Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough opens up about Len Goodman's death
Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough has spoken about the death of his co-star Len Goodman.
Professional dancer and competition adjudicator Goodman died on April 22, aged 78. He passed in a hospice in Kent, where he was staying following his cancer diagnosis.
Many of his colleagues paid tribute to the former Strictly Come Dancing star, with former Dancing with the Stars judge and professional dancer Derek Hough also opening up on his "shocking" death.
Speaking on the Whine Down with Jana Kramer podcast, Hough discussed how Goodman's illness came as a surprise to him and their fellow co-stars.
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He told host Jana Kramer: "We certainly didn't know the extent [of his illness] – we had no idea the extent – because this was a huge shock to all of us. And it's incredibly sad."
Hough made a heartbreaking admission that there had been "countless tears and phone calls" shared between Goodman's former co-stars in the wake of his death, all expressing their admiration.
He continued: "I feel incredibly emotional and sad about it. And then at the same time, I feel so grateful that the last season that we shared together... I really savored the moments I spent with him and we were playful with each other and we had these one-on-one conversations."
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Hough also revealed that Goodman presented him with a touching gift prior to his death – a framed photo of the latter, which he left in his dressing room during the pair's final day on set together: "I walked in my dressing room and there's this giant picture of Len. It was framed, beautiful gold frame and it's a picture of him and it had this handwritten message from him.
"It was so beautiful, but also like, inappropriate humor," he added. "It was a hilarious thing he wrote as well. And it was signed by him… I was just so touched and moved by that. Just thinking how our lives were so intertwined."
Hough, who had known Goodman since he was 12 years old, additionally said the star had "the gift of the gab" and brought "great energy" wherever he went.
Dancing with the Stars streams live on Disney+ in the US.
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