Len Goodman joked about the inscription he wanted on his tombstone before death
KENT, ENGLAND: Len Goodman made a joke about what he wanted on his tombstone two years prior to his death. The former judge of 'Strictly Come Dancing' died on Saturday, April 22 at the age of 78 in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, following a previously undisclosed fight with bone cancer.
Goodman was a judge for the BBC Ballroom Dance Contest and was well-known for his dance knowledge. He judged 'Dancing with the Stars', the American version of the show which ran from 2005 through 2022, and 'Strictly Come Dancing', from its debut in 2004 until 2016. His manager, Jackie Gill, stated, "It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78. A much-loved husband who will be sorely missed by family, friends, and all who knew him," according to BBC.
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What was the inscription Len Goodman wanted on his tombstone?
Goodman stated that his early years were unremarkable in a 2021 interview, claiming that he was "no good at school or learning" and that he "couldn't be bothered" in the classroom. He mocked his carefree approach when he was younger, and said, "Most of my life that was my attitude. It should be on my tombstone. Here lies Len - he couldn't be bothered," according to The Sun.
On Saturday, April 22, Goodman died in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, with his loved ones by his bedside. A tribute page for Goodman states, "He was known to millions as the first Head Judge on Strictly Come Dancing and Dancing With The Stars but to many of us, who knew him personally, he was just 'Lucky Len with the boyish grin.'"
'My trouble is - I'm not very competitive'
Goodman revealed that he became less competitive as he aged, despite his success as a dancer, which allowed him to have significant ballroom and Latin technical knowledge to impart to the celebrities who competed on 'Strictly Come Dancing' and 'Dancing with the Stars'.
Goodman said, "My trouble is - I'm not very competitive. Back in the 60s and 70s when I danced, I was so competitive. So when that was over, it sort of knocked all the competitive side out of my body," according to The Sun.
Dancer and television host Leonard Gordon Goodman was born on April 25, 1944, and he died away on April 22, 2023. He is survived by his second wife, Sue (nee Barrett), a dance teacher whom he married in 2012, and James, the son from his relationship with Lesley Pine, a teacher at Goodman's dance school.