Len Goodman’s rise to TV stardom on both sides of the Atlantic was something that came late in life – as evidenced by the title of his autobiography, Better Late Than Never.
The experienced dancer, born in Bethnal Green in wartime in London’s East End, was a figure in the world of ballroom dancing but not known to a wider public until he was approached to take on a judging role on Strictly Come Dancing in 2004, a programme that had its roots in its long-running forerunner Come Dancing.
