The “Dancing with the Stars” family is mourning the death of Len Goodman. The manager for the longtime judge of the reality show said April 24 that Goodman had died at the age of 78.
Judges and competitors from "Dancing with the Stars" paid respect to Goodman, who had announced on the show last November that he would be leaving the series at season’s end.
“A Dancer. A teacher. A refined gentleman. A wonderful storyteller. A special soul. A mentor. A family man. And… A treasured friend,” fellow judge Carrie Ann Inaba captioned a photo and video montage of Goodman.
“Saying goodbye at the end of last season broke my heart. 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 in 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.”
Bruno Tonioli, who judged alongside Goodman on "Dancing with the Stars" and the BBC's "Strictly Come Dancing," also paid homage to him.
“Heart broken my dear friend and partner for 19 years the one and only ballroom legend #lengoodman passed away,” he captioned a picture of them together.
“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.”
“A Good Man, indeed,” original “Dancing with the Stars” host Tom Bergeron wrote alongside a photo spread featuring several images of Goodman.
Former "Dancing with the Stars" champion Kym Johnson-Herjavec acknowledged how decent a man Goodman was.
“Heartbroken. Heavens gates are covered in 10 paddles and mirror balls today,” Johnson-Herjavec wrote alongside a photo of her with her arms around Goodman’s neck. “Nothing made you feel better than getting a 10 from Len. He was a class act with a cheeky grin and quick wit. You will be so missed. Rest In Peace sweet Len.”
Keo Motsepe, who has appeared as a dancer on multiple seasons of "Dancing with the Stars," shared a photo of him laughing while watching Goodman dance.
“Rest well Sir Len. You will be missed,” Motsepe wrote, along with the hashtags #Legend, #thankyou and #Rip.
Louis van Amstel, who also has appeared on multiple seasons of "Dancing with the Stars," including the first and most recent seasons, also mourned Goodman's passing.
“The dance world has lost a true legend. Rest in peace, Len,” van Amstel wrote.
"Dancing with the Stars" and Disney+, which has been the home of the show since last season, also released a statement.
"Len Goodman will always be an icon in the world of ballroom dance, and we were lucky to have him as part of our ‘Dancing with the Stars’ family for 31 seasons," they wrote.
"He was warm and caring, and always delivered genuine guidance. We are devastated by the news of his passing and our hearts are with his family during this very difficult time."