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Former Dancing With The Stars (DWTS) and Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman passed away on April 22, 2023, at the age of 78. His representative gave a statement about Goodman’s passing to The Guardian and said that he will be missed by family, friends, and all who knew him.
Additionally, BBC News reported that a Strictly Come Dancing alum revealed that the former judge was battling bone cancer and died in hospice care on April 22 while surrounded by his family.
As such, fans of both shows took to Twitter to pay tribute to the professional dancer and stated that they were heartbroken to hear about Len Goodman’s passing.
Fans pay tribute to former DWTS judge Len Goodman as he passes away after battling bone cancer
Viewers of both DWTS and Strictly Come Dancing took to the social media platform after learning about Len Goodman’s passing to pay tribute to the dancer. They stated how heartbroken they were and added that the former judge was “always a gentleman to talk to.”
Fans stated that they were “genuinely gutted” about Goodman’s passing and called him a “legend of the ballroom,” further wondering if DWTS could rename the trophy mirror ball in his memory. One fan took to Twitter to reminisce about having taken dance lessons from him many years ago and called the experience “amazing and fun.”
Others noted his time on the dance shows and he “defined” Strictly Come Dancing and that he was “the only good and real judge on DWTS.” Several fans added that they were heartbroken by the news and that the world is losing too many icons and legends. One person even wrote that Goodman was their favorite judge on the show and that while he was strict and traditional, his passion for dance was evident.
More about Len Goodman
The late Len Goodman previously appeared on DWTS from 2005 and on Strictly Come Dancing from its inception in 2004 until 2016. He spent a total of 17 years on Dancing With The Stars in November 2022.
Goodman was born on April 25, 1944, in Bromley, Kent, and began his journey as a dancer when he was 19. Throughout his life, he competed in various dancing competitions and was a four-time winner of the British Exhibition Championship alongside Cherry. When he retired from dancing in the 1970s, he returned to competitive dancing as a judge in 2004 on the BBC dance show.
The professional dancer left DWTS in November and announced his departure in one of the episodes of the ABC show. Goodman said at the time that while they were all looking forward to the finale in the upcoming week, it came with a touch of sadness as it would be his last season judging the show. He added:
"I’ve been with the show since it started in 2005. It has been a huge pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show. I’ve decided I’d like to spend more time with my grandchildren and family back in Britain."
Goodman went on to praise the other judges who returned for the following season and added that he couldn’t have thanked the DWTS family enough, further adding that it was a “wonderful experience” for him.
