Len Goodman officially announced his retirement from Dancing With The Stars during the semi-final of the most recent episode that aired on November 14. The Dancing With The Stars head judge revealed that he is leaving the show to go back to the United Kingdom and spend more time with his grandchildren. The shocking announcement left everyone in the ballroom in disbelief, including Len’s fellow judges who instantly became emotional.
Len announced on Monday, “This will be my last season judging on Dancing With the Stars." He continued his speech by giving a brief rundown on his time on the show. Len recalled that he has been on the show since it began in 2005. He went on to praise the show, as he stated that it was a huge pleasure being a part of the “wonderful show.” The 78-year-old did not leave his audience to guess why he decided to retire from the show. Len explained that he had to leave the show because he wanted to spend more time with his family and grandchildren in Britain. The ballroom expert also shared the news of his retirement from the show in an exclusive interview with People. "I haven't fallen asleep or started dribbling yet on the show, so I thought it's best to go before I start to do so!" Len told the outlet. He also highlighted some things he would miss in his retirement. Len admitted that he would miss the California sunshine, his fellow judges and mutual trust and friendship with everyone on the show.
The DWTS Head Judge Thanks His Fellow Judges
Derek Hough, Bruno Tonioli, and Carrie Ann Inaba, Len's fellow judges, all became emotional as Len expressed his gratitude. "I cannot thank you enough, the Dancing With the Stars family," Len said. He went on to tell them that his time on the show has been wonderful and he cannot wait to witness next week’s finale as he is certain that it will be great. The ballroom guru, who is renowned for his harsh criticism, received a standing ovation after his touching announcement.
The just-retired DWTS judge Len began dancing when he was 19 and went pro in his early 20s. He won several competitions before retiring in his late 20s after taking first place in the British Championships. Since 2005, he has being on Dancing With The Stars, and from 2004 to 2016, he also worked on the British version of the show, Strictly Come Dancing.
Len has been the head judge on Dancing With The Stars since season 1. Given that he recently announced his retirement, it is still unclear who will take his place at this time. However, it is reasonable to assume that one of Len's fellow judges might fill the role.
Source: People