Strictly Come Dancing star Giovanni Pernice has paid tribute to the late Len Goodman, deeming the former judge a “legend. ” Goodman, who served as head judge for both Strictly and its American counterpart Dancing with the Stars, passed away on April 22 at the age of 78 after a battle with bone cancer. Pernice, who debuted on the series in 2015 and won the Glitterball Trophy in 2021, paid an emotional tribute to the former judge in an interview with OK! Magazine, saying: “My memory of Len Goodman is the same one as everybody has, a legend.