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Len Goodman's secret past health battle while filming DWTS

The Dancing with the Stars judge has a legion of fans around the world

dwts len goodman health battle during show
Hanna Fillingham
US Managing Editor
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Len Goodman is a world-renowned dancer and judge thanks to his long-running role on Strictly Come Dancing and continued role on Dancing with the Stars.

MORE: Len Goodman divides fans on DWTS with decision that ends in tears

The 78-year-old is relatively private when it comes to his personal life despite being a well-known face, so it may come as a surprise that he secretly battled cancer while filming a past series of both Strictly and Dancing with the Stars.

The star previously revealed that he battled prostate cancer but at the time decided only to tell a handful of people.

VIDEO: DWTS' Len Goodman and Carrie Ann Inaba seriously impress fans

Talking to The Mail on Sunday, he explained that he decided to carry on working after treatment rather than skip the live shows on DWTS.

MORE: Dancing with the Stars rocked by Covid outbreak ahead of show

MORE: Carrie Ann Inaba divides fans with fashion conundrum before DWTS premiere

He said: "I could have said 'sorry' and not done the show, but the doctors felt I wasn't riddled with it and it wasn’t so far advanced that it was a life-or-death scenario."

He added: "It takes a few weeks to get everything set up for the operation anyway, so I went ahead and did the show. I had the surgery done as soon as I got back from America."

He continued: "I've had the surgery now. Everything's gorgeously good."

dwts len goodman judge

Len Goodman had a cancer scare during DWTS

This wasn't the only time Len had a cancer scare though and in 2020 he opened up about having a mole removed from his forehead.

MORE: Beloved DWTS pros unexpectedly depart show just weeks before premiere

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Chatting on Good Morning Britain, he explained that he was advised to get his mole checked after someone noticed it while he was playing golf.

dwts len goodman health battle during show

The DWTS judge is now back to full health

"I'm not medical at all, so I said, 'I don't know, what is it?' I went and they took it out and it's gone. It was a tiny little thing on my forehead… probably because I play a lot of golf and I don't wear a hat, which I do now," he said.

MORE: Len Goodman opens up about former co-stars as he says they need to 'respect' each other

“It was good that it was what it was because it was like a little early warning, which was good because I would have probably carried on in my own sweet way and it could have become something far worse!"

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