Windsor on ‘Strictly’ exit: ‘I could have ended up in wheelchair’

Robin Windsor has further explained his decision to pull out of the upcoming series of Strictly Come Dancing.

Citing a “pre-existing back injury”, the 34-year-old professional dancer withdrew from the competition yesterday (August 6), and will be replaced in the show’s 12th run by Australian dancer Trent Whiddon.

Windsor has now revealed that going ahead with Strictly this year could have caused him life-altering damage.

“I have a slipped disc in my back and the nerve is exposed, causing agonising pains shooting down my leg,” he told The Sun. “A week ago I was paralysed on the floor of my friend’s house as the pain was so bad. I was there for three or four days.”

He continued: “I couldn’t risk going ahead. It was a heartbreaking decision but I had no choice. If the slipped disc had popped out while I was dancing, I could have ended up with permanent nerve damage and been in a wheelchair.”

Despite ruling himself out of the current series, Windsor vowed to return to the show in the future, explaining: “I have to come back because I haven’t won the glitterball trophy yet”.

Strictly Come Dancing is expected to return to BBC One in September.

Meanwhile, Windsor recently called on the show’s bosses to allow the first same-sex couple to compete on Strictly – read more here.