Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor has died at the age of 44. The news was announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning by Burn the Floor, a dance company of which Robin was one of the founders.
“The Burn the Floor family has lost one of its founding members, Robin ‘Bobby’ Windsor – who has tragically passed away,” the statement began. “A BTF journeyman he danced with us for twenty years – including Broadway, The West End and all our crazy adventures around the world. His stunning image attached with Jessica Raffa defined our company, colourful, extreme and sensual. His talent, attitude, energy and personality helped create the Burn the Floor stage reputation. He leaves a void in our hearts that will never be filled, yet our wonderful memories will stay forever.”
© InstagramRobin, who was born in Ipswich, Suffolk, began dancing aged three and at 15 years old moved to London to pursue his dream of becoming a dancer.
He first joined Strictly back in 2010 during its eighth series and was paired with actress Patsy Kensit.
Robin, who had a professional partnership with fellow Kristina Rihanoff both on and off the Strictly ballroom floor, performed with the likes of Anita Dobson, Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden during his time on the BBC programme.
During an exclusive interview with HELLO! back in 2018, Robin opened up about missing Strictly. “I do miss my time on Strictly,” the professional dancer revealed at the time. “It was a wonderful show to work on. When it comes to this time of the year, people start to get paired up with their celebrities that’s when I start to miss it. I think, ‘Who would I have got if I was still there?'”
© GettyTributes pour in
Tributes poured in for the dancer, including from former Strictly professional James Jordan, who shared his heartbreak on social media. “I had the pleasure of working with this man for many years on Strictly – I have such fond memories of him,” he penned. “He was always very caring and fun to be around. Everyone who came in contact with him adored him, from his celebrity partners to his working colleagues. You will be missed old friend.”
Good Morning Britain’s Susanna Reid, who danced with Robin back in 2011 during a Strictly special for Children in Need, also shared her devastation while covering the story on Tuesday’s programme. Describing the news as “such a shock”, she said of Robin: “I fell in love with him and I fell in love with dancing. He was just so enthusiastic about dancing. I just adored him.
© Instagram“He was the most incredible personality. There’s something very special about him,” she added.
Former Strictly professional Erin Boag praised Robin as “a great friend to all” and an “amazing dancer” during an appearance on GMB on Tuesday.
Lisa Riley also shared her sadness over Robin’s death. Paying tribute to her former Strictly dance partner, the actress penned: “My Bestie, My Robin, My Angel…….now our forever Angel, who is loved, will always be loved, forever in my heart……my very broken heart, I love you, shine your beautiful, electric energy from heaven. SHINE IN PEACE.”
Robin’s mental health struggles
Robin was very open about his mental health struggles over the years and fell into a “dark depression” following his departure from Strictly.
While he struggled with “bouts of depression” when he was 19 years old, his mental health began to deteriorate when he faced financial difficulties during his time on Strictly.
“During my time on Strictly, four things happened to me that were quite bad,” he explained during an appearance on the Dr Max’s Mind Clinic podcast. “I had a bit of a financial situation with HMRC and I got a bill for £110,000. It took everything that I’d ever saved. It was my fault, and it was something that I hadn’t done. Thankfully I had the money but it was everything I ever had.
© @robinwindsor/Instagram“Then my engagement ended and I then started having trouble with my back and had to have surgery. Then I lost my job on Strictly. So all those four things in a short period time caused me to go from the highest point of my life to the lowest quite quickly,” he continued.
“The world just kept throwing things at me and eventually I couldn’t take it anymore. My bad days turned to dark days and then they turned to weeks and then it just went black,” he explained. “I just wasn’t getting out of bed.
“It’s funny, I always had a smile on my face, so people wouldn’t know.”
Robin went on to explain that after experiencing suicidal thoughts, he decided to seek help and began to work alongside a mental health charity called SANE. He became an ambassador for the organisation in 2018.
Robin’s relationships and engagement
Robin was in a relationship with X-Factor star Marcus Collins from 2013 to 2015. The pair first met backstage at ITV studios when they passed each other in a corridor. After Marcus saw Robin on the cover of Gay Times, he reached out via social media.
Speaking about their relationship at the time, Robin explained: “Marcus Tweeted me to say ‘You’re looking really good, well done’!
© Alan Davidson/Shutterstock“We’d first met at ITV studios a few years ago, when I passed Marcus in the corridor and asked for a photo because he was very handsome.”
Reacting to Robin’s death on social media, Marcus shared a black-and-white photo of the former couple alongside the caption: “The World just got a lot less sparkly. Robin, You were so loved.”
Robin’s romance with Marcus came after the end of his relationship with his partner Davide Cini. The pair got engaged in New York in 2013 and lived together in London. They went their separate ways shortly after.
