He was a human Glitterball: Strictly stars celebrate Robin Windsor’s life

The stars of Strictly Come Dancing have celebrated the life of late professional dancer Robin Windsor with a show which saw judge Anton Du Beke describe him as “a human Glitterball”.

Robin Windsor: The Final Act was hosted by Du Beke and Emmerdale actor Lisa Riley, who was Windsor’s celebrity partner on the show in 2012, and saw performances from Strictly professional dancers Lauren Oakley, Kai Widdrington and Aljaz Skorjanec.

Windsor died earlier this year at the age of 44. His cause of death has not been given.

Introducing Sunday night’s show at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Du Beke compared Windsor to the shimmering Strictly trophy, with Riley adding she hoped the dancer would “shine down on us all and keep shining in heaven”.

Skorjanec danced to A-Ha’s Take On Me with his wife Janette Manrara, who presents the BBC dancing show’s sister programme It Takes Two, while Beverley Knight sang as dancer Robbie Kmetoni performed behind her.

The night was organised by dancers Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis with the permission of Windsor’s family, with all profits going to mental health charity Sane, which Windsor worked with as an ambassador while appearing on the BBC One show between 2010 and 2013.

There were also appearances from former Strictly contestant Deborah Meaden, who was partnered with Windsor in 2013, and former news reader Angela Rippon, who danced with Widdrington, as she did on the 2023 edition of the show.

Rippon, now 80, became the oldest contestant in the show’s history in series 21 at the age of 79.

Actor Layton Williams was also reunited with professional dancer Nikita Kuzmin, who he performed with in the same series, when the pair achieved a perfect score during Musicals Week.

Other stars to appear in the show included singer and actor Marisha Wallace, professional dancers Joanne Clifton and Vincent Simone, and singer Lance Ellington.

The show closed with a video montage of Windsor’s life, from his childhood to becoming a Strictly dancer.

Riley said afterwards: “The important message is to keep talking and look out for your friends.”

Du Beke added: “Fellas don’t talk and tend to keep it to themselves. Get it out lads, speak to Sane.”

During his time on Strictly, Ipswich-born Windsor was partnered with Patsy Kensit and Anita Dobson as well as Riley, and won the 2011 Children In Need special with presenter Susanna Reid.

He was also partnered with Alison Hammond and Sara Cox on Strictly Christmas specials and is the only person to have featured on Broadway, the West End and Strictly Come Dancing in the same year.

A number of professional dancers paid tribute to Windsor during the Legends of The Dance Floor tour, which took place across England and Scotland in October with dancers Brendan Cole, James Jordan, Kovalev and Ian Waite.

Sane provides support, information and education to people affected by mental health conditions.