Ballroom dancing champion and judge Len Goodman died April 22, 2023 in Kent just three shy of his 79th birthday. The “Dancing with the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing” judge died peacefully according to agent Jackie Gill. Goodman revealed to “Dancing with the Stars” fans last season that it would be his last on the show, citing a desire to spend more time with this grandchildren and family. According to his agent, Goodman had been diagnosed with bone cancer.
The former British Ballroom champion joined the dancing competition show “Strictly Come Dancing” as the head judge in 2004 and held the position for 12 years. When the American version of the show began as “Dancing with the Stars” Goodman took on a duel role as the head judge for both shows. He spent 15 years on DWTS before retiring last November.
Speaking on being asked to become not just a judge but the head judge on “Strictly Come Dancing” Goodman said, “when I was first asked to do the programme I wasn’t sure, because I thought it might be a bit of a mickey-take. But I’m so glad I did it, because it’s dispelled the preconception about what dance classes or schools are like. The programme has changed things in dancing schools like you can’t imagine. Everyone has had huge influxes of people coming to dance. It’s absolutely brilliant.”
Among the many tributes that have poured in over the past couple of days were Queen Consort Camilla who is “saddened” by his death and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak who called Goodman “a great entertainer”.
A resident of the East End, Goodman worked as a welder at a shipyard – the same company that had built the Titanic. In 2012 he made a television documentary about the Titanic.
Goodman owned the Goodman Academy dance school in Kent.
In recognition of his contributions to dance, Goodman received the Carl Alan Award.
He was born Leonard Gordon Goodman on April 25, 1944 in Kent, England but grew up in the East End of London. His family sold vegetables out of barrows to survive that later became a greengrocer’s store.
Young Len enjoyed playing football and cricket but was not good with his academic lessons. He was even told once by a headmaster that he would be a failure. After helping his mother out selling vegetables, he decided to leave school at age 15 and entered an apprenticeship at an engineering factory where he began learning to weld. He later began working at the Harland and Wolff Royal docks.
In the dancing world, Goodman was in coming to dance. He began dancing at the age of 19 after injuring his foot playing football. Less than 10 years later, he won the British Championship; after which he traded the welding tools for dancing shoes to open a dancing school where he was a teacher and choreographer.
He is survived by his second wife Sue, son James, and grandchildren.
Feature photo credit: [[File:Len Goodman 1.JPG|Len_Goodman_1]]