Len Goodman

Len Gordon Goodman, (born 24 April 1944) is a British professional dance judge and teacher and former dancer. He runs a ballroom and Latin dancing school in Dartford, Kent, UK.cite web|url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/related_reports/article745368.ece|title= Dancer takes steps to clear home loan|first=Natalie|last=Graham|publisher="The Times"|date=2005-12-04|accessdate=2008-08-06]

Biography

Born in Bethnal Green, Londoncite web|url=http://education.guardian.co.uk/egweekly/story/0,,1963500,00.html|title=Dancing was what the doctor ordered for Len Goodman|publisher="The Guardian"|first=Alice |last=Wignall|date=2006-12-05|accessdate=2008-08-06] , Goodman started dancing at the age of 19 after a short time as an engineering apprentice (for Harland and Wolff in Woolwich). He tried dancing only in an attempt to recover from a foot injury sustained whilst playing football. He turned professional, won various competitions, and retired from dancing after winning the British Championships at Blackpool in his late twenties. He married his dancing partner Cherry, and although they later divorced, they had one son, James, who is also a dancer.

During the 1970s and early 1980s his dance school in Dartford was home to a very popular Saturday night youth disco which helped to keep the majority of Dartford's young people out of trouble. [Jon Dennis - Personal Memories of Dartford Town]

He is currently head judge on the BBC television series "Strictly Come Dancing", hosted by Bruce Forsyth and Tess Daly. He is known for having a cheeky sense of humour, often lacing his comments with double entendres. He also makes regular appearances on the show's extra program "", as well as the show's Christmas specials and one-off show Strictly Ice Dancing (which was an Ice skating version of the regular show). He also owns a dance studio in his hometown of Dartford, Kent, where he still lives.

The popularity created by "Strictly Come Dancing" has earned him a place as head judge on a similar US programme called "Dancing with the Stars", currently running on the ABC television network.

References

James Goodman, Len's only son, was not born from his marriage to Cherry. Instead, his mother is named Lesley and was Len's second wife. She is not a dancer, but a shrewd woman who encouraged Len to open his dance studios. They divorced, sadly, but Len bought Lesley a house on the Isle Of Wight to thank her for her hard work with the businesses. She still resides there.

External links

* [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/sport/related_reports/article745368.ece "Times" Interview]
* [http://www.bbc.co.uk/strictlycomedancing/about/len.shtml Goodman bio at BBC site]
* [http://abc.go.com/primetime/dancing/bios/len_goodman.html Goodman bio at ABC's Dancing with the Stars site]
* [http://www.dartfordadvertising.co.uk/uploaded_files/Dartford%20Living%20October%202008.pdf Interview with Len Goodman in local Dartford Living Magazine]
*imdb name|id=1625427|name=Len Goodman