Len Goodman, ‘Dancing With the Stars’ Judge, Has Died at 78

By Michael Malone
( Broadcasting & Cable )
published

Started judging waltzes and foxtrots on BBC’s ‘Strictly Come Dancing’

Dancing with the Stars judge Len Goodman
Len Goodman (Image credit: Vince Bucci/Getty Images)

Len Goodman, a longtime judge on Dancing With the Stars, has died at age 78. He had suffered from cancer and died April 22 in Kent, England. His agent said Goodman “passed away peacefully.”

Goodman was a judge on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in the U.K. from 2004 to 2016, and was head judge on Dancing with the Stars on ABC, then Disney Plus, from 2007 to 2022. 

Dancing with the Stars shifted to the streaming platform for season 31. 

Goodman was a judge on Dancing with the Stars along with Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough. BBC Studios Los Angeles Productions produces the show. 

Tonioli shared on Twitter: “Hart broken my dear friend and partner for 19 years the one and only ballroom LEGEND #LenGoodman passed away I will treasure the memories of our adventures @bbcstrictly @officialdwts there will never be anyone like you you will always be my perfect 10.”

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Michael Malone
Michael Malone

Michael Malone, senior content producer at B+C/Multichannel News, covers network programming, including entertainment, news and sports on broadcast, cable and streaming; and local broadcast television. He hosts the podcasts Busted Pilot, about what’s new in television, and Series Business, a chat with the creator of a new program, and writes the column “The Watchman.” He joined B+C in 2005. His journalism has also appeared in The New York Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, Playboy and New York magazine.