Len Goodman, known for being Head Judge on Dancing With the Stars and Strictly Come Dancing, has died at the age of 78. The British professional ballroom dancer became a household name thanks to his witty sayings and no-nonsense approach to judging celebrity contestants on TV reality show contests in both the UK and the US.
Goodman was born in London in 1944 and began his work as a dancer after being advised to take up the past-time by doctors following a foot injury. After dancing as form of therapy for the injury, Goodman turned professional and won countless awards, retiring after claiming the British Championship while in his late 20s. Following retirement, he took to coaching, and was recognized for his contributions to the world of dance.
In 2004, Goodman was approached by the BBC to take part in their revival of dancing contest reality show Come Dancing. He appeared on the panel as Head Judge along with fellow dancers Arlene Phillips, Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood. One year later, Dancing With The Stars was launched in the U.S. and Goodman was once again alongside Tonioli and was joined by Carrie-Ann Inaba to head up the judging panel. While many judges came and went on both shows, Goodman continued to appear consistently in both shows. He retired from the British show in 2016, and only last year announced that Season 31 of Dancing with the Stars would be his final season as he wanted to spend more time with family in the U.K.
Goodman’s agent, Jacki Gill, announced the death of the star in a statement which read:
“It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78. A much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him.”
Dancing With The Stars Returns For Season 32 Later This Year.
Dancing with The Stars ended its 31st season in November 2022, with TikTok star Charli D’Amelio and dancing partner Mark Ballas lifting the trophy. The judging panel was made up of Goodman, Inaba, Tonioli and Derek Hough, with the latter three all set to return for the new season, but the show will also be back with former judge Julianne Hough hosting following the departure of Tyra Banks at the end of the last season. Work has started on putting together the list of celebrities who will be appearing on the new season, but as of yet there has been no word of who will be taking on the contest this time around.
Following the death of Goodman, tributes from fans, friends and family have been flooding in, including some of his colleagues from his many years on both sides of the pond. BBC Director General Tim Davie who said that Goodman was “a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions. He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family.” You can see some of the tributes to Goodman below, and our thoughts are with his family, friends and fans at this sad time.
