Dancer Robin Windsor depressed after leaving Strictly, actress tells inquest

""It was from this moment, on to the time of his death, he kept slipping deeper and deeper into endless depression. His glow had gone," said Riley in a written witness statement that was read to West London Coroner's Court on Wednesday. Money and relationship problems played big parts in his "darker days", Riley said. The Emmerdale star recalled how the pair shared "many, many happy times to begin with and together we did have so much fun"."

""To say we hit it off was an understatement. We were literally joined at the hip," she said. The actress added that she and Windsor built up an "incredible trust" and remained friends. "He literally told me everything," she said. "I trusted him and he trusted me." Riley said Windsor told her of times of "never feeling good enough" and "imposter syndrome", and that he was insecure about his body and took steroids which, combined with alcohol, would put him in a bad place."

Robin Windsor, a Strictly Come Dancing professional from 2010 to 2013 who appeared in the 2014 and 2015 Christmas specials, died aged 44 in February 2024. He missed the 2014 main series with a back injury and was dropped for the 2015 series. Lisa Riley described him slipping "deeper and deeper into endless depression" after his departure, citing money and relationship problems as significant factors. Riley said they built an "incredible trust" and that Windsor experienced "never feeling good enough" and "imposter syndrome," and that steroid use combined with alcohol worsened his condition. An ex-boyfriend, Marcus Collins, said Windsor "deteriorated" in 2014 and that being informed he was no longer required for Strictly "really broke his spirit."

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