All of Robin Windsor’s celebrity dance partners on Strictly Come Dancing
Windsor starred on ‘Strictly’ from 2010 to 2013 and returned for various festive specials
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Your support makes all the difference.Former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Robin Windsor has died aged 44.
Windsor joined the BBC competition in 2010, and participated in four series up until 2013, in which he was partnered with seven celebrities in total.
He was later forced to leave the show after complications from a slipped disc. However, he eventually made a special return for what would become the show’s first-ever same-sex dance, which he performed alongside Aljaž Škorjanec in 2014.
Despite his injuries, he returned to the show on several occasions for Children in Need special and various festive episodes, with partners ranging from Alison Hammond to Susanna Reid.
Find out all of the celebrities who were partnered with Windsor during his time on Strictly, below.
Patsy Kensit, 2010
Windsor was partnered with Emmerdale and EastEnders star Patsy Kensit, who was briefly married to Oasis singer Liam Gallagher.
Windsor and Kensit appeared together in series eight and placed 7th, achieving an average score of 28 points. During their dance partnership, they performed several showstopping dances, including a salsa to Jamiroquai’s “Canned Heat”, a jive to “Monster Mash” and a samba to Barry Manilow’s “Copacabana”.
Windsor’s professional partner for cast performances was Kristina Rihanoff, and they both danced during musical performances from celebrities including Neil Diamond, Alice Cooper, Rod Stewart and Katherine Jenkins.
Anita Dobson, 2011
Windsor was paired with another EastEnders star for this second series on Strictly: Anita Dobson, who is best known for playing the character Angie Watts on the BBC soap in the Eighties.
The pair finished seventh place and had an average score of 30, with standout performances including a samba to Dexys Midnight Runners’ “Come on Eileen”, a cha cha cha to Billy Joel’s “Uptown Girl” and a jive to “You Can’t Stop the Beat” from Hairspray the Musical.
Susanna Reid, 2011
Windsor was partnered with the Good Morning Britain presenter Susanna Reid for the Children in Need special in 2011 when BBC newsreaders performed a group cha cha cha to Katy Perry’s “Firework”.
Reid broke down in tears while discussing Windsor’s death live on air on Tuesday’s episode of the ITV daytime show (20 February).
In a tribute, she said: “He was a very special dancer - very sensual, wonderfully exuberant, endlessly enthusiastic, full of strength and creativity and sparkle. He made me fall in love with dancing.”
“Robin was larger than life and I fell in love with him and fell in love with dancing when I danced with him back then,” she explained.
“He was an absolutely remarkable dancer – incredibly strong, so creative. He’s just so enthusiastic about dancing. I just adored him. He was the most incredible personality and as soon as I danced with him, there was something very special about him.”
She continued: “I fell in love with Robin, I fell in love with Strictly – he ignited that passion, as he would have done with every single one of his celebrity partners, all of whom will be feeling devastated, as will his professional partners. It’s devastating news this morning.”
Lisa Riley, 2012
Windsor was welcomed back to the series for the third time when he was paired with Emmerdale actor and presenter Lisa Riley. It was in this partnership that Windsor enjoyed his most successful series of Strictly to date – he reached the semi-final, and the pair eventually placed fifth place.
Fan-favourite performances included a samba to Rose Royce’s “Car Wash”, an American smooth to “All That Jazz” from Chicago the Musical and a foxtrot to “This Will Be (An Everlasting Love)”.
Following Windsor’s death, Riley posted on X/Twitter calling the dancer “My Bestie, My Robin, My Angel…. Now our forever angel”.
“[He] who is loved, will always be loved, forever in my heart……my very broken heart, I love you, shine your beautiful, electric energy from heaven,” she wrote, adding: “SHINE IN PEACE.”
Deborah Meaden, 2013
Windsor returned to the 11th series of the dancing show when he was partnered with entrepreneur and businesswoman Deborah Meaden, who is a judge on Dragons’ Den. The pair were eliminated in week five, but went on to compete in the Strictly live tour.
Together, they performed a cha cha cha to Otis Reading’s “Respect”, a Viennese Waltz to “It’s a Man’s World” and a quickstep to Jackie Wilson’s “(Your Love Keeps Lifting Me) Higher and Higher”.
Sara Cox, 2013
For the 2013 Christmas Special, Windsor was partnered with BBC Radio DJ Sara Cox. They won 33 points for their waltz to a rendition of the festive carol “Silent Night”.
Alison Hammond, 2015
Windsor returned to Strictly for the Series 12 Christmas Special and was paired with This Morning presenter Alison Hammond. Together, they performed a cha cha cha to “Celebration” by Kool and the Gang, scoring a commendable 31 points.
This partnership was Windsor’s last on the dancing show, but he and his professional partner Rihanoff appeared on several runs of the Strictly live show. Windsor and Rihanoff went on to star in the West End ballroom show Burn the Floor, and danced with the company across 20 years.
Most recently, Windsor appeared on stage for the Moulin Rouge touring tribute show Come What May.
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