Getty Images Derek Hough is making different plans for season 32.
Longtime “Dancing With the Stars” cast member Derek Hough is speaking out about the death of judge Len Goodman. In an interview with Extra, Hough revealed that he and his colleagues didn’t know how sick Goodman was, and news of his death left them in complete “shock.”
“We sensed his fragility, but we had no idea the extent of it. This was a huge shock for all of us,” Hough told Extra’s Billy Bush. Goodman died in April 2023 following a battle with bone cancer. Goodman had announced his decision to leave “Dancing With the Stars” just a few months prior.
Now, Hough says that he wants to do “something” to keep Goodman’s memory alive in the ballroom.
“He’s a special guy’s, just a special guy. We definitely lost somebody really special. I want to do something just to honor him and continue to in the future,” Hough added.
In addition, Hough plans to pay tribute to Goodman during his upcoming tour.
“Len had the most beautiful heart. He really did. I’m thinking about a moment on the show that I want to dedicate to Len. I’m trying to select the right song. The feeling I get when I think about Len is doing a pure and classic waltz or foxtrot. ‘No fussing about!’ ‘No lollygagging!'” Hough said during an interview with TV Insider.
“That’s what I want to do. I want to honor him by bringing the history of dance into the future and to never lose the history of where dance came from. Dancing will evolve and change but it’s important that we always bring that history with us,” he added.
Here’s what you need to know:
Fans Have Been Suggesting Different Ways for the DWTS Family to Pay Tribute to Len Goodman on Season 32 & Beyond
Following Goodman’s death, some “Dancing With the Stars” fans took to a Reddit thread to share a few ideas of how the DWTS family could pay tribute to him on season 32 (and beyond).
“Say ‘live from the Len Goodman ballroom’ instead of ‘live from Hollywood,'” one Redditor suggested, adding, “And a Len Goodman night as a themed week- each couple dances a traditional ballroom routine would be a nice touch.”
“…On the 10th anniversary special, Len said his favourite dance if all time was Helio and Julianne s quickstep-Julianne will obviously be there next season and Helio sent Len a message for thr finale when he retired and I’m sure he’d come back for one night? Maybe they could have them do a bumper?” someone else suggested.
“I think just something as simple as a classic ballroom pro number, much like the ones you mentioned from Strictly, would suffice,” a third comment read.
It sounds like Hough is already thinking about how to keep Goodman’s memory alive moving forward.
Derek Hough Posted a Tribute to Len Goodman in April
Hough had known Goodman for many years and had the opportunity to learn from him as a mentor.
“I lived in London when I was 12 years old. And I remember him MCing a dance competition, so I’ve known him for so many years and then to be able to work alongside him for over 16 years; just being able to judge alongside him these past couple years, and especially last season, I really remember just savoring every moment with him. And I’m so grateful for that,” Hough told Bush on Extra.
Following the news of Goodman’s death, a “heart broken” Hough posted a tribute to him on Instagram.
“Heart broken by the news of our dear friend and mentor Len Goodman. It’s a gloomy morning here in Los Angeles which seems fitting after this heart breaking news. But when I think back at the memories we all shared with Len, his sense of humor, his smile and charm everything feels much brighter and full of sunshine,” Hough wrote, adding, “Still hard to fully process but filled with gratitude knowing I had the privilege of working beside this absolute legend. We will miss you dearly Len.”
READ NEXT: DWTS Family Goes Nuts Over New Video of ‘Stud’ Rome Chmerkovskiy