Len Goodman isn’t getting any younger and those 11 hour flights from London to LA each week for 17 seasons on Dancing With the Stars have finally begun to take a serious toll on his health. He is perhaps the most critical judge on ABC’s hit show and what fans may not realize is that the 69-year old does double duty each week. Back home in London he serve’s as a judge on Britain’s Strictly Come Dancing and if forced to choose a show he is vocal about his loyalty at home.
According to the Dec. 9th print edition of GLOBE Magazine Goodman is seriously considering exiting DWTS because the traveling has led to extreme exhaustion for months on end. Plus he hates leaving his wife for a few days each week and thinks that this might be the time to cut back on his workload. There’s a big catch though, if Len decides to leave DWTS then there’s a very good chance that Bruno Tonioli will exit as well.
Bruno is also based in the UK and makes that horrid trip to LA and back each week with Len. Sources close to the flamboyant judge say that it’s pretty unlikely that he’ll continue the transcontinental grind without his good pal. If both Len and Bruno were to leave DWTS at the same time it could spell disaster for the show, especially since the two are considered to be a professional guiding force that humorously dissects what goes on in the ballroom each week. If they leave then only Carrie Ann Inaba is left and it’s pretty unclear at this point who would work well as a judge beside her. Julianne Hough has been suggested but she is so close to all of the professional dancers that objectivity might be a tough task.
Do you think that the next season of DWTS might include a serious judging shake up? If so, who do you think would do a good job on the panel? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!
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