'Dancing With the Stars' Judge Len Goodman Dead at 78

Dancing with the Stars judge Len Goodman has died at the age of 78 in his native England, his manager has confirmed.

The beloved TV personality died on Saturday at a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, where he had been receiving palliative care for bone cancer. Goodman was surrounded by family, according to his management.

"It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78," read a statement. "A much-loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him."

April 25 would have been London native Goodman's 79th birthday.

Famed for his no-nonsense critiques of his famous contestant's dance routines, Goodman joined DWTS in 2005, remaining with the show until 2022.

He had initially served as head judge on the U.K. version of the show, called Strictly Come Dancing. He led the panel of judges on the BBC show from its launch in 2004 until stepping down from his role in 2016.

Goodman was replaced on Strictly Come Dancing by Shirley Ballas, mother of Dancing with the Stars professional Mark Ballas.

Within an hour of Goodman's death being made public, former Strictly Come Dancing professional Brendan Cole made a televised tribute to the star, branding the news "very shocking."

"I think it's sad for the entire nation, obviously to his wife, Sue, and his child and grandchildren," said Cole during an appearance on U.K. TV show This Morning. "He's only recently retired so he could spend more time with his grandchildren.

"In terms of a personality, Len was massive, not only as a TV judge, but just as person in general. A lovely man with a bite, which I loved. Very sad."

"We will forever have Len in our hearts and as a part of TV history in many ways," Cole added. "The ultimate judge, knew exactly what to say and when to say it, when to be the bad cop, when to be the good cop... He was an amazing man."

Goodman had one son, James William Goodman, who was born in 1981. In 2015, James welcomed his own daughter, Alice. Grandson Dan was born in 2019. The grandfather revealed in 2022 that family was his reason for stepping away from his role on DWTS.

Making the shock announcement during the live semi-finals in November, he told the audience: "It's... with a touch of sadness as this will be my last season judging on Dancing with the Stars. I've been with the show since it started in 2005 and it has been a huge pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show."

He added: "I've decided I'd like to spend more time with my grandchildren and family back in Britain."

Goodman was initially on course for a completely different career, holding aspirations to become a soccer player when he was growing up. He took up dancing at the age of 19 to aid in his recovery from a foot injury.

His foray into the dancing world led to a professional career in the field. He competed in and won at events that included the British Exhibition Championships and the World Exhibition Championships.

Following his retirement from competing, the TV personality was also the owner of the Goodman Academy, a dance school in Dartford, Kent.

Paying tribute to Goodman on Monday, BBC director-general Tim Davie said: "Len Goodman was a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions. He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone's family."

Update 4/24/23, 5:50 a.m. ET: This article has been updated with additional information.

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