a class act. there much. he is, was a class act. there was nobody like him because he was so humble. he loved to dance. his face would light up when people come in lots of people take part in strictly come dancing and i think i will give it a couple of weeks but it will not be my thing and that they fall in love with it and he adored it, but he was an extraordinary man, brilliant man. one of my friends and colleagues, carol, who as you know does the weather, said manning today and i thought was a really lovely tribute, she said he was never in the business of humiliating people. he always wanted to bring out the best in people. always wanted to bring out the best in --eole. , always wanted to bring out the best in --eole. , , in people. absolutely. he was passionate — in people. absolutely. he was passionate about _ in people. absolutely. he was passionate about dance - in people. absolutely. he was passionate about dance that l in people. absolutely. he was - passionate about dance that even if he would explain it was the minute a, i have been there for 900 years but i don't know what he'll lead is but i don't know what he'll lead is but he would say were not saying it because if you stand like this it will make your back like that and he was just, will make your back like that and he wasjust, he would come upon it takes to and we would go, len lisk

at unity but he would make the tea and he had no understanding of how big he was how much people loved him. in my own house we still never use the word seven weeks a7 differently. he changed a numberfor so many of us. he didn't want to humiliate anyone, he wanted to build them up and he loved proper dancing. i almost felt for the prop —— sorry for the pop boys as they would hide for the pop boys as they would hide for him and they will carry a gazebo or at papier marchais eiffel tower and he would be like where is it going? he wanted people to dance but he was adorable on camera, off—camera and everyone who took part. off-camera and everyone who took art. ., off-camera and everyone who took art, ., , off-camera and everyone who took art, ., a, off-camera and everyone who took art. ., off-camera and everyone who took part. you say you can dance, but what was — part. you say you can dance, but what was it _ part. you say you can dance, but what was it like _ part. you say you can dance, but what was it like when _ part. you say you can dance, but what was it like when he - part. you say you can dance, but what was it like when he would l part. you say you can dance, but - what was it like when he would come and put his arms around you and take you through a move? for someone so experienced do that with you? amazing, because it was such a gentleman but he has such power and literally were just click like that, he would click and i did not

understand, but it was a privilege to work with him and a privilege to know him and i send so much loved his and friends. mas know him and i send so much loved his and friends.— know him and i send so much loved his and friends. was he surprised by the success — his and friends. was he surprised by the success of _ his and friends. was he surprised by the success of the _ his and friends. was he surprised by the success of the programme? - his and friends. was he surprised by the success of the programme? he | the success of the programme? he was. ifi the success of the programme? he: was. if i can bore you with a small story but i think this absolutely encapsulates len the man, we would chat a lot and he started doing the american show and i said to him, how is it? are you tired? he said, no, i enjoy it but what hhhaaaddd is queueing for the rental car because, and then i would want to go and get my favourite cereal and i'd have to stop and do photos and i always enjoy doing it, and by the way, just to reiterate, this at the moment, it was the biggest show in america and i said, len, was the biggest show in america and isaid, len, it's was the biggest show in america and i said, len, it's lovely but how long are you queueing? and he would be like when i never want to get to the front of the queue because then i feel bad i'm taking some the front of the queue because then ifeel bad i'm taking some in's place and they're asking about the score is a gift to somebody else and

so i would be in the queue for about three hours and then when i get to the supermarket cereal that might take another couple of hours. i said that you know you could, nobody was to make big demands but you could get a cab, but he said i don't want to be a bother. but he was a normal star but the most humble and gentle. he... i would tell them to do it in front of me to ask for a car they would pick you up but tell them your favourite cereal and i promise you they will get you a box. but i don't want to be a pain. there was nobody like him. it want to be a pain. there was nobody like him. ., , , , ,. like him. it will not surprise you that we have — like him. it will not surprise you that we have a _ like him. it will not surprise you that we have a live page - like him. it will not surprise you that we have a live page on - like him. it will not surprise you that we have a live page on the | that we have a live page on the website up and running bringing all the reaction and we have just heard from buckingham palace and the queen consort has said her majesty saddened to hear the news. i guess that's the other thing about him. he was loved by so many people from right across the spectrum of society. right across the spectrum of socie . ~ , ,., , right across the spectrum of socie ,,, right across the spectrum of socie y,, ., society. absolutely because we also felt he has the _

society. absolutely because we also felt he has the expertise _ society. absolutely because we also felt he has the expertise but - society. absolutely because we also felt he has the expertise but also i felt he has the expertise but also that if you said who would you like to go to the pub with? i think everybody would say him. i want to be with len, i want a hula hoop and a beer with len goodman more than anything else. we all felt like we knew him and he was wonderful to his fans. really wonderful. i would knew him and he was wonderful to his fans. really wonderful. iwould be there and they will go, len, len, seven and he was wonderful to everyone. seven and he was wonderful to everyone-— seven and he was wonderful to eve one. . . ~ ~ ., everyone. claudia winkleman when s-ueakin to everyone. claudia winkleman when speaking to my _ everyone. claudia winkleman when speaking to my colleague. - everyone. claudia winkleman when speaking to my colleague. let's - everyone. claudia winkleman when l speaking to my colleague. let's hear from some of the contestants whose dance ability was judged by len goodman on strictly come dancing.

chris hollins took the title in strictly in 2009 and i asked him a little earlier if he enjoyed len's judgments. little earlier if he en'oyed len's judgmentsfi little earlier if he en'oyed len's 'udaments. ~ , , . judgments. absolutely. the cheeky smile, the lovable _ judgments. absolutely. the cheeky smile, the lovable character. - judgments. absolutely. the cheeky smile, the lovable character. the i smile, the lovable character. the thing about len is that he is everybody�*s favourite grandad, uncle, dad, whatever age you are, you always loved him and what you saw on screen is basically what len is all about. the other bit of len is all about. the other bit of len is that he could be really grumpy. grumpy goodman eyes to call him. but he wasjust my grumpy goodman eyes to call him. but he was just my kind of guy. he was very, he dealt with harsh reality because i wasn't a very good dancer and he gave it to be straight but he always encouraged everybody on the

show, everybody involved in the show and let's be honest, he made the show, along with the likes of bruce forsyth, the show that it is that we all love in our millions. you must've _ all love in our millions. you must've done _ all love in our millions. you must've done something i all love in our millions. you must've done something right because you didn't end winning it. did he keep the persona onstage and offstage as well then? was he never didn't have a grumpy moment? he was alwa s didn't have a grumpy moment? he was always grumpy- — didn't have a grumpy moment? he was always grumpy. everybody _ didn't have a grumpy moment? he was always grumpy. everybody involved - didn't have a grumpy moment? he was always grumpy. everybody involved in i always grumpy. everybody involved in the show loved him for being grumpy. that's the thing, everybody loved all the len brought to the programme. i played a lot of golf with len away from the show and he would always moan about, look at the lie, look i am blocked by the trees, all, look at slow play. everything got on his nerves but it never stopped him from making everybody laugh along with him. oh, i have to fly to america tomorrow, first class flight, you have to do dancing with the stars and i am playing golf at pebble beach. i will be exhausted.

you would look at len assay are you sure? and then he would laugh and give you a wink. that's what it was all about. and everybody wanted to please them, whether with the professional dancers are the amateur dancers, everybody wanted to get a nod from len. it was a magical seven, everybody was happy, but you just want a bit of recognition from him and if you got it, you knew you were on the right path.— were on the right path. success, certainly in _ were on the right path. success, certainly in terms _ were on the right path. success, certainly in terms of _ were on the right path. success, certainly in terms of tv - were on the right path. success, certainly in terms of tv success, were on the right path. success, l certainly in terms of tv success, it came to him late in life. how to define the energy, especially with all the travel between britain and the united states? i all the travel between britain and the united states?— the united states? i don't know where he found _ the united states? i don't know where he found it. _ the united states? i don't know where he found it. a _ the united states? i don't know where he found it. a lot - the united states? i don't know where he found it. a lot of- the united states? i don't know l where he found it. a lot of people who were involved in street become dancing, whetherjudges are dancers, there's not a lot of money on this, there's not a lot of money on this, there's not a lot of starter minutes. you have to have a passion for what you're doing and that is something i acquired by getting to know everybody and seeing the passion, others hundreds of dancers

that would go to blackpool to try and win a championship, those guys going around the dance studios all over the country that just want to get a bit better. if you think before strictly come dancing, len had his dance studio in dartford and he would use most dance sessions and then suddenly, towards the end of his life, he was a global tv star. at the magical thing about len is that he did not change one little bit. all of his comments, they were the committee would give to the students in the dance studio, it didn't matter if you're a global music star sports star, though the exact same comments and they were always encouraging, sometimes a little bit naughty and close to the mark, but always what the dancer wanted, so i'm very much a sports that dealt with a reality and that when i got none them for it. chris hollins speaking _ when i got none them for it. chris hollins speaking there _ when i got none them for it. chris hollins speaking there who won in

2009. political leaders have also been reacting to the death of len goodman. here is how labourmixer keir starmer responded to journalist a little earlier. i think across the country there will be general heartfelt sadness at this turn of events.— this turn of events. downing street has also paid _ this turn of events. downing street has also paid tribute _ this turn of events. downing street has also paid tribute saying - this turn of events. downing street has also paid tribute saying rishi . has also paid tribute saying rishi sunak is saddened by the news. a spokesman said he was a great entertainer, popularface on spokesman said he was a great entertainer, popular face on tv screens up and down the country and as a judge on strictly come dancing. he will be missed by many and our condolences go to his friends and family. we have to give len goodman the last word and he was famous for them on strictly. here are some of them on strictly. here are some of the few of our favourites among len's quips. to prevent centre jeremy vine was told as performance

was... and without mentioning the dancers... len goodman, who died at the age of 78. i never thought i would say the word bomb on television quite so much but now time to get the weather. we have a cold snap of weather on the way, certainly for the first half this week saw gardeners and growers take note as we are likely to see widespread overnight frosts. these blustery in

the north of scotland down to the north sea coast and there will be some sleet and snow over the high ground in england and wales will generally be cloud with outbreaks of heavy rain pushing their way south east words across southern england. temperature wise ranging from five in the far north of scotland to the low teens in the south. those temperatures fall away quite quickly through tonight and you can see the blue colours extending across most there so a fairly widespread frost. and that would be for the end of april down to “4 minus five celsius across parts of scotland and the far north of england. it will be a cold and frosty start from any for tuesday morning but dry and bright and plenty of sunshine around at any early misty fog clearing and it will stay fine and sunny for most of the day but we will continue to see showers peppering northern and eastern coastal areas with a windy fail to things across northern scotland and snow, certainly over the mountains. after the chilly temperatures will start to recover

across the south and into the low teens and single figures in the napoli will feel called for the time of year. as we head into the middle part of the week subtle changes and we will have light winds and benign weather but these weather fronts in the atlantic will try to start to push their way into southern and western areas, introducing more clout and could be a few bursts of rain as well in the south with one or two showers further north and generally drier across scotland with an area of high pressure which we will see further south and west and a cool and chilly field to things which is 9—11 to 12 degrees. for thursday that milder air with the weather front slowly pushes northwards and eastwards and a slow process but it looks like england, wales and northern ireland will see thicker cloud and outbreaks of rain but it will turn milder and much of scotland and the north of england will turn dry and cold. and there will turn dry and cold. and there will be brightness but cloud here as well. those temperatures will recover in the south but still quite cold in the north. the does win out

for the end of the week and into the weekend and with the fronts nearby, it could be fairly unsettled with cloud and rain at times as well.

live from london, this is bbc news. western countries evacuate diplomats from sudan as of the fighting continues, but some citizens remain stranded. thousands of migrants march through southern mexico. they are demanding their request for asylum be sped up. spain exhumed the remains of a far right leader as part of a plan to combat nostalgia for the franco regime. and the former strictly come dancing head judge len goodman has died at the age of 78.