21 February 2024 , 09:18
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Robin Windsor looked happy and relaxed on a "dream" holiday just weeks before tragedy struck the Strictly Come Dancing star.
The death of the much-loved dancer, aged 44, sent shockwaves through the Strictly community when it was announced on Monday. Details surrounding the tragedy are yet to be confirmed, but it has been reported Robin was found dead in a London hotel room after suffering a "troubling incident" over the new year period.
Just four weeks earlier, the star shared a video of himself in South Africa where he had been working on a cruise ship. In a clip he posted on Instagram, Robin can be seen on safari, smiling, as he shakes his head in disbelief at the beauty of his surroundings.
He captioned the video in which he is driving in a jeep through the stunning terrain: “What a day! Such an incredible experience and I get to live it all again tomorrow - I’m not leaving until I’ve played with the big pussy cats!!”
Robin Windsor looked happy and relaxed on holiday just weeks before his tragic death (Instagram/ @robinwindsor)
He was in South Africa, where he had been working on a cruise ship (Instagram/ @robinwindsor)The star also shared a video of his luxury hotel suite, which featured a personalised welcome letter on a king size bed and a gorgeous terrace offering a fabulous view of the vista. Robin accompanied the video to the song My Head is a Jungle as his fans told him how wonderful the trip looked.
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In his final weeks, Robin lived life to the fullest as he shared snaps from his time in South Africa. Beneath one image of him, one of the star's fans revealed they’d been “dancing in his arms just a couple of weeks ago” as they shared their memories of the performer. At the end of January, the dancer's former Strictly partner, Deborah Meaden, also revealed Robin had met up with her elderly mother while they were both in South Africa.
However, three weeks before his death, Robin took to Instagram with a haunting final photo in which he spoke about “hiding” and “darkness”. The dancer could be seen standing against a black wall while wearing an all-black outfit in the image and wrote beneath his selfie: “Hiding in the shadows.”
Following the tragic news of his passing, the Strictly community paid tribute to the Surrey-born star. Strictly Come Dancing said: "The whole Strictly Come Dancing family are deeply saddened to hear the news about our dear friend Robin Windsor. He was not only an exceptionally talented dancer and choreographer but also a caring, considerate and kind person both on and off the dancefloor. Our thoughts are with his friends and family at this extremely difficult time."
Meanwhile, Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff, who was partnered with Robin on the show, spoke of the "pain and devastation" she felt following his passing. She also admitted he was "struggling more and more" in the lead-up to his death, citing "instability of work" and "excruciating back pain", which triggered his release from Strictly in 2014.