Main content

Len Goodman

Head judge on Strictly Come Dancing Len Goodman joins Kirsty Young to choose his Desert Island Discs.

Kirsty Young's castaway is the international dance judge, Len Goodman.

He became a star of Strictly Come Dancing and the US show Dancing with the Stars, after a forty year career as a ballroom dancer and judge. Born in London's east end, as a kid he was a barrow-boy, selling fruit and veg on his grandfather's stall. He went on to work on the docks as a welder. But come Saturday night he would don his best threads and head for the Embassy ballroom in Welling.

He was in his sixties when he found international fame and it was, he says, perfect timing. "If it had happened when I was thirty, I'd have been one these people that would be seen rolling out of nightclubs drunk, with a couple of dolly-birds on my arm. The pilot was on my sixtieth birthday and I think it was the perfect age because I was sensible by then, my feet were planted firmly on the ground."

Producer: Leanne Buckle.

Available now

43 minutes

Last on

Fri 24 Jun 2011 09:00
ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

More episodes

Previous

Andrea Levy

Next

Dame Harriet Walter

See all episodes from Desert Island Discs

Clip

Music Played

  • Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor & Debbie Reynolds

    Good Morning

    Composer: Arthur Freed (lyrics) Nacio Herb Brown (music)

    • Singin'in the Rain original soundtrack.
    • Premier.
    • Number CDODEON14.

  • Castaway's Favourite

    • Paolo Nutini

      Pencil Full of Lead

      Composer: Paolo Nutini

      • Sunny Side Up/Paolo Nutini.
      • Atlantic.

  • The Mills Brothers

    Tiger Rag

    Composer: La Rocca, Da Costa

    • Sweeter than Sugar.
    • ASV.
    • Number CDAJA5032.

  • Edmundo Ros and His Orchestra

    The Moulin Rouge theme

    Composer: Auric

    • Hollywood Cha Cha Cha.
    • Decca.

  • Bugsy Malone

    Fat Sam’s Grand Slam

    Composer: Paul Williams

    • Bugsy Malone.
    • Polydor.

  • Dave Brubeck

    Take Five

    Composer: Desmond

    • Dave Brubeck. β€˜Take…The Greatest Hits’.
    • Elite.

  • The Beatles

    In My Life

    Composer: Lennon/McCartney

    • Rubber Soul.
    • Parlophone.

  • Harry Belafonte

    Island in the Sun

    Composer: Harry Belafonte/Lord Burgess

    • All time Greatest Hits Vol.1 Harry Belafonte.
    • RCA.
    • Number ND90366.

  • Book Choice

    • An Anthology of British poetry

  • Luxury Choice

    • Set of golf clubs and balls

Credits

Presenter Kirsty Young
Interviewed Guest Len Goodman

Broadcasts

  • Sun 19 Jun 2011 10:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 LW
  • Sun 19 Jun 2011 11:15
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4 FM
  • Fri 24 Jun 2011 09:00
    ΒιΆΉΤΌΕΔ Radio 4

Featured in...

The Desert Island Discs podcast

The Desert Island Discs podcast

Subscribe or download individual episodes.

Listen to over 2,000 programmes

Click above to browse castaways, from 1942 to today.

Articles

Read the surprising things we've learned about some stand-out castaways.

Podcast