An inquest into their death has begun.

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Robin Windsor left a damning suicide note slamming the BBC, saying the way he was treated by the corporation “destroyed” him. The tragic dancer was found dead, face down on his hotel bed, at the age of 44 in February 2024. A jury inquest into his death, which opened at West London coroner’s court on Monday February 9, 2026, heard two letters were found near his body by PC Emily Hampson.

Strictly axe destroyed me, tragic BBC show star Robin Windsor said in suicide note as inquest held into 'overdose' death

It heard the first was addressed to a friend and was disparaging about the treatment he had received from the long-running Saturday night entertainment show. “This all really started when I lost my job on Strictly and have been fighting it ever since. The way they treated me destroyed me…It started me on the road I’m still on. All I wanted from life was to be happy. I loved my job more than anyone else.” He continued saying, “the heartache, the loneliness, the constant sadness”, had all got “too much

“I just live permanently in a dark place. I just can’t live like this anymore. It’s just too painful,” he wrote.

“I had a good run, I’ve done some incredible things in my 44 years and had an unreal life doing what I loved, but all things must come to an end and my curtain has come down for the final time.”

The second note was addressed to his ex, actor Ollie Augustin, and in it Robin told him: “I need you to understand that this is not your fault!”

Robin first joined Strictly in 2010. However, he suffered a devastating back injury in late 2013, which required surgery to remove a disc, forcing him to withdraw from the 2014 show. He was replaced by Trent Whiddon, but made an appearance in week nine on 23 November 2014. He also appeared in the 2015 Christmas special.

Strictly Come Dancing Kristina Rihanoff and Robin Windsor pose at the show launch
Kristina Rihanoff spoke at friend and Strictly colleague Robin Windsor’s inquest (Image: Getty)

His former colleague and fellow pro dancer Kristina Rihanoff, 48, spoke at the inquest and burst into tears as she recalled how Robin “changed significantly” following his injury.

She also slammed the show as a “very lonely space with not much support”. She told the hearing she was “extremely upset” after learning he had not been asked back for the 2014 series and said “the psychological impact was very severe” because he “couldn’t do what he loved” due to his back pain.

During his time on the BBC One show, Robin was also partnered with Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden, actress Anita Dobson, actress Lisa Riley and model Patsy Kensit.

Express.co.uk has contacted the BBC for comment.