News of Strictly star Len Goodman’s death was revealed just as This Morning hit the air on Monday.
The show’s former head judge died of bone cancer at the age of 78 and This Morning presenters Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield were shocked by the news.
Philip said: ‘We came on the air for the saddest news. That came as a shock.’
Brendan Cole, who left the show in 2018, after 15 years on it, happened to be on This Morning and said: ‘ Shocking. Sad for the whole nation.’
He revealed that Len had only recently retired to spend time with his grandchildren.
‘We hit the air with the saddest news’: This Morning’s Phillip and Holly revealed their shock over Len Goodman’s death on Monday, as dancer Brendan Cole laid out the Strictly star’s harrowing retirement plans
Heartbreaking news: Strictly icon Len has passed away after a short battle with bone cancer at the age of 78. His fans didn’t know he was sick
And Brendan said, “As a personality, he was huge — not just as a judge on Strictly, but as a person — with a bite, which I loved.”
Holly Willoughby said, “He was the trademark of seven…Even when he went to America you couldn’t think of him when someone got a seven.”
Brendan added, “He was the ultimate judge. He knew what to say and when to say it. The smile, the energy. Strictly speaking, it hasn’t been the same without him.’
Holly concluded by saying, “Our thoughts and love go out to his wife Sue.”
Len had been in hospice care at Tunbridge Wells in Kent and died on Saturday night – just six months after retiring. He would have turned 79 on Tuesday.
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. ‘.
Born in Bethnal Green, Len Goodman, who grew up in Blackfen, Bexley, was a professional dancer and teacher who had also been a welder and dreamed of becoming a professional football player. He became a national treasure after auditioning for Strictly Come Dancing at age 60 – when most people want to retire.
Len was the head judge of Strictly from its launch in 2004, where he was extremely popular with fans for his knowledge, wry humor and enthusiastic markings, especially his catchphrase ‘seven’. He was replaced as head judge on the BBC show by Shirley Ballas in 201
Home is where the heart is: Len, pictured with wife Sue Barrett, had recently retired to spend more time with family
Love: Len retired last year and said he wanted to spend more time with his wife Sue and his grandchildren. Pictured: Len with his grandson Jack
Family is everything: Len (left) with his son James and father Leonard
Hart: Len and his son James, whose mother was Len’s first wife Cherry
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 retiring – screaming at the TV while watching Strictly and especially Craig Revel Horwood – or ‘bl**dy Craig’ as Len called him
He told the Mail: ‘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.’
Speaking of his own obituary, he said, “Just write, ‘He was a lucky dance teacher from Dartford’ ‘Cause that’s pretty much the truth.”
His death is mourned by leading figures in showbiz after a stellar six-decade career.
While Len liked to give an A on Strictly, millions across the country knew him best for the way he gave a seven to dancers during his 12 years on the show.
Holly Willoughby said ‘He was a trademark seven…Even when he went to America you couldn’t think of him when somebody got a seven’
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.”
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.”