Arlene Phillips says Len Goodman ‘will be missed’ as she pays tribute to former Strictly co-star

Arlene Phillips has paid tribute to her former Strictly Come Dancing co-star Len Goodman following his death at age 78.

The legend of Strictly Come Dancing has passed away in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells on Saturday after a short battle with bone cancer, dlong before his 79th birthday.

Appearing in Lorraine on Tuesday, Arlene, 79, said Len “didn’t want anyone to know he was ill” and talked about how “he will be missed” by all who knew him.

Arlene and Len, along with Bruno Tonioli and Craig Revel Horwood, were both part of the inaugural Strictly jury in 2004.

Choreographer Arleen recalled how Len was unsure about the show at first.

She said: “We did the pilot together and he had to rush to dinner [his wife] Sue and he said, “I’m not sure. If you do it, I’ll do it, otherwise we won’t.”

“And then the show that started slowly became this monster.”

Arlene added, “He stopped the strict strict. He didn’t like all the fluffy stuff.”

The TV star shared how former judge Bruno sent her a message after Len’s death saying he was unaware the dancer was ill.

She said: ‘Bruno messaged me yesterday and he didn’t know he was sick, he didn’t want anyone to know he was sick. He was on the golf course in the early morning.’

It is known that after the 2008 series, Arlene was dropped from the strict judging panel and was replaced by Alesha Dixon.

She recalled how Len supported her during this period, saying, “We shared a lot, even when I was dropped. Len was always there, he will be missed and he will be missed because when people met him they warmed up to him.

“The way he spoke, there was always truth, whether they liked it or not, it was what they needed.”

Lens colleagues Dancing With The Stars were blindsided by the longtime judge’s death after being kept in the dark about his bone cancer diagnosis.

Those who have worked with him in the United States claim that during his last season on Dancing With The Stars in November, he was “laughing and joking.”

While some acknowledged that the typically jovial Len was “slowing down,” they attributed this to his advanced years and were unaware that he was battling a terminal cancer diagnosis.

That’s what an insider told me The American sun: ‘Len was such a professional that as soon as the cameras and lights came on, he became the consummate showman.’

According to the source, he told show bosses, “Don’t ask me to do a little dance for my goodbye because that’s not happening, I just like shuffling around these days!”

Len was a successful professional ballroom dancer, winning the British Championships in his late twenties before retiring from the sport and opening a dance school.

Much later in life, he chaired the judging panel of Strictly Come Dancing from its launch in 2004 until 2016, and its American counterpart for most of its run from 2005 to 2022.

He adopted a warm, supportive yet critical demeanor as he watched celebrities perform tangos and waltzes, lending a level-headed touch to the otherwise often flamboyant jury.

“Len… 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,” said BBC Director General Tim Davie.

Born and raised in London, Len said he only reluctantly started dancing at the age of 19 after a doctor said it would help him recover from a foot injury.

As a teacher, he said his priority was to make ballroom dancing “fun and sociable”.

Speaking in 2012, after treatment for prostate cancer, he said he most hoped to be remembered as “genuinely kind”.

“I wish there were people who could honestly say, ‘Len! Oh yes, there was more good than bad in him,’ he said.