Strictly Come Dancing did not cover the cost of an operation on Robin Windsor’s back before informing him he would not be returning to the show, it has been disclosed. The dancer was discovered deceased in a London hotel at the age of 44 on Monday, although the cause of death has not yet been disclosed.
Robin was part of Strictly’s professional lineup from 2009 until 2013, and danced with celebrities including Patsy Kensit and Lisa Riley. However, he suffered a ‘slipped disc’ at an after-show party in Blackpool, where he fell heavily on a marble floor while ‘attempting some lifts,’ necessitating surgery.
A source revealed that despite being in excruciating pain due to the spinal injury, Robin did not receive any financial assistance for his operation from Strictly bosses. While it appears unlikely that the BBC was obligated to cover Robin’s operation costs, the substantial medical expenses would have compounded Robin’s troubles, especially as he was hit with a £100,000 tax bill just months later.
Robin eventually underwent surgery and endured months of painful injections, but producers then made the decision that they ‘could not bring him back.’ A source previously stated that Robin ‘never fully recovered’ from being dropped from Strictly, and he ‘clung to hope’ that he would be invited back one day.
Robin also opened up about his anguish on the My Time Capsule podcast in January 2022, saying: ‘It was the worst thing that’s ever happened to me… I adored being on Strictly Come Dancing. It was the best job in the world. I think I loved being on that show more than anyone else there.’ Reflecting on his dismissal, he remarked: ‘I received a phone call saying: ‘Thank you for all your hard work on the show. We won’t be needing you anymore.’ And that was all I got.’
‘It was more painful than anything else in the world. After all the effort I had put in, how much I loved it, what I had gone through with the injury… to be cast aside without any real gratitude or acknowledgment was heartbreaking. But, at the same time, that’s show business, isn’t it? Then I went into a downward spiral.’
Robin previously admitted to struggling to watch Strictly after being let go by producers, saying: ‘Leaving Strictly wasn’t my decision. I had a dreadful back operation and they decided they didn’t want to invite me back the following year.