Dancing With the Stars' Len Goodman Predicted His Death 4 Months Before His Passing
A prediction Len Goodman made before his death is drawing a lot of attention.
Four months prior to his passing, the Dancing With the Stars judge took part in an interview in which he reflected on death.
"Bing Crosby had the right idea," Goodman told the Daily Mail in December 2022. "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."
The Strictly Come Dancing alum even had some suggestions for his obituary.
"Just write: 'He was a dance teacher from Dartford who got lucky,'" he added. "Because that's just about the truth of it."
Goodman died April 22 in a hospice in Kent, England, following a battle with bone cancer, according to the BBC. He was 78 years old, passing just days before his 79th birthday.
This wasn't Goodman's first cancer diagnosis. He previously shared he had a cancerous tumor removed from his prostate gland in 2009 and told the U.K.'s Melanoma Fund in 2020 that he had skin cancer removed.
"I don't make a fuss about stuff like that," the ballroom dancer told the Daily Mail in December 2022. "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."
Goodman died five months after he announced he was leaving Dancing With the Stars, citing his desire to spend more time with his family in Britain. After his death, his longtime colleagues and friends paid tribute to their fellow judge.
"Heart broken my dear friend and partner for 19 years the one and only ballroom legend #lengoodman passed away," Bruno Tonioli wrote on Instagram April 24. "I will treasure the memory of our incredible adventures and hundreds of shows we did together. @bbcstrictly @dancingwiththestars they will never be anyone like you we will miss you."
Carrie Ann Inaba also remembered Goodman as, "A Dancer. A teacher. A refined gentleman. A wonderful storyteller. A special soul. A mentor. A family man. And… A treasured friend."
"Saying goodbye at the end of last season broke my heart," she continued in her Instagram post. "But today's news has shattered it all over again. I can't believe that you're gone. You were one of a kind my dear friend. And I will cherish our memories and hold them close, while I join so many others mourning your loss. Thank you for all that you shared with us. Your humor, your wisdom, your wit and your truth. Until we meet again…Rest In Peace Len."
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