1 week Ago By [email protected] (Niamh Kirk)
Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff's relationship is currently 'hanging by a thread' - but it's not the first time they've had to fight for their relationship. The couple got together after they were partnered up on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, with Ben deciding to leave his wife Abby Blayney for the Russian dancer. Ben and Abby had been married for 10 years and shared twin daughters, Harriette and Isabelle.
Rugby World Cup winner Ben and Kristina pursued their romance , and even welcomed their daughter Mila in 2016. Meanwhile, Abby was left heartbroken, placing the blame for her marriage breakdown firmly at the door of the dreaded "Strictly Curse". She told The Sun in 2015: "My husband, who I was with for 23 years, unconditionally loved and was completely loyal to in every respect, has left me for a f**king Russian dancer.
The last two years have been the most traumatic thing to ever happen to me. He's done the dirty on me. I want people to know.
" Abby then made a U-turn said Strictly could have done her a "favour in the long run". She told New magazine she regretted her rant about the pair, admitting: "At the time of the break-up, when hugely stressed, I once angrily referred to Ben's partner as a 'f***ing Russian dancer' to a journalist hassling me. I regret that now.
I'm happier in my own skin and I'm not that broken girl who used to be married to a famous rugby player." Abby previously revealed it had taken her five, painful years to get over the break-up of her marriage. She explained: "Once I began to accept that I couldn't change things, I started to feel better and the sun came out.
I think my biggest regret is spending all those years crying — I don't know how my body produced as many tears as it did." Ben and Kristina now face new challenges as they grapple with their debts. A court heard that the pair are "fighting not to lose their relationship and their home" due to their financial struggles.
The court appearance comes after Rihanoff, 46, was caught driving her £30,000 Audi Q3 without insurance in Northampton on April 4. During a hearing at Northampton Crown Court Ben, 45, said he had ignored a text message from his insurance company. Kristina was handed six points, but then faced a ban for racking up 12 points.
On Friday she went to court to appeal the conviction for driving without insurance, with Ben as her witness. Describing their troubles in court, the rugby player said: "We're still living together. We're in it financially.
" He added: "We're in business together so the problem is that we opened the business before Covid and we got the worst severities of it and in all honestly this is just another problem for me to deal with." "I've got credit cards that are overdrawn. I'm overdrawn in both accounts.
We have got a business debt because of Covid. It's just another problem." Kristina told the court she needed to drive to take her children to school as well as drive to be a judge at ballroom competitions, which she earns £2,000 a month doing.
Ben confirmed he was the one responsible for sourcing insurance for the pair's cars, and the court was told that he had been searching for cheaper insurance online at the end of February after being quoted £7,500 by Aviva. Do you have a story to share? Email niamh.kirk@reachplc.
com.
