Len Goodman

Early life

Goodman was born in Farnborough, Kent, on 25 April 1944. He grew up in Bethnal Green, East London, where his grandfather worked as a costermonger, selling fruit and vegetables. As a child, Goodman was wheeled around in his grandfather's barrow and tasked with making sure the vegetables appeared to be fresh. He moved to Blackfen when he was six years old and later attended Westwood Secondary Modern School in his teens, where he was a member of the cricket team.

Career

Goodman was an apprentice welder for Harland and Wolff in Woolwich.

Goodman turned professional, won various competitions, and retired from dancing after winning the British Championships at Blackpool in his late twenties. He was a recipient of the Carl Alan Award, in recognition of outstanding contributions to dance and in 2006 and 2007 a show in which he appeared was nominated for the Emmy Award in the Outstanding Reality/Competition Program category.

''Strictly Come Dancing''

Main article: Strictly Come Dancing

Goodman appeared as head judge on the BBC One dance competition Strictly Come Dancing from its inception in 2004 until 2016. He appeared on the panel with Arlene Phillips, Bruno Tonioli, and Craig Revel Horwood; Phillips was later replaced by Alesha Dixon and then Darcey Bussell. In July 2016, Goodman announced he would be leaving the show at the end of that year's series. His final appearance was on the Christmas Day Special. On 9 May 2017, it was announced that Shirley Ballas would succeed Goodman as head judge. Goodman had also appeared on the original Come Dancing series as a judge.

''Dancing with the Stars''

Goodman had been the sole head judge on Strictly Come Dancings American adaptation, Dancing with the Stars. He had appeared with fellow judges Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli since the show's inception and for five seasons with alternating fourth judges and the brother-sister pair of Julianne Hough and Derek Hough. He missed much of season 19 and season 23 due to his responsibilities in the UK, and he did not appear as a judge in season 21 and season 29, but presented short segments on dance styles during the latter season. On 14 November 2022, Goodman announced during the season 31 semifinals broadcast that he would be retiring from the show to spend more time with his family in Great Britain. Goodman died from cancer on 22 April 2023.

After Goodman's death, the Mirrorball Trophy was renamed the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy, season 32 in his honor. On 24 October 2023, Dancing with the Stars Season 32 paid tribute to the late Goodman, when many of the original dancers returned to perform a choreographed group waltz to "Moon River". Goodman's wife was present for the performance.

Other television work

In 2005, Goodman voiced Professor in the five-time Emmy Award–winning children's program Auto-B-Good.

In March and April 2012, Goodman hosted a three-part BBC One documentary that was broadcast in the United States by PBS for the 100th anniversary of the voyage and sinking of the RMS Titanic. It capitalised on his experience as a welder at Harland and Wolff, and in it he interviewed descendants of survivors, and introduced viewers to memorials and significant sites in the United Kingdom.

In 2013, Goodman presented the BBC Four programme Len Goodman's Dance Band Days. He also hosted Len Goodman's Perfect Christmas on Boxing Day on BBC One. In November and December 2013 Goodman and Lucy Worsley presented the BBC Four three-part show Dancing Cheek to Cheek.

In August 2014, Goodman was one of a number of well-known faces taking part in ITV's two-part documentary series Secrets from the Clink. In October 2014, Goodman hosted BBC One show Holiday of My Lifetime. The show returned for a second series in February 2016, in which he was featured with Dan Walker, Carol Kirkwood, and many more.

In November 2015, Goodman and chef Ainsley Harriott presented the BBC show Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure, a 10-part series exploring world cuisine in England and Wales. Prior to the show he had never eaten curry, spaghetti or Chinese food.

In 2017, Goodman presented a family game show called Partners in Rhyme, based on Matt Edmondson's game, Obama Llama.

In October 2021, Goodman made a guest appearance in the Channel 4 soap opera Hollyoaks as part of a dancing storyline, when his voice was heard, while dance teacher Trish Minniver, portrayed by Denise Welch, was reminiscing.

Radio

Between 2013 and 2018, Goodman occasionally deputised for Paul O'Grady on his Sunday afternoon music show on BBC Radio 2, playing the music that he had grown up with. In 2021, he hosted three special bank holiday shows for Boom Radio.

Other work

In 2006, he appeared on an all singing/dancing version of The Weakest Link and beat Stacey Haynes in the final to win the prize money of £8,050, for his nominated hospice care charity Demelza, of which he was an official patron.

Goodman's autobiography Better Late Than Never, written with Richard Havers, was published by Ebury Press in 2008.

Personal life

Goodman married his dancing partner Cherry Kingston in 1972, but they divorced in 1987. He then had a long-term relationship with a woman named Lesley, whom he described as the ex-wife of "a bloke called Wilf Pine who had managed the band Black Sabbath". Goodman and Lesley's son, James William Goodman, was born on 26 January 1981, but at the age of 12 moved with his mother back to her native Isle of Wight after his parents had separated. As of 2012, James started Latin and ballroom dancing at his father's Goodman Dance Centre.

On 30 December 2012, Goodman married his companion of more than ten years, Sue Barrett, a 47-year-old dance teacher, in a small ceremony at Mosimann's, a London dining club.

Goodman was a West Ham United fan and was featured on the BBC football show Football Focus on 26 September 2009. He was also a keen cricket fan and in May 2009 took part in a celebrity Ashes cricket match in Van Nuys, California.

In October 2011, Goodman appeared on the BBC's Who Do You Think You Are?, in which he discovered that one of his maternal ancestors was a silk-weaver who died a pauper in the Bethnal Green workhouse. Goodman's great-great-grandfather, Josef/Joseph Sosnowski, came from Poland, where he fought in the anti-tsarist November uprising, for which he was awarded the Virtuti Militari, Poland's highest military decoration for heroism and courage. After finding out about his ancestry, Goodman said: "I feel no different, I look no different, I am no different and yet I'm not what I thought I was. I thought that I was truly an Anglo-Saxon, English through and through."

In March 2009, Goodman was diagnosed with prostate cancer, which was treated surgically at a London hospital. In 2020, he underwent surgery for a small facial melanoma.

Through his son James, Goodman became a grandfather in 2015 when his granddaughter Alice was born; his grandson Jack was born four years later in 2019.

Death

Goodman died from prostate cancer that metastasized to his bones. He died at a hospice in Royal Tunbridge Wells on 22 April 2023, three days before his 79th birthday. Fellow Strictly judge Bruno Tonioli paid tribute to Goodman on social media. Strictly presenter Claudia Winkleman called Goodman "a class act" who was full of "twinkle, warmth and wit".

Filmography

• Strictly Come Dancing (2004–2016)
• Dancing with the Stars (2005–2022)
• Eurovision Dance Contest – UK commentator (2007–2008)
• Titanic with Len Goodman (2012)
• Len Goodman's Dance Band Days (2013)
• Len Goodman's Perfect Christmas (2013)
• Dancing Cheek to Cheek (2013) (with Lucy Worsley)
• Secrets from the Clink (2014)
• Holiday of My Lifetime (2014–2016)
• Perspectives: For The Love of Fred Astaire (2015)
• Len and Ainsley's Big Food Adventure (2015) (with Ainsley Harriott)
• Strictly Len Goodman (2016)
• Len Goodman's Partners in Rhyme (2017)
• Hollyoaks (2021) (voice, one episode)

Publications

• Goodman, Len (with Richard Havers) (2008), Better Late Than Never: from Barrowboy to Ballroom, Ebury Press,
• Smith, Rupert (2005), Strictly Come Dancing; dance consultant: Len Goodman. London: BBC Books
• Goodman, Len (2014), Dancing Around Britain, Trinity Mirror Media, ISBN 9781908695918

References

References

1. Graham, Natalie. (4 December 2005). "Dancer takes steps to clear home loan". [[The Times]].
2. (24 April 2023). "Len Goodman obituary: From the East End to Strictly Come Dancing studio". BBC News.
3. "Len Goodman". [[TV Guide]].
4. Saunders, Tristram Fane. (17 December 2016). "From selling rotten celery to Strictly: 10 surprising things you didn't know about Len Goodman". The Telegraph.
5. Len Goodman. (3 September 2009). "Better late Than Never: From Barrow Boy to Ballroom". Ebury Press.
6. Wignall, Alice. (5 December 2006). "Dancing was what the doctor ordered for Len Goodman". [[The Guardian]].
7. Dibdin, Emma. (17 June 2016). "Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman will leave the show after the next series". Digital Spy.
8. Cohn, Paulette. (2022-11-15). "The Real Reason Len Goodman Is Quitting 'Dancing with the Stars' After Season 31".
9. (19 August 2015). "Len Goodman Leaving Dancing with the Stars". People.
10. Gomez, Patrick. "Julianne Hough Not Returning as Dancing with the Stars Judge as Len Goodman Returns".
11. Spencer, Samuel. (9 September 2020). "'Dancing with the Stars': Why Len Goodman Won't Be Judging Season 29".
12. Thomas, Megan. (14 November 2022). "Len Goodman announces his exit from the 'Dancing With the Stars' ballroom". [[CNN]].
13. Simpson, Kaitlin. (2023-09-20). "'DWTS' Renames Mirrorball Trophy After Late Judge Len Goodman".
14. Alexander, Bryan. (September 20, 2023). "'DWTS' Mirrorball Trophy is renamed for judge Len Goodman. What else is new on dancing show?".
15. Cohn, Paulette. (2023-09-11). "Who Will Replace Len Goodman as Head Judge on 'DWTS'".
16. "Auto-B-Good".
17. "UK Gameshows".
18. (10 May 2012). "Titanic with Len Goodman". PBS.
19. "BBC Four – Dancing Cheek to Cheek: An Intimate History of Dance". BBC.
20. (5 August 2014). "Watch! Secrets from the Clink teaser". Raidió Teilifís Éireann.
21. (6 August 2014). "Secrets from The Clink Episode 1". Itv.com.
22. "BBC One – Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman". BBC.
23. (13 May 2020). "How to get a taste of adventure with Ainsley Harriott". Special Broadcasting Service.
24. "BBC – Len Goodman to host new family game show on BBC One – Media Centre". BBC.
25. (18 October 2021). "Strictly Come Dancing's Len Goodman makes surprise appearance in Hollyoaks".
26. "Len Goodman". BBC Radio.
27. (22 December 2021). "Chris Tarrant, Len Goodman and Pete Murray for Boom Radio Christmas". ATV Today.
28. Graham, Natalie. (17 September 2009). "Len Goodman: My first Million". Financial Times.
29. "Len Goodman | Supporter | Demelza Hospice Care for Children".
30. (2008). "Better Late Than Never: from Barrowboy to Ballroom". Ebury Press.
31. "Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman dies aged 78".
32. (24 April 2023). "Len Goodman: Len Goodman: Strictly Come Dancing star's age, cause of death and family". Heart FM.
33. Goodman, Len. (2008). "Better Late Than Never: My Story". Ebury Press.
34. "Biography". James Goodman Dance (official site).
35. (31 December 2012). "Len Goodman: Strictly Come Dancing judge, 68, marries long-term girlfriend". [[The Daily Telegraph]].
36. [https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/football/football_focus/8276257.stm BBC SPORT. Football. Football Focus. It's strictly West Ham for Len Goodman]. BBC News (26 September 2009). Retrieved 23 October 2011.
37. "Len Goodman plays cricket!".
38. (2 March 2011). "Strictly judge Len Goodman's ancestors died in the workhouse". The Daily Telegraph.
39. "Len Goodman on Who Do You Think You Are?: Everything you need to know".
40. (9 March 2011). "Grudziądz. Telewizja BBC kręciła film w Cytadeli". Gazeta Pomorska.
41. [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b014k34c Len Goodman at bbc.co.uk/iplayer]. BBC. Retrieved 23 October 2011.
42. Heldman, Breanne L.. (29 June 2009). "Dancing With the Stars' Len Goodman Tangos With Cancer". E!.
43. (22 September 2021). "'An early warning' Strictly star Len Goodman, 77, in health update year after cancer scare".
44. Smith, Ryan. (24 April 2023). "Len Goodman's Co-Star Recalls Final Conversation with Late 'DWTS' Judge". newsweek.com.
45. Tinoco, Armando. (2023-10-01). "'Dancing With The Stars' Judge Len Goodman's Cause Of Death Revealed".
46. (April 24, 2023). "Len Goodman, long-serving 'Dancing with the Stars' judge, dies at 78". ABC News.
47. (24 April 2023). "Ex-Strictly head judge Len Goodman dies at 78". BBC News.
48. (24 April 2023). "Len Goodman death: Strictly Come Dancing star dies aged 78". The Independent.
49. (24 April 2023). "Bruno Tonioli's 'heart is broken' as Strictly stars remember Len Goodman". WalesOnline.
50. (24 April 2023). "Len Goodman: Tributes pour in for the 'class act' from Strictly and Dancing with the Stars". BBC News.
51. "Titanic with Len Goodman". BBC.
52. "Len Goodman's Dance Band Days". BBC.
53. "Len Goodman's Perfect Christmas". BBC.
54. "Dancing Cheek to Cheek". BBC.
55. "Secrets from the Clink". The Independent.
56. (September 2025). "Holiday of my Lifetime". BBC.
57. "Len Goodman – for the Love of Fred Astaire". BFI.
58. "Len and Ainsley's big food adventure". BBC.
59. "Strictly Len Goodman – BBC One". BBC.
60. "Len Goodman's Partners in Rhyme". BBC.