Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor, who died a year ago, was openly gay, while his dance partners on the show, including Lisa Riley, were engaged in real life.
He was known in the dance and entertainment world as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community, advocating for inclusion and representation in dance.
Robin even performed in Strictly’s first same‑sex professional routine alongside fellow dancer Aljaž Škorjanec in 2014.
In addition to his partners in the show, Windsor had several relationships with men. He was publicly linked to dance professional Davide Cini, described as his best friend and former partner, who later helped launch an LGBTQ+ mental health directory in Robin’s honour.
He also had a relationship with Marcus Collins, a singer known from The X Factor, and the two appeared together on the cover of Gay Times in 2014.
What Happened to Robin Windsor?
Robin Windsor died on 19 February 2024 at the age of 44, after being found in a hotel room in Shepherd’s Bush, west London.
A later coroner’s inquest determined that he died by suicide, likely involving a combination of drugs and alcohol.
He left suicide notes expressing deep anguish, in one saying that being dropped from Strictly Come Dancing “destroyed” him and started him on a downward path.
Tragic Strictly star Robin Windsor’s suicide note detailed at inquest pic.twitter.com/sFhgQACIH6
— The Sun (@TheSun) February 11, 2026
The inquest heard that Windsor struggled with mental health issues, depression, loneliness, body image concerns and financial pressures in the years after leaving Strictly.
His close friend Lisa Riley described how he “lost his glow” and battled sadness and self‑doubt following being dropped from the show.
Leave a Comment