The family of Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor have expressed their “profound sadness” after an inquest jury concluded he took his own life. The 44-year-old dancer was found dead in a hotel room in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, in February 2024.
Jurors found that Windsor was “vulnerable to rejection both emotionally and professionally”, which was among the “contributing factors” leading to his death. The inquest at west London coroner’s court heard a statement from actress Lisa Riley, who said Windsor’s “glow had gone” after he was dropped from the professional dancers’ lineup in 2015.
Windsor joined the BBC programme in 2010 and danced with celebrities including Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson, and Deborah Meaden across four series until 2013. He missed the 2014 series due to a back injury and was not retained for 2015, though he appeared in that year’s Christmas special.
In a statement on Windsor’s X account, his family said: “The coroner has now concluded the investigation into the cause of Robin’s death. It is with profound sadness that we acknowledge that Robin took his own life. As a family, together with Robin’s close friends, we can now begin to move forward and attempt, over time, to rebuild our lives.”
The coroner, Dr Anton van Dellen, addressed the family, saying: “I hope you can think of the happy times he brought to the public and the deep affection the public held him in.” A BBC spokesperson added: “Our sympathies are with Robin’s family, friends and all who knew him. The whole of the Strictly Come Dancing family remain deeply saddened by his passing.”
Windsor, from Ipswich, had been an ambassador for mental health charity Sane. His family urged those struggling with mental health to seek support, highlighting organisations including Sane and You Are Loved, which provides mental health support for LGBT+ people.
