Strictly pro Robin Windsor was the show's gentle giant, who paved the way for same-sex dancing
He was the gentle giant of the ballroom. A dream dance partner who instilled a lasting passion for the art form among his charges. Fans have been rocked by the heartbreaking news that former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor has died at the age of 44.
Joining in series eight, Windsor was part of the last wave of homegrown pros on the blockbuster BBC hit. Nowadays they hail from all corners of the globe and Britons are a relative rarity in the Elstree Studios ballroom (last year’s contest had only two British professionals). Back in Windsor’s era - he was a Strictly pro between 2010 and 2015 - he danced alongside Anton Du Beke, Ian Waite, James Jordan and Kevin Clifton, all flying the flag for UK dance.
Windsor was a physical contradiction - a strapping specimen with a bodybuilder’s physique and close-cropped hair who surprised people with his twinkle-toes and debonair style. Beneath his forbidding exterior, “Bobby” was a true romantic and all-round softie. He adored the Golden Age of Hollywood, the dancing of Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly, and the music of George Gershwin, Irving Berlin and Cole Porter.
When he joined Strictly in 2010, Windsor soon gained a reputation as a great teacher: kind, gracious and encouraging, with a vibrant presence and wicked sense of humour. He remains much-loved by all his partners – Alison Hammond, who partnered Windsor in the 2015 Christmas Special, described herself this morning as “completely heartbroken – he was one of the nicest people to work with”. There was never a whiff of showmances or bust-ups with this consummate professional. He was much stronger than the other male pros, enabling a wider range of partners to be lifted.
His most memorable partnership was alongside Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley, who initially described herself as “fat and funky”. The pair formed a fast friendship and proceeded to take the competition by storm. Under Windsor’s expert tutelage, Riley blossomed into a firecracker dancer, dropping four dress-sizes in the process. They were firm viewer favourites whose high-energy routines took them all the way to the semi-finals. Riley has since forged a career in West End musicals, for which Windsor can take much credit.
It’s testament to Windsor’s enthusiasm and creativity that he instilled an enduring love of dance among his celebrity charges. His final partner on the show, businesswoman and Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, was arguably eliminated too soon. However, Meaden still dances to this day, practising for two hours per week with her husband Paul. Only last month, Windsor met up with Meaden’s 87-year-old mother in South Africa.
Windsor’s safe pair of hands tended to be paired with older or less promising female celebrities because producers knew he would work wonders with them. He also partnered actresses Patsy Kensit (their Viennese waltz was a romantic highlight) and Anita Dobson (nicknamed “Team Dobbin”, they wowed with a sizzling Argentine tango).
Windsor was an old-fashioned ballroom boy who took up dancing aged just three, when his parents enrolled him at his local dance school in Ipswich. Over the subsequent two decades, he rose to the highest levels. Equally adept at Latin styles, he represented England in the World Championships and won titles at juvenile, junior and senior levels.
He was among the founding cast of West End and Broadway production Burn the Floor, without which there would likely be no Strictly. He also appeared on similar television dance competitions in Australia, South Africa and Netherlands. Windsor later formed a professional partnership with two-time Strictly finalist Kristina Rihanoff.
Windsor withdrew from the 2014 UK series when a slipped disc required back surgery and he was replaced in the pro troupe. He did later appear in the ensemble and two Christmas specials but never returned to the main line-up. However, he remained a much-loved member of the Strictly family. His guest appearances on spin-off show Strictly: It Takes Two were always entertaining.
Off-screen, Windsor was a quiet campaigner and trailblazer. He was the first gay dancer on the show to openly talk about his sexuality, lobbying for the same-sex routines which are now part and parcel of the increasingly inclusive series – indeed, Windsor partnered Aljaž ?korjanec for the show’s first ever same-sex routine in 2014. A decade ago, he was teaching same-sex ballroom to members of the public. He campaigned against domestic violence, raised awareness of male cancer and was an advocate for mental health charities.
Strictly fans have mourned losses before - host Bruce Forsyth and head judge Len Goodman – but Windsor is the show’s first professional dancer to die and the tributes have contained as much shock as love. As his ex-boyfriend, the X Factor star Marcus Collins, has said in tribute: “The world just got a lot less sparkly.”
