FORMER Strictly star Ben Cohen’s ex-wife Abby has spoken about his split from pro dancer Kristina Rihanoff saying: “What goes around comes around.”
Photographer Abby Cohen was left heartbroken when the Curse of Strictly struck and Ben left her for Kristina after his 2013 stint on the show.
Abby Cohen hopes she can now get some closure after the hurt she suffered[/caption]
Photographer Abby was left heartbroken when Ben left her[/caption]
Abby, 47, said: “How they met is not, in my opinion, a solid enough foundation because it was all about lust and was a physical thing. It wasn’t an organic way to meet.’’
At the time of the split, Abby said she was furious Ben had left her for “a f***ing Russian dancer”.
But now she has said: “I’m sad that their relationship has ended. I do feel sorry for him.
“Our marriage broke down and now it’s happening all over again to him.
“He’s got another child and he’s got to start again from nothing in his late 40s, from being so successful as a rugby player to now reading of his business failures.
“I’m hoping this will bring some closure now. It reminds me of all the hurt I went through back then, my break-up. What goes around comes around.”
Abby is still unable to watch Strictly Come Dancing and thinks her experience with Ben gave her post-traumatic stress disorder.
She said: “I’d never watched Strictly before, I’ve never watched it since. It was a big part of my sadness.
“When I hear the music, it gives me PTSD. It seems to be the curse show, they might as well change the name of it.
“It’s not about dancing any more. It’s about who’s gonna go off with who this year.
“And I just think that’s really sad as the people involved have allowed it to become that way.
“It’s about the gossip, and the end of my marriage was a result of that. I’m amazed people still find it interesting.
“If I do see that someone on the show has been having an affair, it just makes me feel really sad, because behind it is someone who is hurt like me. I was broken.
“I don’t get angry any more because there’s no point. I don’t have much memory of the time because it was so traumatic.
“I was in a mess. I didn’t want to be here any more. I was really poorly. I sought help and support. I was really sad for a long time.”
Abby was first flung into the spotlight in 2013 when Rugby World Cup winner Ben, now 46, was partnered with Kristina, 47, on Strictly Come Dancing.
Ben and Abby had been married since 2002 and had twin daughters in 2008. But Ben eventually left her for his Russian pro partner.
Kristina and Ben had a child themselves in 2016 and got engaged three years ago. But Abby was not surprised to hear that the relationship had broken down.
She said: “I think a successful relationship is always built on a strong foundation, and maybe because of the nature of how it began, theirs wasn’t.
“I just feel for him because it affects my girls, you know, that they’re having to go through another split.
“They’ve already done it once. They were too young to remember, but they’re older and a bit more resilient now, but they’ve still got to go through more change.”
Ben and ex-wife Abby after England won the Rugby World Cup in 2003[/caption]
Abby admits she no longer feels angry towards Kristina, but is pleased she will not be doing any more interviews about her relationship with her ex.
She said: “I don’t know what her next step is. It gives me peace that every time Kristina wants to do an interview, she’s not going to talk about this again, it’s done.
“So I feel quite relieved about that. It was like a constant reminder of everything I went through.
“I hope she finds what she’s looking for and everyone can learn from it. She’s a mum now so I hope she is happy.
“When it first happened, I was dealing with massive emotion. I went to therapy and learned about the grief curve. I was feeling really angry, I was cross.
“You go through anger, hurt and I had all sorts of emotions that I’d never experienced before.
“But I feel so at ease now dealing with everyday tasks.”
Despite both living in Northampton, Abby has not seen Kristina since the 2013 series.
And she is grateful that their paths have never crossed.
She said: “I haven’t seen Kristina since the show. It’s really weird and bizarre, we live in the same town. I can’t believe that.
“I think the universe kept us apart to protect my emotions. I used to worry about bumping into her.”
Ben and Abby started dating aged 16. And after they had the twins, Ben was “a big family man”.
Abby said: “Ben was just a home boy. He just did his job well in sport and he came home and mowed the grass.
Me and Kristina are very different. We like different things.
Abby Cohen
“We were probably quite boring to be honest, quite down to earth.”
His decision to take part in Strictly seemed like a great career move at the time.
Abby said: “Strictly was the most popular reality show on TV, that’s why it was a good idea for Ben to do it at that point — he appealed to everyone. The family man. I was the girl next door. He was a good candidate for it.
“When Strictly filmed all the behind-the-scenes footage and it was all about Ben and his girls, he lived for us.
“Throughout our whole relationship, Ben was my hero.
“He worshipped the ground I walked on. He just got partnered with the wrong one.”
At the time Kristina was partnered with Ben, she had just split from boxer boyfriend Joe Calzaghe. They had got together after being paired on Strictly four years earlier.
But Abby has questioned if bosses should have let her take part. She said: “Looking back, I don’t know if it was the right time for her to do that show, given her own relationship had just broken down.
“I don’t know if she was in a bad place at the time because she had just split with Joe Calzaghe.”
Country girl Abby also marvels at how different she and Kristina are. She said: “I’m a family girl. I make soups and Sunday roasts, but I don’t know if Kristina does that. I don’t actually know what she does. Me and Kristina are very different. We like different things.
“She doesn’t have any wellies, put it that way. She doesn’t pick up dog poo or muck out her horses every day like I have to. We’re completely different.”
Two years ago, Abby was successfully treated for bowel cancer and views life differently now. She has found happiness with her partner David and enjoys earning her own money for her daughters.
‘Ben wouldn’t know me now’
She said: “For me, now I can say I’m actually pleased that it happened. I’m actually really happy now. I’ve built an amazing life photography career and I’m not following him around as a wife watching him play rugby.
“I’ve found me and become an independent, strong woman, who’s fought cancer, who’s managed to bring up the girls the best I can.
“It makes me feel emotional. Ben wouldn’t know me now. I’ve got a lovely home. I’ve got a huge circle of friends that are all amazing.
“I’ve got two gorgeous girls, who are about to start their lives.”
During her cancer fight, Abby raised awareness of the disease and the symptoms, appearing on ITV’s Lorraine, and she has been inundated with messages of support from other women.
She said: “If I can take a positive from my whole 12-year experience of this trauma that I’ve been through, it’s the fact that I’m able to raise awareness and that’s a nice thing that’s come from something that’s really sad.
“People approach me in the street to say that hearing about my experience has made them go to the doctors.
“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger. I feel really resilient now.”
Four couples hit by Strictly curse
There were claims Brendan Cole and Natasha Kaplinsky grew close[/caption]
Pro Brendan Cole split with his girlfriend in 2004 amid claims he and Natasha Kaplinsky grew close.
DANCER Flavia Cacace dumped Vincent Simone in 2007 and hooked up with partner Matt Di Angelo.
Seann Walsh was seen kissing pro partner Katya Jones[/caption]
COMEDIAN Seann Walsh’s relationship ended in 2018 after he was seen kissing pro partner Katya Jones.
STACEY Dooley was on in 2018, split from her partner and now has a kid with dancer Kevin Clifton.
