Len Goodman Not Returning to DANCING WITH THE STARS

DANCING WITH THE STARS will soon be losing a member of its judges' panel.

Len Goodman, who took a few weeks off this fall to take part in STRICTLY COME DANCING in the UK, according to USA Today, has announced he won't be returning to ABC's long-running competition show for the show's 20th season.

"Next year, I'm not going to do the flying backwards and forwards - I'm not going to do the American show... I've got to have a bit of time off," he said to Digital Spy. "I've got my wife, I've got my son, my mother is still alive and she's in hospital - I've had virtually no time to go and visit her. So, I just need a bit of time off to get on with a normal life. And it was either Strictly went or the American one went or the tour went... I'm doing the spring one when I go out there... and that's going to be my last one."

Len Goodman has been a head judge on "Strictly Come Dancing," the original UK version of "Dancing with the Stars." He was a professional dancer and dance teacher, and now runs his own successful dance school in Kent, England, where he resides.

Having performed his entire adult life, specializing in the form of Ballroom called "Exhibition" dancing, Goodman has won the British Exhibition four times and was the runner up in the Exhibition World Championships. He has also been awarded the British Rising Star Award, the Carl Allen Award and, most recently, a Lifetime Achievement Award. In addition he is an accomplished judge of Latin American and Ballroom professional dance competition, serving as a regular at the World and British Championships.

Hosted by Emmy(r) Award-winning host Tom Bergeron ("America's Funniest Home Videos") and Erin Andrews (sports host & "Dancing with the Stars" Season 10 finalist), "Dancing with the Stars" is the hit multi-award-winning series in which celebrities perform choreographed dance routines which are judged by renowned ballroom judge Len Goodman and dancer/choreographers Bruno Tonioli, Carrie Ann Inaba and ballroom dancer and Emmy(r)- Nominated choreographer Julianne Hough.

To post a comment, you must register and login.