Former Strictly Come Dancing professional Robin Windsor has shared his heartbreak over leaving the show, which he says nearly cost him his ‘privacy’ and ‘freedom’.
Robin, who danced on the show for three seasons before leaving in 2012, opened up about his experience after he was partnered with celebs like Anita Dobson, Patsy Kensit, Lisa Riley and Deborah Meaden during his time on the dance floor.
In the interview, Robin spills the beans on life after the BBC One show, why he found it hard to watch after he left, and if he’d ever return to the dance floor.
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The star also gives a glimpse into the ‘immense pressure’ the cast face and how his life changed while on the series as he told Betway: “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.
“He was spot on! From that day forward I made sure I supported everybody on the show. Being bitter about not being asked back was not going to help any situation. I learnt that was the right thing to do and I thank Marcus for that.”
Robin also opened up about what it was like being on the show, saying: “I think having a public profile was hard. I wasn’t prepared to lose the life I had. I had to change my life to fit around that. I lost that feeling of freedom a little bit. Especially when I danced with Lisa Riley, just going out to dinner somewhere and people were whispering about you.
“It used to drive me crazy. It started to make me paranoid that they were saying bad things. When they were doing it they were obviously only saying, ‘That’s the guy from Strictly,’ but it used to make me feel so awkward. That would happen at the theater or dinner. I almost lost my privacy.”
The former professional also shared how much he would like to come back to the dancing series, but said that the show bosses haven’t expressed interest in having him back.
“I absolutely would love to return. It’s the happiest place on earth – it’s like Disneyland! I was at my happiest while I was on the show. I have mentioned going back, but it’s not been right for them, which I completely understand. I’m 43 now and I consider myself a bit old to be on the show.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
