Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor was found dead in a London hotel, it emerged last night, as his friends detailed his brave battle against mental health struggles and thoughts of suicide.
The professional Latin and Ballroom dancer, 44, suffered a troubling incident over the New Year period, before embarking to perform on a luxurious cruise in South Africa.
And just days after he returned to London, the Daily Mail understands, he was found dead in a hotel.
While the cause of Robin's death has yet to be confirmed, his close friend and former Strictly co-star Kristina Rihanoff hinted that he may have taken his own life.
She wrote online: 'There are no words to express the pain.
'Robin wasn't just my dance partner, he was a friend and together we shared endless experiences from our career highlights to hitting rock bottom of rejection. Many of you, who went to see his farewell tour, know perfectly well that he spoke very openly about his mental health struggles and thoughts of suicide.
In a second post she showed her followers her and Robin's last rehearsal together in late November, adding: 'If I only knew it's the last ever dance... may you dance with the angels with no more pain my friend.'
Robin spent his final weeks bringing joy to others - even as he revealed he was 'hiding in the shadows' and hinted at 'trauma' in a series of haunting social media posts weeks before he passed away.
Dragons' Den star Deborah Meaden told fans about Robin and her mother's social meet up in a post on X in late January, writing: 'Don't you just love it!'
Meanwhile, a fan revealed how she came across Robin during a cha cha class, where he had agreed to dance with her because she did not have a partner. 'A gentleman - sending love to his friends and family,' she wrote in a heartfelt tribute on Instagram.
Despite this, Robin told his followers on January 14: 'Remember, when something goes wrong in the circus, they send in the clowns to distract the audience. Well, something has gone very wrong with this circus and the clowns are everywhere.'
It comes after Robin previously opened up about his struggles with depression on Strictly. In 2018, he revealed: 'We all have dark days but I was having dark weeks. I would end up not getting out of bed for four or fives days at a time, as far as everyone was concerned I was 'happy Robin' - except to the people I lived with.'
In another poignant interview with a mental health charity last year, he said: 'I was always seen as a happy person, always with a big smile on my face. Now I realise that those with the biggest smiles sometimes can hide the biggest pain.'
He also previously told how was left struggling to get out of bed after his relationship with his fiancé Davide Cine ended, he lost his job on Strictly and he had to pay a £100,000 tax bill - as his world came crashing down all at the same time.
Robin, who said he had battled with depression from the age of 19, would later get into a relationship with, X Factor star Marcus Collins - but their 18-month romance ended in 2015.
He said: 'I was still on Strictly at the time it started - it was really bad. A lot of things happened at the same time, quite bad things, which set it in motion. My injury, a financial situation, my engagement [to Davide] had ended and I lost my job on Strictly all at the same time so it took its toll.'
Robin also revealed how he struggled to watch Strictly after he was axed by bosses in 2014 following a 'horrible back operation'. He previously said: 'Leaving Strictly wasn't my choice. I had a horrible back operation and they decided that they didn't want to ask me back the next year.
'It was probably for health and safety reasons, in case something happened, but I was physically fit. One of my best friends Trent Whiddon, who replaced me to dance with Pixie Lott, I wanted to watch and support him, but it broke my heart.'
'I was with Marcus Collins from the X Factor, who was my partner at the time, and said to him, 'I'm really struggling to watch the show.'
'He told me the best thing to do was to really get behind and support everybody. He said it was hard for him to watch the success of Little Mix, who beat him on X Factor.'
Robin, who started dancing at the age of three, was best known for his appearances on Strictly between 2010 and 2015.
The 'extremely talented' dancer spent last month entertaining holidaymakers by performing on a Fred Olsen Cruise and posted smiling selfies when the boat docked in South Africa.
But he also hinted he was dealing with 'trauma' and thanked his friends and family for their support in a string of posts before his death.
He looked happy as he took pictures of elephants on safari and relaxed in a lodge overlooking the stunning Leopard Mountain game reserve. The dancer had also enjoyed a one-night stop in Mozambique and was seen relaxing on the beach and posing with a Lemur in Madagascar in the days prior.
But Robin's last post on Instagram, which was shared to his 46,000 followers on January 28, was a more muted selfie in the near-dark with the caption: 'Hiding in the shadows.'
Seven days earlier, the dancer had reposted a quote which said: 'Trauma teaches you to expect and accept the bare minimum. In this new season, may you adjust your standards and learn to receive the maximum. You are worthy. You are enough. You deserve overflow.'
And on January 4, he had shared a message with his friends and followers which said: 'Big shout out and love to everyone who's reached out and checked in the last week. Sorry I have not replied... it's been a bit of a trying time and things are looking up. Robin.'
Tributes have poured in underneath the star's tragic last selfie, with one fan writing: 'So shocked and saddened to hear the news. Have followed him for years since Strictly, an amazing talent. RIP.'
His mental health became so bad that he couldn't get out of bed and he admitted that he considered taking his own life until he was talked out of it. It was at this point he started seeking help - mostly from mental health charity Sane.
Another added: 'So sad & shocked. Just a couple of weeks ago I was dancing in his arms for 90mins as I didn't have a partner in a cha cha cha class. A gentleman. A gentle man. A magical day for me. Sending love to his friends and family RIP.'
A third posted: 'No longer in the shadows but in the light.' A fourth also said: 'This was not the news I wanted to wake up to this morning. Rip Robin.'
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