Goodman’s death was confirmed by his manager in an interview with the BBC. The British dancer and juror passed away on April 22 at a hospice in Kent, surrounded by his loved ones. He had bone cancer. “It is with great sadness that we announce that Len Goodman has passed away at the age of 78. He passed away peacefully. He was a beloved husband, father and grandfather who will be greatly missed by his family, friends and everyone who knew him,” Jackie Gill said in a statement.
Len Goodman is dead. The judge of “Dancing with the Stars” was 78 years old
Goodman gained recognition when he sat on the juror’s chair in the British version of “” broadcast on the BBC. He judged the performances of the “Strictly Come Dancing” contestants from the first edition of the show in 2004 and remained on the jury for the next 12 years. In 2005, he also started working with the American version of the well-known show. In “Dancing with the Stars” he stayed almost to the end. In 2022, he announced to the fans that the 31st season of the local “Dancing with the Stars” will be his last and thanked for 17 years of work on the program.
“I was offered to be a judge on this show just three days before the first episode,” Goodman recalled as he bid farewell to viewers. According to the service, the dancer could not believe that someone made him such an offer. “I was just a teacher from Dartford and suddenly I was in Hollywood.” The artist was aware that he was considered a strict juror, but he emphasized that he always tried to speak honestly about what he saw on stage.
His career was decided by chance. ‘Dancing with the Stars’ longtime judge dies
Also, the BBC station, associated with Goodman for many years, issued a statement after his death. Station CEO Tim Davie called him “a great artist loved by millions” in his farewell. As noted in the statement, Goodman was able to reach all generations, which affected the reception and viewership of the programs in which he participated. The artist also said goodbye to ABC, which described him as “an icon of the world of ballroom dancing”. “We are devastated by the news of his death. He was warm, caring and always gave great advice,” recalls the broadcaster.
Leonard Gordon Goodman was born in 1944 in London. When he moved with his family to Blackfen, he started working as a welder’s assistant. When he injured his foot, the doctor prescribed him to dance as a form of therapy. The famous juror started dancing in this way at the age of 19. In addition to being a judge on Dancing with the Stars, Goodman also worked as a presenter. In 2009 he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, 11 years later he underwent surgery to remove melanoma.
Source: Gazeta
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