condition, filled with green water and a safety barricade submerged.
It is understood a contract requires the grounds to be maintained but not the house itself. It is thought the property is earmarked for demolition and a new home may eventually be built in its place.
When the Daily Mail visited the property on Thursday a Cannons Security van and guard were on site.
The firm provides security for the famously exclusive estate for up to £500 a day.
Properties on the Wentworth Estate, which straddle a renowned gold club, can fetch over £20million. Famous residents have included the late F1 legend Eddie Jordan, the golfer Ernie Els and Sarah Ferguson, formerly the Duchess of York.
An aerial shot of Bruce Forsyth’s former mansion on the Wentworth estate, which was sold by his wife to a developer and since left empty
Neighbours say moss and weeds have grown over the tennis court which Sir Bruce, a keen tennis fan, frequently used whilst living at the property
Many other palatial properties on the exclusive estate also show signs they have been abandoned
One morbid video published following a trespass is titled ‘Bruce Forsyth’s mansion Windsor He died upstairs’
Signs warning intruders have since appeared on the front gates which have an ‘F’ emblem, for Forsyth, on each leaf.
There appeared to be no security presence at the home prior to the raids by urban explorers.
The luxurious multi-million properties are located on the pristine Wentworth Estate in Surrey, home to the rich and famous but many have been left in a state of neglect with their owners not even bothering to live in them.
Neighbours claim that the main gates have remained closed since the sale while moss and weeds have grown over the tennis court and surrounding lawns, a far cry from the days when Sir Bruce, a keen tennis fan, would be out enjoying his favourite pastime.
The house features a ten-seater cinema room, ten reception rooms and bedrooms, library, gymnasium and swimming pool, spa area and a wine cellar.
Sir Bruce, who delighted millions in a glistening career spanning more than 80 years, died peacefully at the property aged 89 in August 2017. He had battled bronchial pneumonia in his final days.
Known for his iconic catchphrase ‘nice to see you, to see you nice!’ Brucey secured his place in the Guinness World Records for the longest television career of any male entertainer.
From his 1939 debut as a child star known as ‘Boy Bruce, the Mighty Atom’, he grew to become the undisputed king of British Saturday night television.
He first captivated the nation in the late 1950s as the host of Sunday Night At The London Palladium, where his ‘Beat the Clock’ segment made him a household name.
But it would be The Generation Game in the 1970s that catapulted him to superstardom with 20 million loyal viewers tuning in every week. Sir Bruce went on to present Play Your Cards Right and later the BBC hit dancing show Strictly Come Dancing in his 80s alongside Tess Daly.
Brucey married Wilnelia Merced, 29 years his junior, in 1983 after meeting as judges on the Miss World competition. They had a son, Jonathan Joseph, known as JJ.
Lady Wilnelia is understood to still live on the Wentworth Estate.
