EastEnders cuts sweet Len Goodman joke from episode after Strictly icon's death

26 April 2023 , 18:27

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Ben Mitchell's nod to Len Goodman was edited

An EastEnders fan noticed a change to Tuesday's episode after a reference to the late Strictly Come Dancing icon Len Goodman was edited out of the broadcasted instalment.

The BBC soap drops each episode Monday to Thursday on BBC iPlayer ahead of the instalment airing on BBC One at 7.30pm.

On Tuesday, one fan noticed that a sweet nod to the former Strictly judge had been edited out of the evening episode after watching the instalment earlier in the day.

"This was a strange coincidence", the viewer tweeted. "Ben making a Len Goodman reference in last night's episode. But it was cut from the live version! Bit of a confusing decision as it could've been a tribute to him."

Ben's reference to Len Goodman was cut from his conversation with Lexi (BBC/Jack Barnes/Kieron McCarron)

In the episode, Ben Mitchell ( Max Bowden ) tries to make it up to his daughter Lexi after missing her dance recital.

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The mechanic shared a touching moment with his daughter as he brushed her hair while she asks what score he would have given her had he taken her to the recital.

Ben responds by impersonating Len's infamous 'sev-AN' but this moment was only present in the episode online, as shown on Twitter.

Len died on Saturday at a hospice in Tunbridge Wells, Kent and tributes have poured in praising the ballroom star.

Len was Strictly's head judge from its launch in 2004 until 2016 (PA)

The former Strictly star died on Saturday (S Meddle/ITV/REX/Shutterstock)

Len appeared in Strictly as the head judge from its launch in 2004 until 2016 and became head judge in the show's US counterpart Dancing With The Stars.

Former Strictly judge Dame Darcey Bussell said: "He had the gift of the gab, and I will never forget his use of fruit and veg and sticky toffee pudding as descriptive phrases of dance.

"He was always professional: grounded, funny, loveable, supportive and respectful… but never shy to say how it was.

"For Len, Strictly and Dancing with the Stars was never about the fame, it was about keeping his world of dance true and relevant. As I go in to coach at the Royal Ballet today, I think of him so fondly and try to follow his example."

Praising his "gorgeous colleague and dear friend" Craig Revel Horwood added: "Len Goody Goodman is what I always called him and 'It's a ten from Len & seveeeeern' will live with me forever."

EastEnders airs from Monday to Thursday at 7.30pm on BBC One.

Charlotte McIntyre