Former Strictly head judge Len Goodman dies aged 78

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman has died at the age of 78 following a battle with bone cancer. He died on Saturday (22 April) at a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, surrounded by his family.

A statement from his manager, Jackie Gill, on Monday said:

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

Goodman served as head judge of Strictly Come Dancing from its inception in 2004 until 2016, when he decided it was time “to hand the role to someone else”, with Shirley Ballas ultimately landing the job.

In his time on the show, Len coined the catchphrase “Seven!” in reference to awarding marks to contestants, as well as “it’s a ten from Len!”. While fair and amiable, he didn’t suffer fools and could adopt a stern approach if he felt it was necessary.

He was also a judge on the US version of the show Dancing With The Stars between 2005-2022. He chose to relinquish this commitment last year to spend more time with family.

Away from the cameras, he founded a dance school in Dartford, Kent, called the Goodman Dance Academy.

He started out as a professional dancer at the age of 19, winning the British championships in his late 20s, after which he retired to become a professional judge and teacher.

After quitting Strictly Come Dancing, Goodman hosted a number of shows for the BBC including Partners in Rhyme, Holiday of My Lifetime, and Len and Ainsley’s Big Food Adventure.