‘DWTS’ Judge Len Goodman Died Days Short of His Own Prediction

The Dancing With the Stars family lost one of their own this week. Former judge Len Goodman reportedly died at the age of 78 following a battle with bone cancer. As Entertainment Tonight noted, Goodman died days short of when he predicted that he would pass, as he previously said that his own father died at the age of 79. 

Following his retirement from Dancing With the Stars, Goodman spoke to the Daily Mail about life after leaving the series. He explained that his father got to enjoy some of his hobbies, such as gardening, before he passed away. Goodman said, “My dad had the right idea. He loved gardening and he had a stroke while he was out in the garden. He was 79, so if I go the way of my dad, that’ll be next year.” His words are heartbreaking to look back on now, especially since he died three days short of his 79th birthday, which would have fallen on Tuesday, April 25. 

In the same interview, Goodman was asked to write his own obituary and he joked that it would read, “‘He was a dance teacher from Dartford who got lucky.’ Because that’s just about the truth of it.” Goodman retired from DWTS following Season 31. At the time, he said that he was moving on from the show in order to spend more time with his family. Tragically, months after his retirement, Goodman passed away following a battle with bone cancer. On Monday, his agent confirmed that Goodman “died peacefully, surrounded by his family” in the hospital. In a statement, his rep said that Goodman was “A much loved husband, father and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends and all who knew him.”

Many of those in the DWTS family soon reacted to the sad news. The show itself released a statement on social media, saying that Goodman will “always be an icon in the world of ballroom dance.” They added that they were “lucky” to have him be a part of DWTS for 31 seasons. DWTS continued to express that Goodman “was warm and caring, and always delivered genuine guidance.” In a subsequent message, they added, “We are devastated by the news of his passing and our hearts are with his family during this very difficult time.”