Bruce Forsyth has pulled out of the Strictly Come Dancing Christmas special - as he has not yet made a full recovery from surgery.

The 87-year-old presenter was due to host this year's festive edition of the dance competition with Tess Daly.

But the BBC has said that the show, which will be recorded next week, "will be too early for Bruce to have made a full recovery from his recent operation".

The entertainer announced earlier this month that he had undergone keyhole surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm.

The BBC said Claudia Winkleman, who usually co-hosts with Daly, will take Forsyth's place.