Seven. A score that any celebrity would be over the moon to be awarded during the first week of the Series; yet also one that must feel like failure if received at the business end of the competition.

Former head judge, Len Goodman was of course, synonymous with the number seven; and as this Series is the first since his passing, I thought I would pay my own tribute by looking back at some of the most memorable occasions he awarded this score on Strictly.

Big thank you to fellow “Strictly Statistician” James (Instagram: @drross365) for contributing this article to the StrictlyDB Blog.

Len’s First ‘Seven’

• Partnership: Christopher Parker & Hanna Karttunen
• Series 1: Week 1 (2004)
• Dance: Cha Cha Cha to ‘Lady Marmalade’ by Labelle
• Score: 19 (4 – Craig, 4 – Arlene, 7 – Len, 4 – Bruno)

After awarding eights to the first two routines of the night, Len’s first seven went to eventual Series 1 Runner-up Christopher Parker (and partner Hanna), performing the Cha Cha Cha. We don’t get to hear Len’s critique, but the other judges each gave the routine a four, with Bruno thinking it was more of a ‘Cheat Cheat Cheat’ due to the erroneous inclusion of the splits during the routine!

Judge for yourself by skipping to the 20 minute mark in the video below.

Len Disagrees with the Judges: Part 1

• Partnership: Mark Ramprakash & Karen Hardy
• Series 4: Week 6 (2006)
• Dance: American Smooth to ‘Orange Coloured Sky’ by Nat King Cole
• Score: 33 (8 – Craig, 9 – Arlene, 7 – Len, 9 – Bruno)

This routine took place one week after Mark & Karen’s Salsa which had to be restarted after the infamous microphone incident. Len thought Mark ‘looked the part’ but felt there were ‘far too many zig-zags’, and ‘it wasn’t smooth, it was rough’. Bruno disagreed and accused Len of being in a bad mood. Which judge do you agree with?

Len Disagrees with the Judges: Part 2

• Partnership: Laila Rouass & Anto Du Beke
• Series 7: Week 5 (2009)
• Dance: Jive to ‘Modern Life’ by David Bowie
• Score: 22 (5 – Craig, 7 – Len, 5 – Alesha, 5 – Bruno)

This is a peculiar performance with Laila and Anton seemingly on different pages throughout. After receiving a savaging from Alesha (“a drunken rag doll”), Bruno (“all short bursts that made no sense”) and Craig (“a bit sticky, a bit clumpy, flat footed”); Len gives an impassioned critique with the aim of re-energising Laila (“buck yourself up, get your bum in gear and do proper Latin; come on”).

It had the desired effect with Laila’s Samba, performed the following week, awarded an additional six points.

Len Disagrees with the Judges: Part 3

• Partnership: Kara Tointon & Artem Chigvintsev
• Series 8: Week 12 (2010)
• Dance: American Smooth to ‘Cry Me A River’ by Michael Bublé
• Score: 37 (10 – Craig, 7 – Len, 10 – Alesha, 10 – Bruno)

This routine was first performed in Week 8, and despite it receiving a score of 35, Len was not a fan, only awarding it six. Len’s argument on both occasions was that this was meant to be a Foxtrot-based American Smooth, and as they weren’t in hold once, it wasn’t a Foxtrot, and so couldn’t be judged as one.

I can see Len’s point, but this routine would definitely receive a ten from me. What do you think?

Len Disagrees with the Judges: Part 4

• Partnership: Harry Judd & Aliona Vilani
• Series 9: Week 5 (2011)
• Dance: Tango to ‘Psycho Killer’ by Talking Heads
• Score: 34 (8 – Craig, 7 – Len, 10 – Alesha, 9 – Bruno)

Len thought Harry & Aliona’s Halloween-themed Tango was “sharp, crisp and enjoyable”, but wanted to see “more than eight bars in Tango hold”. Alesha, however said “art is subjective”, and they “created a beautiful piece of dance; the King and Queen of Tango tonight”, and awarded it a ten.

On this occasion, I agreed with Len’s critique, and think a seven (or eight) would have been fair.

Len Disagrees with the Judges: Part 5

• Partnership: Richard Arnold & Erin Boag
• Series 10: Week 1 (2012)
• Dance: Waltz to ‘You Don’t Bring Me Flowers’ by Barbra Streisand
• Score: 22 (5 – Craig, 5 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 5 – Bruno)

Richard & Erin’s first routine received fives from everyone apart from Len. Bruno thought Richard was “in a trance, or sedated” and it was “a bit boring”. Len strongly disagreed and didn’t know how anyone could call a Waltz boring, as “it’s one of the most beautiful of all the dances”. I am going to sit on the fence with this one, and think a six would have been the fairest score.

The Celebrity Who Received the Most ‘Sevens’ from Len

• Partnership: Mark Benton & Iveta Lukosiute
• Series 11: Week 2 (2013)
• Dance: Salsa to ‘Bon Bon’ by Sam and the Womp
• Score: 22 (4 – Craig, 6 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 5 – Bruno)

Mark and Iveta never received a score higher than 29, but a number of entertaining routines meant they made it all the way to Week 10 of the competition. Len was certainly a fan of this duo awarding them his trademark ‘seven’ on eight occasions.

I am sure their week two Salsa will put a smile on your face. This routine also contains a lovely cutaway to Len at the 54 second mark.

The Show With The Most ‘Sevens’ from Len

• Partnership: Ashley Taylor-Dawson & Ola Jordan
• Series 11: Week 3 (2013)
• Dance: Samba to ‘Love Is In The Air’ by John Paul Young
• Score: 31 (8 – Craig, 8 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 8 – Bruno)

Strictly has tested out a number of different theme weeks over the years, and Series Eleven saw the debut of ‘Love’ week; with each partnership performing a love-themed dance. The theme must have put Len in a good mood, as he ended up awarding a ‘seven’ to eight routines.

This episode marked a night of real mixed emotions for the Jordans. It took place on the tenth anniversary of their wedding day, and whereas Ola & Ashley finished third on the Leaderboard, James (dancing with Vanessa Feltz) ended up in the dance-off, and was eliminated.

The Professional Who Received the Most ‘Sevens’ from Len

• Partnership: Katie Derham & Anton Du Beke
• Series 13: Week 2 (2015)
• Dance: Tango to ‘Telephone’ by Martynas Levickis
• Score: 28 (7 – Craig, 7 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 7 – Bruno)

Given that Anton and Brendan were the only two professional dancers who appeared in all fourteen Series in which Len was the head judge, it is not surprising that one of them would have received the most ‘sevens’ from Len. In the end, Anton received 32 ‘sevens’ from Len, compared to 20 for Brendan.

Five of Anton’s ‘sevens’ came in his partnership with Series Thirteen finalist Katie Derham, including for this Tango routine.

Len Disagrees with the Judges: Part 6

• Partnership: Kellie Bright & Kevin Clifton
• Series 13: Week 8 (2015)
• Dance: Samba to ’Boom! Shake The Room’ by DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince
• Score: 33 (9 – Craig, 8 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 9 – Bruno)

The week before this routine saw Kellie & Kevin fall into the bottom two for the first time. Indeed, that was Kevin’s first dance-off appearance in three years on the show! When it was announced that the following week they would be dancing the ‘dreaded’ Samba to ‘Boom! Shake The Room’, an elimination seemed a more than likely outcome.

What followed was one of the memorable (and divisive) Samba routines on Strictly. Craig and Bruno loved it; whereas Len was not so keen. He did however admit that he was “a cup of tea in a world of skinny lattes”, and said that he admired Kevin for his nerve. On this occasion, I would have agreed with Len’s score.

The Series With The Most ‘Sevens’ from Len

• Partnership: Tameka Empson & Gorka Marquez
• Series 14: Week 2 (2016)
• Dance: Charleston to ‘Yes Sir, That’s My Baby’ by Firehouse Five Plus Two
• Score: 29 (7 – Craig, 7 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 8 – Bruno)

Perhaps fittingly, Len’s final Series was one of two which saw him award the most scores of ‘seven’ – 32. He also issued 32 ‘sevens’ in Series Seven, however that year contained a greater number of routines.

One of Series Fourteen’s 32 ‘sevens’ went to this fun Charleston performed by Tameka and Gorka (in his first year on the show).

Len’s Final ‘Seven’

• Partnership: Ed Balls & Katya Jones
• Series 14: Week 10 (2016)
• Dance: Tango to ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’ by The Rolling Stones
• Score: 29 (4 – Craig, 6 – Darcey, 7 – Len, 6 – Bruno)

In total, Len awarded a score of ‘seven’ on Strictly on 346 occasions, and each of the last four went to Ed & Katya.

Forty-five celebrities were eliminated in a week that they received a ‘seven’ from Len. A total which includes Ed after he performed this Tango routine. Appropriately, this final score of ‘seven’ was preceded by a typical pun from Len, where he suggested that Ed should be renamed to ‘Lottery Balls’ as “you never know what you’re going to get”!

Photo credits

• Len Goodman – Wikimedia Commons