Former Strictly Come Dancing star Lisa Riley has revealed the pain she’s enduring after the death of Robin Windsor.
The 47-year-old Emmerdale actress, who was partnered with the late dancer on the BBC show in 2012, has opened up about his shock death in February and admitted there are times she finds her day job so difficult.
Windsor was found dead in a London hotel at the aged of 44 earlier this year, while no cause of death has been revealed.
Recalling her heartbreak losing Windsor over a decade after her mother died from breast cancer in July 2012, Lisa admitted it was a devastating blow.
She told the Mirror: ‘So to then lose my best friend as well… It was like, “Why does God take the best?” ‘
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And the soap star, who has been a fixture on Emmerdale for almost 30 years, admitted being on set has been difficult over the last few months.
She said: ‘He was such a big part of my life. There have been days when I didn’t want to go in front of the camera. I had to paint Mandy Dingle on… put the wig and lashes on and go out there. But it’s so painful.’
Lisa presented the Posthumous Award at the British LGBT Awards to his family in his behalf over the weekend.
As reported by the BBC, she said: ‘I wish he was here, he should be on my arm covered in sparkles and having a ball, but the energy he had is imprinted on my heart. He would be shining down and laughing at us.
‘His vibrancy, energy and zest for life was out there for everyone to see. He wasn’t a hidden gay man, he was a proud, proud gay man.’
Following Windsor’s death, a statement from his family thanked ‘everyone for the outpouring of love’, but asked for ‘constant’ speculation over his death to stop.
They said: ‘We would like to thank everyone for the outpouring of love and celebration of our beloved Robin.
‘While we understand that there is a huge public and media interest around his passing, we as a family need time to process our shock and grief.
‘We ask for the needs of our family and friends to be taken into consideration and for our privacy to be respected at this difficult time.
‘We would ask that the constant media speculation stop. As we have further information we will share a statement in due course.’
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