Robin Windsor described ‘constant sadness’ after Strictly axe in suicide note

An inquest into the death of former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor has heard that the dancer described feeling a “constant sadness” after being axed from the BBC series.

Proceedings opened this week, two years after Windsor died aged 44 in 2024. The hearing was told that he was found dead in his hotel room at the Hoxton in west London, after a receptionist raised the alarm. Police and paramedics later attended the scene.

PC Emily Hampson said two notes were discovered close to Windsor. One was addressed to his former partner, Ollie Augustin, and stated that the decision to end his life was not Augustin’s fault. The second note referenced Windsor’s departure from Strictly Come Dancing, which he linked to a decline in his mental health.

“This all really started when I lost my job on Strictly and have been fighting it ever since” – Robin Windsor in a suicide note

In the note, Windsor wrote: “This all really started when I lost my job on Strictly and have been fighting it ever since. The way they treated me destroyed me…It started me on the road I’m still on. All I wanted from life was to be happy. I loved my job more than anyone else.”

He also wrote that the “heartache, the loneliness, the constant sadness” had become “too much”.

Windsor appeared on the BBC dance competition between 2010 and 2013, partnering celebrities including Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson, Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden. The inquest heard that a back injury required surgery, preventing him from taking part in the 2014 series. Producers later decided not to bring him back for 2015.

“The day he was informed he was no longer required really broke his spirit” – Marcus Collins, Windsor’s former boyfriend

Professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff, giving evidence, said the “psychological impact” of leaving the show was “very severe”, adding that he struggled because he “couldn’t do what he loved” while dealing with ongoing back pain.

Former executive producer Louise Rainbow told the hearing that Windsor was one of three dancers not retained ahead of the 2015 series. She said he was “very disappointed” but his response “wasn’t that different” from others affected, and she described him as a “joy to work with”. Windsor later appeared on the Christmas special and spin-off programme It Takes Two.

Marcus Collins, Windsor’s former boyfriend, said in a written statement that “The day he was informed he was no longer required really broke his spirit.” Windsor’s aunt, Alison Windsor, told the court he was “absolutely devastated”, adding: “He lived for dancing, breathed it, slept it. That was his vocation in life.”

A post-mortem concluded Windsor’s death was likely caused by an overdose involving drugs and alcohol. The inquest continues, with further evidence still to be heard.

“Robin was loved and adored by many, but I could see him slowly giving up in recent years” – Windsor’s ex-partner Davide Cini speaking to Attitude in 2024

Speaking to Attitude in 2024, Windsor’s ex-partner Davide Cini reflected on his passing.

“Robin was loved and adored by many, but I could see him slowly giving up in recent years,” Davide shared. “Despite our best efforts to show him our love and be there for him, he still felt lonely and that something fundamental to fulfil his need for happiness was missing. He just couldn’t see himself the way we saw him. [He was] chasing an insatiable need to be loved and admired — or perhaps simply accepted.”

Attitude has contacted the BBC for comment.

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