Former Strictly judge Len Goodman still disagrees with same-sex dance pairings
"If it was down to me it would be men and women."
Len Goodman, the former head judge on Strictly Come Dancing, has spoken out against the show’s historic first same-sex pairing.
Again.
Olympian Nicola Adams [pictured below] and pro-dancer Katya Jones will dance together when the BBC One show debuts later this autumn, it was recently confirmed.
However, speaking to the Mail On Sunday, Goodman expressed concern the format change could put off older viewers.
OK then.
“A lot of older people are traditionalists”
“You’ve got to understand I’m an old fuddy-duddy ballroom dancer so if it was down to me it would be men and women and all the men would be in tail-suits but I know it wouldn’t work,” he said.
“We’ll see – it will be interesting in the same way it was on Dancing On Ice, it’ll be interesting to see.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the star said: “A lot of older people are traditionalists – they used to go ballroom dancing and most people’s nans and grandads met probably in a dance hall.
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“The older viewers have their certain traditional ways about it all so might not be sure.
“But look – I suppose the good thing is that most older people I don’t think vote, so it won’t matter much in that way.”
Goodman quit Strictly in 2016. The 76-year-old has since judged on Dancing With the Stars, the US version of the show.
The announcement of a same-sex dancing couple on Strictly has so far prompted over 200 Ofcom complaints.
“I’ve judged what they used to call pink competitions”
Goodman also addressed the subject in an interview with The Sun last year.
He told the publication: “I’ve judged what they used to call pink competitions with ladies dancing together, and a load of guys.
“They were of a very high standard, terrific dancing actually.
“Somehow whilst you were judging it, you didn’t even notice. It wasn’t that one of the men was dressed in a frock or anything, it was done in a very tasteful way.
“So, if it’s done in that way, I think it would be OK. But that doesn’t change the fact I’m an old traditionalist.”
(Picture: ITV)