Len Goodman shares latest update on Strictly Come Dancing's return in lockdown interview

By Caitlin Elliott
( What's on TV )
published

Credit: Getty (Image credit: Getty Images)

Former head judge Len Goodman reveals the latest Strictly Come Dancing news...

Former Strictly Come Dancing judge Len Goodman has talked about the possibility of the show making it to our screens this year, despite the setbacks the coronavirus pandemic may throw in its way.

Strictly Come Dancing relies on close contact and long training hours between celebs and dancing pros - something that doesn't align with the current social distancing advice issued by the UK government.

Just like Barack Obama leaving the White House, head judge Len Goodman waltzing away from Strictly Come Dancing is going to be quite the emotional, historic moment.

Len was Strictly's head judge for 12 years (Picture: BBC) (Image credit: BBC/Ray Burmiston)

There are already rumours that contestants and professionals may be forced to quarantine for two weeks and self-isolate together in order to minimise the risk of the Covid-19 virus spreading.

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It has also been hinted that Strictly Come Dancing may have to go ahead without a live studio audience.

Len has his say

But Len has given his thoughts on whether the show will actually go ahead...

Len Goodman This Morning

Len chatted all things Strictly on This Morning today (Picture: ITV)

The 76-year-old star, who was Strictly Come Dancing's head judge for 12 years before quitting in 2016, appeared on ITV's This Morning today to chat to hosts Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield about life in lockdown.

Appearing live from his back garden, where he has been growing plenty of veg, Len said, "I don’t know – I haven’t been told by the BBC. But I am convinced the BBC will make Strictly work."

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Len also admitted there's a few ways in which Strictly Come Dancing bosses will get around the risks.

Safety measures will be put in place

He told Holly and Phillip: "This will all come to an end and we can all sit down and watch it as we used to with our children and grandparents.

"They’ll put dancers in hotels or test everyone daily."

Len Goodman This Morning

Len chatted to Holly and Phillip from his garden this morning (Picture: ITV)

Later in the day, Len's judging colleague Craig Revel Horwood chatted to the Loose Women panel, confirming Strictly is a go.

"I’m looking forward to the show this year – it’s going ahead, I know that!

"It gives a us a chance to look at the show in a new creative light.

"I have heard the same rumours about same a sex couple on Strictly this year. So it looks like it but I don’t know," he added.

Caitlin Elliott
Caitlin Elliott

Caitlin is Junior News Editor for woman&home, covering all things celeb, fashion, beauty and lifestyle. 


Having set her sights on becoming a magazine journalist when she was a child, Caitlin took on work experience stints at local papers and titles such as Cosmopolitan, Now, Reveal and Take a Break while studying for her Multimedia Journalism degree and has interviews with celebs, reality stars and the Archbishop of Canterbury under her belt (of course, she couldn't resist asking him about Meghan Markle and Prince Harry). After leaving uni, she dabbled in fashion PR as a Press Assistant for Topshop before becoming a part of the Now team at Future for her first real job in the world of online journalism, joining the ranks as a Digital Writer in 2019. Caitlin went on to add the likes of Woman, GoodtoKnow, WhatToWatch and woman&home to her writing repertoire before moving on to her current role. 


When she's not working you'll find Caitlin sipping bubbles at brunch with her besties, thinking about her next iced coffee, trying to close the rings on her Apple Watch, scrubbing up on her royal family knowledge or scrolling through the Zara app, trying to resist tapping 'check out' again.