Len Goodman, the English dancer who took part in ballroom competitions from 2005 to 2018, passed away on Saturday at a hospice in Kent, southern England. He had been battling bone cancer for a long time.
His manager, Jackie Gill, shared with CNN on Monday that many family members were by his side during his final moments. Len was a judge on “Dancing With the Stars” alongside Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli. He was born in London in 1944 and began dancing at the age of 19, eventually becoming a professional dancer before moving to television.
Goodman was the head judge on the British version of the show, “Strictly Come Dancing,” from its launch in 2004 until its last episode on Christmas Day 2016. After he left, Shirley Ballas took over his role.
Davie mentioned, “He was loved by people of all ages and made everyone feel like family.” Len was a big reason why “Strictly” became so popular, and he will be greatly missed by the public, his many friends, and family.