He died on Saturday, accompanied by his family, in a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. He was diagnosed with bone cancer.

Goodman was on Strictly from its inception in 2004 until 2016, and was well-liked by viewers for his caustic comedy and avuncular comments.

In addition to Strictly, he performed on Dancing With the Stars in the United States from 2005 to 2022.

“It is with great sadness to announce that Len Goodman has passed away peacefully, aged 78,” his manager, Jackie Gill, said in a statement on Monday.

A much-loved husband, father, and grandfather who will be sorely missed by family, friends, and all who knew him.

Craig Revel Horwood, Strictly’s longest-serving judge, led the tributes on Monday, hailing Goodman as a “gorgeous colleague and dear friend.”

He was the show’s head judge from the beginning and made his final appearance on the 2016 Christmas Day special.

He also served as the chief judge on Dancing With The Stars for more than 15 years, retiring in November of last year to “spend more time with my grandchildren and family” in the UK.

Goodman was described as “a wonderful, warm entertainer who was adored by millions” by BBC director General Tim Davie.

“He appealed to people of all ages and felt like a member of everyone’s family,” he said. “Len was central to Strictly’s success.” He will be greatly missed by the general public as well as his numerous friends and family.”

Russell Grant, a former Strictly Come Dancing contender, offered tribute on Twitter, writing, “The wonderful Len Goodman has left us.” He was really nice to me while I was on [the show], and we met on other shows, including his own, which was filmed at BBC Glasgow.

“The term ‘legend’ is overused, but Len and his ‘SEVEN’ [points] became a catchphrase in the United Kingdom and the United States.” “A real character.”

Boxing legend Frank Bruno wrote, “RIP Len Goodman this is a shock he was the man we all thought was indestructible met him several times, he said he would personally give me some dance lessons if I ever got Strictly, really sad.

Goodman, who received the Carl Alan Award for distinguished services to dance, also owned the Goodman Academy, a dance school in Dartford, Kent.