The touching sacrifice that Strictly’s Len Goodman made for his grandchildren

The touching sacrifice Len Goodman made for his grandchildren before his death has now been revealed.

The news of Len’s death from bone cancer at the age of 78 shocked his legions of fans, who were unaware he was ill.

Len was a head judge on the beloved BBC dance show Strictly Come Dancing from 2004-2016, but he also worked on Dancing With The Stars in the US from 2005 to 2022 as a head judge.

As work got busy, he decided he could no longer do both versions of the dance competition, revealing that he wanted to spend more time with his young granddaughter.

He said when he left Strictly in 2016, “It’s really nice for people to say we’re going to miss you and I’d rather they say that than ‘Thank God you’re going.’

“But I did it for 12 years. I want to spend some more time with my family. I just think it’s time to move on.

“There are a lot of interesting things to come, I’m sure people will ask me to do other small jobs, and I have my granddaughter to play with. I’m going to have a good time.’

Len’s first grandchild was Alice, the daughter of his only son James. He also has a grandson, Dan, who is four years younger than Alice.

“Alice is so sweet, I can’t stop looking at her,” Len said in 2016. “If I go to America, I won’t see Alice.”

Speaking in May last year, Len said, “When you get to a certain age, you realize that family is the most important thing.

‘My son James and his wife Sophie are lovely and I have two wonderful grandchildren, Alice who is seven and Dan who is three. They are great.’

In addition, he announced in November last year that he had decided to quit Dancing With The Stars so that he could come back to the UK to spend more time with his family.

He said at the time: ‘I’ve been with the show since it started in 2005 and it’s been a great pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show, but I’ve decided I want to spend more time with him. my grandchildren and family back in Britain.’

Len had been in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, after a short illness.

He died on Saturday night – just six months after his retirement. Tomorrow he would have turned 79.

A spokeswoman for Len told MailOnline: “I can confirm he passed away peacefully over the weekend surrounded by his family,” adding that he was “a much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and everyone who knew him. ‘.

The former head judge of Strictly Come Dancing from its launch in 2004 until 2016, Len was extremely popular with fans for his knowledge and wry humor.

He was a professional dancer and teacher who became a national treasure after auditioning for Strictly aged 60 – when most people want to retire.

In addition to Strictly, he also appeared on the US version of the show, Dancing With the Stars from 2005 to November 2022, where he was last seen on TV, stating that he was retiring to spend more time with his wife Sue and his grandchildren. .

In December, Len revealed how he’s been spending his Saturday nights since retirement – yelling at the TV while watching Strictly and especially Craig Revel Horwood – or “bl**dy Craig” as Len called him.

He told the Mail after his retirement: ‘My dad had the right idea too. He loved gardening and suffered a stroke while in the garden. He was 79, so if I follow my father’s path, it will be next year.’

Strictly Judge Craig Revel Horwood described Len Goodman as a “wonderful colleague and dear friend” in his moving tribute.

He tweeted: “Just woke up to the sad news that my wonderful colleague and dear friend Len Goodman has passed away. My heart and love goes out to his sweet Sue and family. Len Goody Goodman is what I always called him and ‘It’s a ten from Len & seveeeeern’ will stay with me forever. RIP Leen.

Strictly presenter Claudia Winkleman said judge Len Goodman was “full of twinkle, warmth and humour.” She tweeted, “I’m so sad about Len. He was one of a kind, a brilliant and kind man. Full of twinkle, warmth and humour. I send all the love to his family and friends. X’.

His death is mourned by leading figures in showbiz after a stellar six-decade career.

BBC Director General Tim Davie paid tribute to Len Goodman after his death at the age of 78. He said, “Len Goodman was a wonderful warm entertainer who was adored by millions. He appealed to all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family. Len was at the heart of Strictly’s success. He will be greatly missed by the public and his many friends and family.”

Former BBC presenter Dan Walker, who competed on Strictly Come Dancing in 2021 and was friends with Len Goodman, also paid tribute. He tweeted, “So sad to hear about Len Goodman’s death. He was an incredible man and an extraordinary talent. Loved making television with him, being silly with him, playing golf with him and will never forget the little tips he would send every week on Strictly. All my love to his family.’

TV presenter Susanna Reid described Len Goodman as “a beautiful man” following the death of the former strict judge.

She tweeted, “Oh this is such a horrible shock and so sad. Len was an absolute legend and the definition of a true gentleman.

“He was a beautiful man with a huge sense of humor who had such a mischievous expression.

‘All the bounce, bum & bongos’ I will never forget. My love for his family’.

Born in London on 25 April 1944, he began his working life as an apprentice welder at Harland and Wolff in Woolwich, and wanted to become a footballer.

He didn’t start dancing until he was 20, after his doctor recommended it to help him recover from a foot injury.

He turned professional and enjoyed a successful competitive dancing career, including winning Dual of the Giants, British Rising Stars, The British Exhibition Championships (four times) and the World Exhibition Championships in the early 1970s.

After his retirement he founded the Goodman Dance Academy in Kent. He was an examiner for the National Association of Teachers of Dance, a Fellow of the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dance, and a judge for the World Dance Council.

His unparalleled knowledge of Latin and Ballroom, as well as his penchant for well-turned metaphors, made him a favorite with millions of Strictly fans in later years, where his signature catchphrase of “Seven!” points are heard long after he leaves the program.

Len made a large number of TV and radio appearances in the UK and was also a very successful presenter on several shows, playing on the Strictly Live Tour for many years.

He produced many DVDs for dance education and an instructional DVD for the general public called ‘Dance With Len Goodman’.

He published his autobiography ‘Better Late Than Never: From Barrow Boy to Ballroom’ in 2009, which was followed by two other books, ‘Len’s Lost London’ and ‘Dancing Around Britain’.

Last November, on Dancing With The Stars, he announced that at the end of that series, he would put up his score sheet for the last time, telling viewers, “This will be my last season judging Dancing With the Stars.”

‘I’ve been with the show since it started in 2005, and it’s been a great pleasure to be a part of such a great show, but I’ve decided I want to spend more time with my grandchildren and family in Britain . Goodman added.

Goodman was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2009 and was treated surgically at a London hospital.

In September 2021, it was reported that he had surgery for minor facial melanoma the previous year.

Previously, Len was married to his dance partner, Cherry Kingston, but they were later divorced. He then had a long-term relationship with a woman named Lesley and they had a son, James.

He told the Mail last year that he was still itching to audition for Strictly on his 60th birthday, a time when most people would be thinking about retirement. He still had a mortgage and his dance school, he says, only made a small profit.

Then the big ball of glitter appeared from the sky, “and it changed my life.”

‘I remember coming home [my wife] Sue says: ‘They want to pay me £1,000 per episode and they pick me up in a car and take me back home.’

He ruled the helm of Strictly for 12 years, then was lured into the glossier, American version, Dancing With The Stars. It was an unlikely export product, but he quickly won them over.

“Some of the things I came out with confused them [The Americans] a little. I remember I said, “Give it some water,” and they said, “Willy?” What’s a penis?’ But someone said to me, early doors, ‘Be yourself and be honest’ and I’ve stuck to that as much as you can.”