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Len Goodman says ‘raunchy’ Strictly needs to go ‘back to its roots’

The former head judge hits out…

He was head judge on Strictly Come Dancing for 12 years and now Len Goodman has hit out at the show’s “raunchy” routines.

Len – who left the show in 2016 – wants Strictly to go “back to its roots” and concentrate more on ballroom dancing and less on props, sexy routines and theatrics.

The veteran dancer is stepping down from America’s Dancing With The Stars, which he has worked on for 14 years, when it ends next week.

Len has spoken out about the changes to the BBC dance show (Credit: Splash News)

Speaking to The Mirror, Len revealed what he’d like the BBC show to look like.

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And he has some very clear ideas of what he doesn’t want to see on the ballroom floor.

A little tweaking I don’t mind, but I liked Strictly as it was.

Len revealed: “It’s not only sex, I used to hate it even if a swing was involved and they were sitting on a swing. And props, going down on one knee, giving them a rose. Get on with it!”

He added that, when he left Strictly, he “didn’t exactly miss it” and explained that he didn’t like the show how it was.

Len said raunchy routines should be a no-no (Credit: BBC)

Len said: “It’s like a plant. If you want it to thrive you have to prune it a bit and change it slightly to let it thrive. But you don’t pull a plant up and chop off the roots. A little tweaking I don’t mind, but I liked Strictly as it was.”

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While his co-judges Craig Revel Horwood and Bruno Tonioli adapted well to the changes brought in by producers, Len said that he didn’t because he isn’t from a theatrical background.

Len left the Strictly panel in 2016 (Credit: Cover Images)

“I’m not from that world. I’m from the ballroom world. We all judge with the eyes of our experiences. I got beaten down in the end,” Len said.

He also revealed that he was “anti” the judges dancing at the start of each show.

The remaining six stars are set to take to the Strictly dance floor this weekend, after Michelle Visage got the boot last weekend.

Head to our Facebook page @EntertainmentDailyFix and let us know if you agree with Len.


Nancy Brown
Associate Editor

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