Judge Len Goodman of “Dancing with the Stars” has passed away. He was 78. On Monday, Jackie Gill, Len Goodman’s manager, told USA TODAY, “It is with great sadness that I announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully.”
Gill claims that Goodman passed away on a Saturday evening with his wife Sue Barrett and his son James from a previous relationship by his side. The message went on to say that the former ballroom dancer was a cherished husband, father, and grandpa. A prior diagnosis of bone cancer had been made for him. In November, Goodman, who has presided over “Dancing With the Stars” as head judge since the show’s 2005 debut, revealed “with a touch of sadness” that this season will be his last on the panel. After 30 seasons on ABC, the show was shifted to Disney+ that following autumn.
Len Goodman Cause of death
Len Goodman died from cancer at 78. Goodman, a former professional ballroom dancer and British champion, presided over “Strictly Come Dancing” as its top judge for the BBC’s first 12 seasons, beginning in 2004. The dancing competition, which features well-known faces paired with trained dancers, has quickly become a ratings powerhouse for the network.
Goodman’s audience loved him because of his witty insights and charming Cockney accent. After one foxtrot, he said, “You floated across that floor like butter on a crumpet.” He remarked that a salsa-dancing duo was “like two sizzling sausages on a barbecue.” The American version of the show, “Dancing With the Stars,” aired on ABC for 15 years with Goodman as the lead judge till he retired in November. Over several years, he spent each fall travelling back and forth across the Atlantic to serve as a judge at the British and American exhibitions.
British journalist Esther Rantzen said Goodman was “astonished and delighted” by his posthumous success. “He was quintessentially British,” she remarked, explaining his immense popularity in the United States. “He was firm but fair, funny but a gentleman, and I hope the nation will adopt his favourite expostulation of ‘pickle me walnuts.'”
Goodman also hosted radio shows on the BBC and produced documentaries for television, including one about the Titanic disaster in 2012. Goodman had worked as a welder for the business that constructed the tragic ship when he was younger.
“a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions,” said BBC director-general Tim Davie of Goodman. He was loved by people of all ages and welcomed into their homes as one of their own. Len was crucial to the success of Strictly. The public and his many friends and family will miss him deeply.
Who is Len Goodman?
Strictly Come Dancing is the UK’s equivalent of Dancing with the Stars, and Len Goodman has served as the show’s top judge. He used to perform professionally and teach dance, and today he has a thriving dance studio in Kent, England.
Goodman has spent his entire adult life on stage, winning four British Exhibition titles and placing second in the Exhibition World Championships. He is a specialist in the “Exhibition” style of Ballroom dancing. He has also received the Carl Allen Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award, and the British Rising Star Award. He also has a lot of experience as a judge for professional Latin American and Ballroom dance competitions, including in the World Championships and the British Championships.
Career of Len Goodman
Goodman worked for Harland and Wolff as an apprentice welder in Woolwich. His doctor suggested dance as treatment for a foot injury, so he gave it a try when he was 19 years old.
After winning the British Championships in his late twenties in Blackpool, Goodman retired as a professional dancer. Goodman won the Carl Alan Award for exemplary service to the dance community, and a programme on which he performed received Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Reality/Competition Programme in 2006 and 2007.
Source: Meaww
From the show’s beginning in 2004 until its conclusion in 2016, Goodman served as the show’s top judge on BBC One’s Strictly Come Dancing. He was a part of the panel alongside Arlene Phillips (who was subsequently replaced by Alesha Dixon and then Darcey Bussell), Bruno Tonioli, and Craig Revel Horwood. Goodman stated in July 2016 that he will be departing the programme at the conclusion of the 2016–17 season. The Christmas Day Special was his last TV appearance. Shirley Ballas was named to replace Goodman as chief judge on May 9, 2017.
Read Also: Toni Garrn Announces Divorce From Alex Pettyfer After being married for 2 years
