Len Goodman Got Married at 68 to Love of His Life — He Kept Wedding from Everybody except 96-Year-Old Mom

The first woman Len Goodman married took him for all he had and left him for a French multi-millionaire. The woman after her gave him a son but left him in despair after more than a decade together. He finally found the love of his life in the second woman he married.

After marrying for the first time, Len Goodman thought he had found the one; he was very wrong. The first woman the dance teacher married was named Cherry, and she had been his dance partner before he married her.

Their marriage was rife with strife, but the signs were all present even before they tied the knot on April 27, 1972. Two weeks before that, his father suffered a severe heart attack and had a quadruple bypass, but Goodman forged on with the wedding plans.

He believed things had gone too far to pause it, and he was also getting pressured by Cherry and her mother, Joy. On the wedding day, Goodman stopped at the hospital to see his father, who asked him if he was sure he was making the right decision by marrying Cherry. His answer was yes, but within him, he had been unsure.

Once the wheels of marriage started turning, it just continued, and by the time he had that conversation with his dad at the hospital, it was too late to stop things. The wedding ceremony went well, and afterward, they headed to Bickley Manor, where they were to dine.

They had just served the starters when someone told Goodman he had a call from the hospital. His father had suffered a relapse, and things looked potentially fatal for him that night.

Goodman tried to get out of the banquet; he explained why he had to leave and then went to spend the night at the hospital. When he returned, his wife blamed him for his exit. Goodman said:

"To be honest, I don't think she ever forgave me for messing up the wedding. But what could I do?"

Goodman believed his marriage with Cherry ended because they both realized they had nothing else in common besides dancing. One day they met a handsome, wealthy man named Michel on one of their regular travels to Monte Carlo.

They had a great chat that day, and then a couple of days later, Goodman found him speaking to his wife. When he joined them, she revealed that Michel had helped them secure two tickets to see "Manhattan Transfer" the next night.

They had fun that day, but unknown to him, something had started between his wife and Michel. She spent more time away from him during their time there, and eventually, when it was time to leave, Goodman, who had to judge a competition, parted ways with his wife.

Cherry told him she was going to see the owner of a dance studio who needed their services. When they met again, she told him the meeting went well and that she was going back to see him and sell off a couple of her old dresses so his pupil could use them.

That was how Cherry went to Paris with a bag full of dresses and her mom. Shortly after, Goodman received information from their close friend that Cherry was introducing her mom to Michel and that she would leave him for the Parisian.

He offered her a job because he needed a helping hand at his school.

The betrayal hurt him, and in the days that followed, he took all her things and laid them out in her mom's yard to spite her. Goodman also let her know he already knew what she did, after which she promptly started divorce proceedings that saw her request most of their savings. Goodman said:

"What upset me most was that she left me for a multi-millionaire, but she asked for our savings."

After their wedding ended, they ran into each other three years later and had a civil conversation. Goodman had made peace with what happened, and he told her that her taking the savings hurt the most. The following day, he got a cheque and an apology from her, and it concluded their story.

He Had a Child Soon After

After Cherry, Goodman met a woman named Lesley at The Fox And Hounds pub. She was from the Isle of Wight, and they hit it off on the first date despite their differences.

They continued to date for some time, and one day, Goodman realized that he had fallen in love with the beautiful Lesley. Fortunately, the feeling was mutual, and after they established that, she moved in with him, quit nursing, and started helping him run his dance school.

Things were great for a year, then Lesley revealed that she was pregnant. Goodman had been 36 and unsure he wanted the responsibility of a father, but the moment he saw his child, James William Goodman, he fell in love with him.

The new family lived in the former home he shared with Cherry, but Lesley was bent on moving, and before long, she had her way. They moved to a Kentish hamlet with a lot of natural space, and Goodman loved it.

The house was great, but Goodman barely lived in it as he had to travel to judge competitions while running his dance school. It took a significant toll on him and, by extension, his marriage. Lesley felt lonely and isolated as their home was located where there were virtually no neighbors.

It led to her resenting him, and their home became too toxic for their child. Goodman knew the environment was terrible for raising a kid, but he didn't want to separate from Lesley for the boy's sake. Eventually, he called for their split, after which she moved back to the Isle of Wight with their son.

Goodman was at his lowest after that. He was 50, broke, and wanted nothing more than to spend time with his son, but he only got to do that during school holidays. Fortunately, he could stay bonded to his son despite their lack of time together.

He Met His Second Wife at His Lowest

Years after Goodman and Lesley separated, he started spending a lot of time at his golf club, and there he met another dance teacher named Sue. He offered her a job because he needed a helping hand at his school, and she accepted.

Sue stunned him with her brilliance, and he fell hopelessly in love with her. It all happened unexpectedly, but Goodman is grateful to have Sue in his life. The pair tied the knot in a surprise ceremony witnessed by 30 friends and family.

Goodman was been happily married to Sue for some years now, and the pair had a strong relationship. The famous judge also became a grandfather who enjoyed doting on his granddaughter Alice. He enjoyed spending the holidays with family and is grateful to have someone he can call his own in Sue.

Sadly, Goodman passed away on April 22, 2023. He passed away in a hospice in Kent, UK, surrounded by his family. Goodman had been suffering from bone cancer for some time before he died. Tributes from fans and colleagues have been pouring in for the legendary dancer, talking about how much he will be missed. Rest in peace, Len Goodman.