Len Goodman revealed the surprising message he wanted engraved on his tombstone two years before his death.
The former Strictly judge died aged 78 on Saturday night from bone cancer while being cared for in a hospice Tunbridge Wells in Kent.
Tributes have poured in for the dancer from the world of entertainment, including from Claudia Winkleman and Bruno Tonioli, as well as Queen Camilla who said she was ‘saddened’ by his death.
The dancer, who seemed to predict his own death, joked about the message that ‘should be on his tombstone’ in a resurfaced interview from 2021.
He said: ‘I was no good at school, no good at learning. I couldn’t be bothered.
Goodman continued to The Sun’s TV mag: ‘Most of my life that was my attitude. It should be on my tombstone. Here lies Len – he couldn’t be bothered.’
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Goodman had also said in an unearthed interview from 2022 that he expected to die in 2023 because his own dad died suddenly at 79 years of age. Goodman died three days before his 79th birthday.
‘My dad had the right idea, he loved gardening and he had a stroke while he was out in the garden.
‘He was 79 so if I go the way of my dad, that’ll be next year,’ he told MailOnline.
‘I don’t make a fuss about stuff like that. It’s like when you have a car — you keep it serviced but even so, you’ll have some trouble with your carburetor and you’ll need to get it fixed, and eventually the whole thing will conk out, and there you go.
‘It’s more about the journey, and mine has been lovely.’
Goodman announced his retirement from showbiz last year so he could spend more time with his wife Sue and their grandchildren: Alice, seven, and Jack, four.
There has been an outpouring of grief since his death with Good Morning Britain hosts and former Strictly contestants Ed Balls, 56, and Susanna Reid, 52, paying tribute to him on Tuesday’s show.
Anton Du Beke, 56, also remembered Goodman on TV on Monday’s The One Show, choking up as he discussed the late dancer.
Anton said he was ‘lucky enough to know him for a long time’ and was ‘lucky to call Len a friend.’
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