Michael Robbins was born in Croydon in Greater London to Percival W. Robbins (1899–1956) and Bertha May née Sindall (1900–1997) who outlived him. From 1939 to 1944 Robbins was a pupil at St Michael’s College, a Catholic school for boys, in Hitchin, Hertfordshire. He then went on to work as a bank clerk and later became an actor after appearing in amateur dramatic performances also in Hitchin, where he and his family lived at the time. He took part in the 1951 Hitchin Pageant dressed as a gladiator.

Robbins was an indefatigable worker for charity. He was active in the Grand Order of Water Rats (being elected ‘Rat of the Year’ in 1978) and the Catholic Stage Guild, and received the Pro Ecclesia et Pontiface Medal, a papal award from the Pope, for his services in 1987. In one of his last television appearances, in A Little Bit of Heaven Robbins recalled his childhood visits to Norfolk and spoke of his faith and love of the Shrine of Our Lady at Walsingham.

He also appeared as a councillor in EastEnders in June 1989.

Robbins was married to actress Hal Dyer (1935-2011), from 1960 until his death from prostate cancer in 1992 aged 62. Dyer died in 2011 from a brain hemorrhage.