Former Dancing With The Stars judge Len Goodman has sadly passed away at the age of 78. Len was the head judge on the dancing competition show since its start in 2005. Best known for his harsh critiques but lovable charm, Len sat on the judges’ panel for 31 seasons. At the conclusion of DWTS season 31 last fall, Len announced his retirement from the Disney Plus reality show.
On Monday, April 24, the sad news of Len’s passing broke. People reported (and shared on the Dancing With The Stars Instagram page) that the 78-year-old former professional dancer and DWTS judge died on Saturday, April 22.
His manager, Jackie Gill, shared the news with the public. A statement was released, which read, “It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78.” Unknown to the public, Len was fighting bone cancer. It is unclear how long he had been battling the disease. Len was in a hospice center in Kent, England. This is where he passed away on Saturday surrounded by his family.
DWTS Pro Dancers & Judges React To Len Goodman’s Death
Many DWTS professional dancers, former contestants, and fellow judges shared their condolences. Len’s longtime fellow judge Carrie Ann Inaba shared an emotional reel to Instagram as a tribute to Len. She admitted that saying goodbye to Len at the conclusion of DWTS season 31 was hard, but this news “shattered” her heart all over again. Former pro dancer-turned-judge Derek Hough also shared photos of himself and Len, noting it’s a “gloomy morning” in LA as he mourns the loss of his “dear friend and mentor.” The show’s professional dancers such as Lindsay Arnold, Witney Carson, Gleb Savchenko, and troop dancer Alexis Warr all shared their sadness.
Len appeared as a judge on both DWTS and its British counterpart, Strictly Come Dancing. He ended up stepping down from the UK show in 2016. As for his reality show stint in the United States, he was a judge for almost every single season. He didn’t appear in DWTS season 21 and 29, though the latter season was because of the COVID-19 pandemic. DWTS pro dancer Derek Hough took his place and then stayed on the judging panel, even when Len was able to return.
When Len announced his retirement in late 2022, he explained that he wanted to spend more of his time with his family and grandchildren back home in London. Luckily, the former judge did get nearly five months of quality time with them before his unfortunate passing. Len will always be remembered in the Dancing With The Stars community as a true legend and icon.
Sources: People, Carrie Ann Inaba/Instagram, Derek Hough/Instagram, Dancing With The Stars/Instagram
