The ex-partner of former Strictly star Robin Windsor who took his own life in 2024, has shared their dog’s heartbreaking reaction to his death.
Davide Cini, 45, was previously engaged to Robin, who died at the age of 44, but they split before getting married.
Speaking on This Morning with Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary, Davide spoke about how they remained close and shared a dog together.
He explained: ‘You have to understand this happened when we called off our engagement but we stayed friends.
‘We have a dog together, Lukaz, he’s 13. He still barks when he hears the doorbell ring because he thinks it’s Robin which breaks my heart every time.’
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Davide discussed candidly how the press attention became too much after their engagement, prompting him to take a step back and rethink their relationship: ‘This was 2012 when gay marriage was made legal and I felt it was too much. I was like: “I’m happy to be behind the scenes guy”.’
Despite their split, the pair lived together on and off for six to seven years, including during lockdown.
Recalling Robin’s kindness, Davide said: ‘If anyone was struggling, he would be the first to show up. I did a cruise, I really wasn’t feeling well, and a bunch of flowers appeared just to cheer me up.’
He also described the ex-Strictly professional’s struggles with his own mental health.
From 2010 until 2014 Robin danced with celebrities on the show, including with Lisa Riley, who he developed a strong connection with.
When an injury occurred in 2014 he was forced to leave the show, and Davide said: ‘Until after he was no longer on the show, I had never seen Robin struggling with depression.’
Talking about his own personal challenges, Davide explained: ‘I had struggled in the past, and he knew about it but he couldn’t understand until later on in life when he started having these struggles himself.’
He then spoke about Robin’s decline over the years, and wanted to stress that Robin was ‘a gay man in his forties who, like many of us, struggle in our community.’
A note that Robin wrote before his death read: ‘This all actually really started when I lost my place on Strictly and I 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.’
Jurors at West London Coroner’s Court said about his death: ‘Robin Jamie Windsor suffered from childhood trauma, he was vulnerable to rejection both emotionally and professionally.’
‘We also agree that loneliness, the lack of emotional maturity, the pressure of mounting debts, the lack of consistent mental health care and support and reoccurring heartache are all contributing factors of Robin Jamie Windsor’s mental health deterioration which in turn led him to take his own life.’
A BBC spokesperson previously said to Metro: ‘Our sympathies are with Robin’s family, friends, and all who knew him. The whole of the Strictly Come Dancing family remain deeply saddened by his passing. Robin was a much loved member of the team – both on and off air – during his time on the show.
‘As the inquest has heard this week and the jury concluded, several complex factors contributed to how Robin felt at the time of his tragic death and our thoughts remain with all who knew and loved Robin.’
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