Robin Windsor ‘absolutely traumatised’ before tragic death says friend

21 February 2024 , 09:25

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Robin Windsor was reportedly found dead in a London hotel after allegedly sparking concern over the New Year period, it's claimed.

The former Strictly Come Dancing professional's death at the age of 44 was announced in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with tributes pouring in from fans and Robin's former co-stars throughout the day. No official details regarding his death have been announced yet.

Robin, known for his Latin and Ballroom skills, has been described as a "nurturing soul" who "lit up any room he walked into" in the wake of his death. A friend has claimed Robin had mentioned something seemingly traumatic happening over New Year but didn't reveal what it was.

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Robin Windsor shared this Instagram Story earlier this year before his shock death (Instagram/ @robinwindsor)

Speaking to the Daily Mail, the friend of the late star recalled: "He kept saying that something had happened over New Year but he wouldn't say what it was. He sounded absolutely traumatised – whatever had happened must have been truly awful." Before his death, Robin spent his final days working on a luxury cruise ship and exploring Africa.

Robin was reportedly found dead in a London hotel shortly after returning to the city. The cause of his death is still unknown. On January 4, Robin reached out to his followers, apologising for not replying to their messages due to a difficult time. Later, he shared a quote from Dr Thema Bryant about trauma, suggesting he had experienced some himself. Robin had previously shared about his struggle with depression and how he found it hard to watch Strictly after exiting the programme.

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Robin joined the Strictly Come Dancing family in 2010 and was paired with Patsy Kensit for his first stint on the BBC dance competition, but was forced to stop after four years because of an injury. Before exiting, he wowed fans thanks to his partnership with Emmerdale star Lisa Riley and they came fifth in 2012.

At the end of 2022, Robin talked about why he left Strictly and said it wasn't his choice. He remembered: "Leaving Strictly wasn't my choice. I had a horrible back operation and they decided that they didn't want to ask me back the next year. It was probably for health and safety reasons, in case something happened, but I was physically fit."

Tributes are still pouring in for the late Strictly star

"One of my best friends Trent Whiddon, who replaced me to dance with Pixie Lott, I wanted to watch and support him, but it broke my heart. I was with Marcus Collins from The X Factor, who was my partner at the time, and said to him, 'I'm really struggling to watch the show'," the dancer continued.

"He told me the best thing to do was to really get behind and support everybody. He said it was hard for him to watch the success of Little Mix, who beat him on X Factor. He was spot on!" Robin added: "From that day forward I made sure I supported everybody on the show. Being bitter about not being asked back was not going to help any situation. I learnt that was the right thing to do and I thank Marcus for that."

Burn The Floor broke the news of Robin's death on Facebook in the early hours of Tuesday morning, with the international Ballroom and Latin dance company telling fans: "The Burn the Floor family has lost one of its founding members, Robin 'Bobby' Windsor - who has tragically passed away.

"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." The dance company then returned to social media a few hours later, sharing another picture of Robin and stating: "Today we all dance for you. Burn The Floor would not be Burn The Floor without you. Fly with the angels Robin. Rest in Peace."

A post shared by Robin on Instagram prior to his passing (Instagram/ @robinwindsor)

An emotional Susanna Reid, who danced with Robin for a Children In Need special in 2011, struggled to announce the sad news to Good Morning Britain viewers in the wake of the statement from Burn The Floor. Former Strictly star Kristina Rihanoff sparked concern amongst fans with her tribute to Robin that hinted at the star's struggles before his death. She spoke of the "pain and devastation" she was feeling and claimed Robin had been "struggling more and more" in the last few months of his life due to an "unstable work schedule" and "excruciating back pain".

An extract of her lengthy Instagram tribute saw Kristina tell her followers that Robin battled poor mental health issue for many years and was open with fans and friends his struggles. She wrote: "Many of you, who went to see his farewell tour, know perfectly well that he spoke very openly about his mental health struggles and thoughts of a suicide. I’m sure it was devastating for anyone who love Robin to hear something like that, but those thoughts were in his head for quite many years and it’s so deeply sad that he felt that he is better to another place rather than stay here. Too much pain too much disappointment, too much Neglect."

Kristina went on to add: "I was asked today to appear on every news outlet, every TV show to pay tribute him to which I said no. Not today, not over zoom saying a couple of words what a great guy he was - the truth is he was an incredible person and it’s absolute tragedy that he felt there was no way out. Thank you for everything Robin, rest in peace."

*If you are struggling with mental health, you can speak to a trained advisor from Mind mental health charity on 0300 123 3393 or email [email protected]