Bruno Tonioli rushes off stage as he breaks down during tribute to Len Goodman

25 October 2023 , 06:02

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The Dancing With the Stars professionals performed a stunning number in honour of Len (Image: No credit)

Bruno Tonioli broke down and rushed off stage during a tribute to his late Strictly Come Dancing co-star Len Goodman.

During this week's Dancing With the Stars, the American version of Strictly, the professional dancers took to the floor to perform an emotional ballroom routine in memory of Len. He was a judge on the show from the very beginning, sitting on the panel for 17 years.

He passed away in April at the age of 78 following a battle with prostate cancer that had spread to his bones. This year's DWTS has included many tribute's to him including the winner's trophy being renamed The Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy.

On Tuesday night, during week five of the series, dancers past and present came together to pay their respects through dance. After the moving Waltz tribute, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. Bruno, who was a close friend and fellow judge of Len, couldn't contain his emotions and rushed off stage in tears.

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Bruno was overcome with emotion (ABC / BACKGRID)

Viewers were touched by the emotional tribute and shared their reactions on X, formerly Twitter. One fan wrote: "The Len tribute dance was literally perfect. Every detail down to the lighting was just beautiful. Crying on my couch!" Another agreed: "Anyone else just crying with full body chills after that dance for Len Goodman?! Beautiful tribute." And a third wrote: "Wonderful tribute to Len Goodman. He clearly connected so deeply with his peers and how phenomenal for him to have he practiced and continued to experience his passion in his later years."

The theme of the week was Most Memorable Year and the ensemble performed a rendition to pay homage to Len's personal ballroom dancing roots. They danced to Henry Mancini's classic Moon River, known for featuring in the iconic 1971 film Breakfast at Tiffany's.

Len only missed two seasons - 21 and 29 - during his time on DWTS. He announced his retirement from the show months before his death. Many of the show's stars paid beautiful tributes to him after the sad news of his passing.

Before the show, Derek Hough shared another throwback message in which Len gave him funny advice. The words of wisdom were written on a portrait of Len, reading: "Derek, Remember technique is like peeing down your leg - you think it's hot but nobody else does! Warmest regards, Len Goodman x."

* An AI tool was used to add an extra layer to the editing process for this story. You can report any errors to [email protected]

Zoe Forsey