Len Goodman is gone, but he’ll never be forgotten.
The former head judge on Dancing with the Stars retired after Season 31 of the ABC hit.
Then, sadly, he died in April 2023 after a battle with prostate cancer.
DWTS has done a lot to preserve the memory of the ballroom expert.
They named the Mirrorball Trophy after him, now calling it the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
They also promised to choreograph dances that would make him proud, as he was always the judge to point out the most technical of issues and insist that dancers stick to the true moves of each competitive dance.
As Season 32 kicks into gear, we’ve learned exactly what took Len’s life earlier this year.
Len Goodman’s official cause of death
It’s no secret that Len Goodman secretly battled prostate cancer prior to his death.
According to his death certificate, which was obtained by Daily Express, the revered Dancing with the Stars judge died after the cancer spread to his bones. The death certificate listed his cause of death as “metastatic prostate cancer.”
Len died just three days before his 79th birthday and was said to have gone peacefully and surrounded by family while in hospice.
Len’s battle with prostate cancer was a long one, and the late Dancing with the Stars judge underwent surgery to remove it in June 2009.
He kept the battle private to the end, surprising his friends and fans with his unexpected death earlier this year.
Dancing with the Stars sees many changes for Season 32
Len Goodman’s absence is the biggest change for Season 32 of Dancing with the Stars, but it’s not the only one.
We also said goodbye to Tyra Banks this season. She left to take care of business endeavors, opening the door for Julianne Hough to step in as co-host alongside Alfonso Ribiero.
The judges’ table is down to just three, as Len is not replaceable. Additionally, all the judges are on even ground, with none listed as a head judge.
The Mirrorball Trophy has been renamed and is now called the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.
Also, several professional dancers have left this year — some by choice, and some just weren’t called back. Cheryl Burke retired as a pro dancer and was hoping for a spot at the judges’ table, but that did not happen.
Sharna Burgess revealed that she was expecting to return this season but was not called back. Lindsay Arnold also did not return, but her little sister joined the dancers.
And the show moved to a new night when it went back to streaming on ABC and on Disney Plus.
Dancing with the Stars airs on Tuesdays at 8/7c on ABC and Disney Plus.