Len Goodman was an English professional dancer specializing in ballroom dancing. He taught moves and judged competitions. In 2004, he sat on the jury in the British program “Strictly Come Dancing”, and a year later he joined the celebrity judges in the American version of “”.
Tribute to the late Len Goodman on “Dancing with the Stars”
In October 2009, Goodman was diagnosed with prostate cancer. 11 years later he underwent surgery to remove melanoma. On April 22, 2023, three days before his 79th birthday, the famous dancer died at a hospice in Royal Tunbridge Wells from bone cancer. The program participants and dancers whom he had met over the years of his career emphasized that the juror’s departure was an unforgettable loss. Bruno Tonioli accompanied Goodman at the table assessing the dancers’ performances from the first edition of “Dancing with the Stars”. “I am heartbroken my friend,” he wrote on social media.
In the last episode of the 32nd season of the American “Dancing with the Stars”, the participants decided to pay a wonderful tribute to the deceased juror. The performers danced to Henry Mancini’s “Moon River” to highlight Goodman’s love of ballroom dancing. The performance ended equally exceptionally. Goodman’s voice could be heard over the speakers. “All good things come to an end,” he said.
“I watched it twice and cried both times”
After taking a bow, the dancers stood on the dance floor in silence. Everyone turned their heads towards the jury chairs to symbolically honor the memory of the famous dancer. Tears soon appeared in the eyes of almost all the artists. Jurors Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli who were present in the courtroom also cried.
A recording of the event, along with participants’ memories of Goodman, appeared online. Commenters admitted that they also couldn’t hold back their tears while watching the performance. “A beautiful tribute”, “It’s one of the most beautiful and emotional things I’ve ever seen”, “I watched it twice and cried both times”.
Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
