In Strictest Confidence by Craig Revel Horwood

Author:Craig Revel Horwood [Horwood, Craig Revel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Michael O’Mara Books Limited

If you didn’t know Len was leaving at the start of the series, it wouldn’t take too long to work it out. They took the entire series to tell everyone, every week, that he’d brought out a DVD, or staging a tribute to Len, or calling a department store backdrop Goodman’s and putting his name on all the bags. It was like the Len show. We couldn’t get away from it. But the finale was spectacular, and a fitting send-off, after fourteen years on the show.

Len and I were and are great friends, although we never see eye to eye artistically because I’m from a different world, but that’s the beauty of it. He believed that ballroom should be ballroom and that the tango should be danced to tango music, but I believe dances can be reinvented. Three-year-olds, six-year-olds and teenagers don’t want to listen to authentic tango music. They want to hear Beyoncé and Drake, and I encourage people to dance to the music that they love. I think that helps get more viewers in. Otherwise, we’d be still watching Come Dancing and it would only be geared to people who are aged between 70 to 90.

The music on the show is modern and that entices teenagers to watch it and makes ballroom and Latin contemporary and Charleston accessible to every age range.

I have to confess, however, I miss Len’s comedy on the show. I miss his ‘pickled walnuts’. I don’t miss the backstage, moaning grumpy Len Goodman but he’s not always like that. He’s made a personality out of complaining but he’s also very, very funny and has a great sense of humour so I do miss that.

We created the show together, all those years ago, and he’s taught me so much along the way. It’s always hard to be the last ones standing. Now there are only four people left from the original show – me, Bruno, Tess and Anton – but Strictly is still going strong fourteen years on and counting, which is extraordinary.

As well as doing the American show and a regular radio slot, Len went on to front a quiz show called Partners in Rhyme. To be honest, I didn’t think it was the best move he’s ever made, and it’s not my cup of tea, but I went on the show to support him and it was one of the weirdest days ever.

I had to mime a rhyme about a book and then a rhyme about a feather and they got me doing a whole host of silly things, like getting dressed up as King Henry VIII. Then there were two stagehands dressed as a horse, trotting about, for a rhyme about horses. Frankly, I didn’t have a clue what was going on and it was all very odd.

Strictly will never be the same without Len and his earthy humour, and quick wit, but I wish him the best for everything he does in the future.

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During the 2016 season another brilliant opportunity dropped into my lap when I was asked to teach Hugh Grant how to dance.

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