Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley said her Strictly Come Dancing professional partner Robin Windsor’s “glow had gone” after he was dropped from the show, an inquest has heard.
Windsor was 44 when he was found dead in a hotel room in Shepherd’s Bush, west London, in February 2024.
Riley was Windsor’s dance partner in the penultimate series he appeared on in 2012.
After being paired with Windsor, Riley said they were “joined at the hip”.
“To say we hit it off was an understatement,” the actress said in a written witness statement read to West London Coroner’s Court on Wednesday.
“We were literally joined at the hip.
“I had only just lost my mum in the July. I, myself, was in a very difficult place.
“Robin was my rock.”
The Latin and ballroom dancer joined Strictly in 2010 and danced with actresses Patsy Kensit, Anita Dobson and Riley, and Dragon’s Den’s Deborah Meaden in four series until 2013.
He could not perform in the 2014 series because of a back injury and was dropped in 2015, but still appeared in the Christmas special that year, dancing alongside TV presenter Alison Hammond.
“It was from this moment, on to the time of his death, he kept slipping deeper and deeper into depression,” Riley said.
“His glow had gone.”
The actress recalled how she and Windsor had built up an “incredible trust” and remained friends.
“He literally told me everything,” she said.
“I trusted him and he trusted me.
“There were many, many happy times to begin with and together we did have so much fun.”
Riley said Windsor told her of times of “never feeling good enough” and “imposter syndrome”.
“Robin was and always has been very influenced by other men,” Riley said in her statement.
“It became a standing joke that he fell in love after three days.”
Riley said Windsor was insecure about his body and took steroids which, combined with alcohol, would put him in a bad place, jurors heard, and said he was “drowning in debts” and “frantically” spent on designer items he could not afford.
“Money problems also played a part of his darker days,” she said.
“He was drowning in debts which led to weekends I wouldn’t hear from him.”
She said her last contact with Windsor was around Christmas 2023, when they texted after Riley saw him share a “really dark” post on Facebook.
Jurors heard Riley said: “I of course text him straight away and he replied saying he was ‘fine, just usual ups and downs of life’.”
The inquest continues.
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