'A rare gentleman'; Len Goodman, the former Strictly Come Dancing head judge, has died aged 78

Len Goodman, a beloved former judge on BBC’s popular dance competition Strictly Come Dancing, has died aged 78 in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells in Kent following a short illness. He passed away on Saturday night, a spokesperson for the family has confirmed. Goodman was diagnosed with prostate cancer in March 2009, which was treated with surgery at a London hospital but has been in hospice care since earlier this year.

Tributes since the news was announced this morning have been widespread, with Elstree Studios - the home of Strictly Come Dancing - taking to Twitter to discuss their heartache over the news. "We are heartbroken to hear about the passing of former Strictly Come Dancing head judge, Len Goodman. It was an absolute pleasure having Len on site over the years, we are truly grateful for all the memories" the studio wrote on Twitter. "Our thoughts are with Len’s family and friends."

BBC Director-General Tim Davie pays tribute to Len Goodman also paid tribute to Len Goodman, taking to Twitter themselves to write "Len was at the very heart of Strictly's success. He will be hugely missed by the public and his many friends and family." Those sentiments have been echoed by numerous personalities, including Piers Morgan, who wrote "Always had a laugh with Len, and swapped a few strong opinions. A quintessential Londoner and a top bloke.”

Robert Rinder, who participated in the 14th season of Strictly Come Dancing in 2016, took to Twitter to celebrate the personality of Len Goodman, calling him "a rare gentleman: Kind, charming, exacting, encouraging & danced like a dream. .. Thank you for bringing so much joy. RIP Len Goodman... It’s a 10 from us all."

The news is also set to affect the Royal households also; Queen Camilla has long been a fan of Strictly Come Dancing and has even been known to vote early when the opportunity arises for her favourite couple, Royal insiders revealed to the Daily Mail. Queen Camilla even managed to sneak a dance with Goodman in 2019 at the Victory Services Club in London when she was invited to go toe to toe with the professionals to demonstrate how good dancing can be for your bone health.

Goodman began his dancing career as a young man, and he went on to become a successful dancer, teacher, and judge but is best known for his role as a judge on the popular dance competition show "Dancing with the Stars", which airs in the United States. He has been a judge on the show since its inception in 2005, and he is known for his constructive criticism and his signature catchphrase, "It's a 10 from Len!".

In addition to his work on "Dancing with the Stars", Goodman has also appeared as a judge on the British dance competition show "Strictly Come Dancing", on which "Dancing with the Stars" is based. He has also served as a judge on other dance shows, including "Dancing on Ice" and "DanceX".

Goodman has been recognized for his contributions to the dance world with various awards and honors. In 2006, he was awarded the Carl Alan Award for his outstanding contribution to dance. In 2011, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to dance and charity.