Ipswich’s Robin Windsor admits being in Strictly Come Dancing’s studio audience made him realise the true pain of not being on the show – and said returning would be a “dream come true”,

Ipswich Star: Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor reached the semi-final of Strictly in 2012. Pictured in a Christmas special in 2014. Photo: Guy Levy/PA Wire.Lisa Riley and Robin Windsor reached the semi-final of Strictly in 2012. Pictured in a Christmas special in 2014. Photo: Guy Levy/PA Wire.

The 37-year-old was a professional dancer for five years but was forced to pull out of the 2014 series due to a back injury. He made a “miracle” recovery and is now performing eight times a week around the country in an acclaimed live dancing show, Keep Dancing, until next summer.

But he has never been called back up to Strictly, and in a message to BBC bosses, he said: “I still haven’t got a Glitterball yet and I am not going to give up until I’ve got one.

“Being there in the studio a couple of weeks ago, I found myself really missing the show, and if I ever had the opportunity, I would jump at the chance to do one more (series) as a professional dancer on the show.

“When you’re there and you see it – I actually missed it so much. I thought my time on the show was probably done, and I actually said to myself, if ever I could do one more, it would make my dream come true.

“I left with an injury and never got to come back and showcase what I could do.

“And it so strange going round the country doing the tour – everybody is like ‘we miss you on Strictly’. It has been a couple of years now and I still seem to have an awful lot of support behind me.”

He said he is now in better shape than ever before, adding: “I think having an injury like that, you do start to take care of your body an awful lot more. Surprisingly, I’m actually fitter now than I was before.”

Meanwhile, he described looking on in horror as Ed Balls, the former shadow chancellor who is proving to be a big hit with the public, almost dropped his partner Katya Jones during an American Smooth to Tony Christie’s Is This the way to Amarillo.

Robin said: “I was very fortunate to be in the audience when he attempted that TV gold moment with Katya, and to see it live – the shock and horror on Katya’s face is something that will live with me forever.

“I grabbed hold of my friend’s knee and just squeezed really tightly!

“I was expecting Ed Balls to be another joke contestant politician, but he is giving it a really good go and I’m really glad the public is getting behind him. I’m not surprised he’s still there, because as much as it is a dancing competition, it is also an entertainment show, and he is providing top-quality TV entertainment every single week. Everyone wants to make it to Blackpool and I think he has got a good shot.”

He also tipped Ore Oduba to lift the crown and said Anton du Beke and Karen Hardy would be good replacements for head judge Len Goodman, 72, who is stepping down this year.

Robin added: “It needs to be somebody with a strong character to make sure those two naughty boys (Craig Revel-Horwood and Bruno Tornielli) keep control of themselves.

“Len is irreplaceable. Len is Len and he has been there since the beginning. He is part of the Strictly furniture. He will never be replaced. He will always be part of the family.

“I think there are so many people who fit the role, and it has got to be somebody who is going to bring great dynamic to the other three judges. People who have been suggested – there is Anton (du Beke), there is Karen Hardy. I think either of those would be brilliant judges, although I’ve got a funny feeling they may bring in someone completely different, who has not been on the show before, to create a brand new dynamic.

“But I don’t think we need five. Four is a perfect number. With five, we would be there all night.”