Len Goodman, the urbane, long-serving judge on “Dancing With the Stars” and “Strictly Come Dancing,” has passed on, his representative said Monday. He was 78.
Goodman, according to Jackie Gill, “passed away peacefully.” He had been given the all-clear for bone cancer.
Goodman, a former British champion and professional ballroom dancer, was a judge on “Strictly Come Dancing” for 12 years starting in 2004. One of the network’s most watched shows is the dance competition, which pairs celebrities with professional dance partners. It was a surprise hit.
Until his retirement in November, Goodman served as head judge on ABC’s “Dancing With the Stars” in the United States. For a considerable length of time he
Goodman likewise introduced BBC radio projects and made television narratives, including a 2012 program about the sinking of the Titanic. Goodman had been a young man when the doomed ship was built and worked as a shipyard welder for the company that built it.
Tim Davie, the head of the BBC, called Goodman “a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions. He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family. Len was at the very heart of Strictly’s success. He will be hugely missed by the public and his many friends and family.”
In addition, Goodman owned the Goodman Academy dance school in southern England and was the recipient of the Carl Alan Award for outstanding contributions to dance.