Len Goodman died on April 22, 2023, from a battle with bone cancer. I remember where I was when I saw the post from professional dancer Derek Hough on Instagram. Goodman was most known for being a judge on the T.V. show “Dancing With the Stars”, however, this was not his most significant accomplishment.
Goodman had one son named James William Goodman who was born in 1981. James Goodman made Len Goodman a grandfather in 2015 when James had his daughter, Alice. In 2019 his second grandchild Dan was born. He is survived by his wife Sue Barrett, whom he married in 2012.
Goodman was best known for being a judge, but he was also a ballroom dancer himself as well as a dance teacher. He opened a dance studio in Kent, England called the Goodman Dance Centre. This studio teaches a variety of dance styles while maintaining an open environment for dancers of any skill level.
Len Goodman was born in Kent, England in 1944, meaning he died right before his 79th birthday. In his younger years, he was an avid cricket player until he encountered a foot injury. His doctor recommended dancing as a form of therapy. This meant he entered the dance world at the very late age of 19. He won many championships and then retired in his late twenties. Even though he had a short career as a dancer, he continued to have a lasting impact on the dance world.
“Strictly Come Dancing” is similar to “Dancing With the Stars” but it is a British competition show. Goodman was a judge from Season 1 in 2004 through Season 14 in 2016. These shows consist of celebrities teaming up with professional dancers while competing against the other couples by dancing a variety of dance styles; from salsa to Vietnamese waltz to contemporary. Goodman was also a judge on “DWTS” from 2005-2022. He announced during the 2022 season that it was going to be his last season. Now, the Mirrorball Trophy that the winning couple is awarded at the end of the season is dedicated to him. Goodman had many other appearances in the television world. He was a voice actor, a host, and a judge on a variety of shows.
This season on “DWTS”, the theme of Week 5 was “Most Memorable Year”. Jenna Johnson and Val Chmerkovskiy choreographed a beautiful tribute dance for Goodman that featured past “DWTS” pros who came back for the special dance. Before the dance, these pros went through the unforgettable memories they shared with Goodman. For some of them, they had known Goodman since they were 10 years old because of his presence in the ballroom community.
Len Goodman had a famous saying: “It’s a 10 from Len”. He would say this every time he awarded a dancer a perfect score. Goodman gave us constructive criticism, silly puns, expertise, and many “10s from Len”. His smile was so bright and will carry the past, current, and future generations of dancers through the ballroom.