Beloved Dancing with the Stars judge Len Goodman made an eerily close prediction as to the date of his death four months before he passed away, according to reports.
The late ballroom dancer and celebrated instructor passed away under hospice care in Kent, England last week after a battle with bone cancer.
Late last year, in an interview with the Daily Mail, Goodman spoken candidly about the prospect of his own mortality, saying that he didn’t “want a load of lingering.”
“Bing Crosby had the right idea,” Goodman said. “He played 18 holes of golf, then, bosh, dropped down dead.
“I don’t want a load of lingering. My dad had the right idea, too. 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.”
Credit – Getty images – Steve Granitz / Contributor
Sadly, Goodman passed away just three days short of turning 79 – a coincidence not missed by his legions of fans where his own prediction was concerned.
In the interview with the Daily Mail, Goodman, who rose to become a much-loved judge on shows including Dancing with the Stars with Strictly Come Dancing, also revealed he wanted a simply obituary.
“Just write: ‘He was a dance teacher from Dartford who got lucky,'” he said. “Because that’s just about the truth of it.”
Goodman’s agent, Jackie Gill, said Goodman “passed away peacefully” Saturday night.
“Len died on Saturday evening surrounded by his family in a hospice in Kent. He has bone cancer. He kept his sense of humour throughout his illness and was a ‘true gentleman,’” his manager said in a statement Monday, according to Good Morning America.
After 31 seasons as head judge on DWTS, Goodman stepped down in November 2022.
“I’ve been with the show since it started in 2005 and it has been a huge pleasure to be a part of such a wonderful show,” he said at the time.
He added he was looking forward to spending more time with his family “back in Britain.”
The former professional ballroom dancer and British champion was credited with reviving interest in ballroom dancing on both sides of the Atlantic.
Yet his health had been the subject of speculation for a while. In 2009 he had a cancerous tumor removed from his prostate gland, while in 2020 he told the UK’s Melanoma Fund that he had bene diagnosed with skin cancer.
“I don’t make a fuss about stuff like that,” Goodman told the Daily Mail.
“It’s like when you have a car. You keep it serviced, but even so, you’ll have some trouble with your carburetor, and you’ll need to get it fixed. And eventually the whole thing will conk out, and there you go. It’s more about the journey, and mine has been lovely.”
Rest in peace, Len Goodman. Thanks for the memories! You will be sorely missed.
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