'If Bradley Walsh Can Do It, So Can I!'

Len Goodman on leaving Strictly, its new head judge and why he’s hosting his own game show…

- Emma Bullimore

For years, celebrity contestants and their dance partners have been working their sparkly socks off to earn a coveted ‘10 from Len’ on  Strictly.

But, even though Len Goodman has stepped down from the show, his penchant for poetry will not be lost to TV audiences, as it has inspired a new Saturday teatime game show, Partners in Rhyme.

The fun series sees celebrities team up with contestants to tackle a variety of catchy rhyme-based challenges, such as ‘Mime the Rhyme’ and ‘News at Len’.

Len, 73, who left Strictly Come Dancing at the end of the last series to spend more time with his family, was coaxed away from his home to front the BBC1 show, and he tells TV Times that it was more fun than he could have ever imagined…

So, Len, where did the idea for Partners in Rhyme come from?

It was originally a board game, thought up by a whippersnapper called Matt [Edmondson, the Radio 1 DJ and TV presenter] – I met him and he looks about 12 years old. It’s an absolute hoot. There are two teams of three – made up of two celebrities and a contestant in each – and they’ll be acting out rhymes like ‘Jeremy Vine drinking wine’. Listen, this is not University Challenge or Mastermind, I promise you that, but for an early Saturday evening, it’s the perfect quiz because you can join in whether you’re 10 or 100.

Were you nervous about hosting your first game show?