Strictly Come Dancing pays tribute to Robin Windsor and Dave Myers in launch show

Strictly Come Dancing returned for its 22nd series on Saturday (September 14) and included a tribute to two of its former stars: Dave Myers and Robin Windsor.

At the end of the launch show, the screen faded to black and featured the official Strictly portraits of Myers and Windsor along with a touching message which read: “In Loving Memory of Dave Myers, 1957 – 2024, and Robin Windsor, 1979 – 2024.”

Windsor was a former professional dancer on the show and Myers appeared as a contestant in 2013, dancing with Karen Hauer.

Myers, who was best known as one-half of the TV cooking duo known as The Hairy Bikers, died at the age of 66 after a protracted battle with cancer.

His death was announced by fellow Hairy Biker Si King on X in February, with King saying that Myers was his “best friend” and thanking fans for their messages of kindness and support.

Windsor was a latin and ballroom dancer and performed on Strictly from 2010 through to 2013. During his time on the show, he partnered with Eastenders actress Anita Dobson, Dragons’ Den panellist Deborah Meaden, and Emmerdale actresses Lisa Riley and Patsy Kensit.

His death was announced in February by Burn The Floor, a dance company Windsor himself founded alongside Strictly professional Kristina Rihanoff.

The 44-year-old was found dead in a London hotel room, though the exact cause of his death remains unknown. Following his death, many people close to him said that he struggled with his mental health and thoughts of suicide in the past.

At the time, Rihanoff wrote: “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.

“I’m sure it was devastating for anyone who loves Robin to hear that, but those thoughts were in his head for many years… Too much pain, too much disappointment, too much neglect,” she said.

The dancer previously spoke out about how he didn’t always “feel comfortable” being gay and even “thought it was wrong”.

For a while, he felt as if he was “living two different lives” as he was proudly out to his friends in London and people in the dance world but not with his family as he feared their rejection.

He said: “I had my dance life and my life in London and my family life back in Ipswich, which were two completely different things.”