LONDON – Len Goodman, a former British exhibition dance champion who was a longtime judge on the hit BBC reality competition “Strictly Come Dancing,” as well as its American spinoff, “Dancing With the Stars,” died Saturday at a hospice in Kent. , England. He is 78 years old.
The cause was bone cancer, his agent, Jackie Gill, said Monday. Mr. Goodman, who was working until a few weeks ago, was with his wife, Sue Barrett, and his son, James, when he died, Ms. Gill.
Mr. Goodman was the head judge of “Strictly Come Dancing” from its debut in 2004 to 2016. The show, where celebrities are paired with professional dancers, is one of the BBC’s top-rated programs. It is exported to many countries around the world, including the United States, where “Dancing With the Stars” premiered on ABC in 2005.
Judged by Mr. Goodman was “Dancing With the Stars” from its debut until last year. He is known for confronting contestants with wry humor, charm and colorful phrases, as well as a unique expression that includes the way he announces the score with “se-VEN!”
“He kept his sense of humor during his illness and coped with it with great dignity,” said Ms. Gill. “He was always a true gentleman. He loves his job and never takes anything for granted. “
Leonard Gordon Goodman was born in Bethnal Green, London, according to his agent. He moved to Blackfen, then Kent, England, and now part of London, when he was 6 years old and attended Westwood Secondary Modern School. She started dancing when she was 19 years old, quite late in life for someone who later became a professional, according to Ms. Gill.
Mr. Goodman went on to have a successful career as a dancer, winning the Dual of the Giants, the British Rising Stars, the British Exhibition Championships (four times) and the World Exhibition Championships. He then opened the Goodman Academy, a dance school in Dartford, England.
His first marriage, to dancer Cherry Kingston in 1972, ended in divorce. Later he had a son, and he married Ms. Barrett in 2012. In addition to his wife and son, Mr. Goodman is survived by his two grandchildren.
The tributes to Mr. Goodman poured in on Monday, including from British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s office and from Buckingham Palace. Camilla, the queen consort, dancing with Mr. Goodman in 2019 at a military members’ club in London, “saddened” by the news of his death, the palace said on Monday.
