'Dancing With the Stars' Pays Tribute to Len Goodman Following Beloved Judge's Death

By Stephanie Downs

On Monday, Dancing With the Stars fans were devastated to learn about Len Goodman's passing. In light of the heartbreaking news, Dancing With the Stars released a statement about the late judge on its official Twitter account. Goodman reportedly died at the age of 78 after a battle with bone cancer. 

The DWTS team stated that Goodman will "always be an icon in the world of ballroom dance." They went on to say that they were "lucky" to have the late personality be a part of their show for 31 seasons. Their statement continued, "He was warm and caring, and always delivered genuine guidance." In a subsequent tweet, DWTS added, "We are devastated by the news of his passing and our hearts are with his family during this very difficult time."

It came as a shock to learn on Monday that Goodman had passed away. His agent confirmed that he "died peacefully, surrounded by his family" in the hospital. His manager also shared that Goodman had battled bone cancer prior to his death and that he passed away while in hospice care. The DWTS personality's rep said in a statement, "It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78. A much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him."

In addition to the show itself, many other members of the DWTS family also responded to the news of Goodman's passing. His fellow judges, Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tonioli, issued incredibly touching tributes to Goodman on social media. Inaba shared a video tribute on Instagram and referred to the late judge in her caption as "A Dancer. A teacher. A refined gentleman. A wonderful storyteller. A special soul. A mentor. A family man. And... A treasured friend."

Meanwhile, Tonioli wrote that he was "heartbroken" to learn of Goodman's passing. He continued, "My dear friend and partner for 19 years the one and only ballroom legend [Len Goodman] passed away I will treasure the memory of our incredible adventures and hundreds of shows we did together [Strictly Come Dancing] [Dancing With the Stars] there will never be anyone like you we will miss you." As DWTS fans know, Goodman died months after he announced his retirement from the dance competition series. 

"I've been with the show since it started in 2005," he told fans during Season 31 of DWTS. "It has been a huge pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show. I've decided I'd like to spend more time with my grandchildren and family back in Britain... I cannot thank you enough, the Dancing With the Stars family. It's been such a wonderful experience for me."

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