Strictly stars unite for emotional celebration honouring late Robin Windsor-Danni Scott-Entertainment – Metro

Strictly stars reunited to pay tribute to the late Robin Windsor (Picture: ITV)

Strictly Come Dancing contestants and pro dancers gave an emotional send-off as they celebrated the life of late star Robin Windsor.

Professional dancer Windsor was found dead in a London hotel at the age of 44 in February, with no cause of death revealed.

He starred in the beloved competition between 2010 and 2013, returning to dance with Alison Hammond and Sara Cox on Strictly Christmas specials.

After the Strictly elimination results, the BBC aired Robin Windsor: The Final Act which saw numerous former stars pay tribute to the dancer.

Judge Anton Du Beke hosted with Emmerdale’s Lisa Riley, who was his celebrity partner in 2012, and called Windsor ‘a human Glitterball’.

Riley added she hoped the dancer would ‘shine down on us all and keep shining in heaven’.

Windsor died earlier this year aged 44 (Picture: Robin Windsor/INSTAGRAM)

Deborah Meadon, who danced with him in 2013, also appeared on the tribute show at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Pro dancers Lauren Oakley, Kai Widdrington, and Aljaz Skorjanec also joined in with a performance from Skorjanec to A-Ha’s Take On Me with his wife Janette Manrara, who presents It Takes Two.

Oakley had stepped in for Amy Dowden on last week’s show and danced with JLS star JB Gill, scoring the joint-highest result of the series so far.

Beverley Knight, who appeared in season 21, also sang live as Robbie Kmetoni danced behind her.

Angela Rippon, the oldest contestant in Strictly’s history, returned to dance with Widdrington as she did on the 2023 series.

Pro dancers and former contestants performed in tribute (Picture: Instagram/Jowita Przystal)

Proceeds from the show were donated to Sane (Picture: Instagram)

Various stars returned for the tribute, including Marisha Wallace, Joanne Clifton, Vincent Simone, Layton Williams, and singer Lance Ellington.

Nikita Kuzmin, who was eliminated in this week’s results show with former Olympic hockey player Sam Quek, also danced with former partner Williams.

Windsor’s family had given permission to Pasha Kovalev and Anya Garnis to organise the tribute, which saw all profits donated to Sane — a mental health charity.

The late star had worked as an ambassador for the charity during his time on Strictly.

After an emotional outpouring, the show wrapped with a montage of Windsor’s life from childhood to Strictly stardom.

‘Keep talking and look out for your friends’ (Picture: Instagram)

‘The important message is to keep talking and look out for your friends,’ said Riley after the montage.

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.

Windsor is the only person to have featured on Broadway, the West End and Strictly Come Dancing in the same year.

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

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