KRISTINA Rihanoff looked glum as she was pictured for the first time following her split from Ben Cohen.
The former Strictly star, 47, was seen leaving her yoga studio in Northamptonshire just hours after their separation was made public.
Kristina Rihanoff has been seen for the first time since her split from Ben Cohen was revealed[/caption]
She was dressed all in black for a visit to her yoga studio[/caption]
Kristina and Ben had been together for 12 years[/caption]
Dressed all in black, Kristina appeared downbeat as she talked on her phone with a pair of shades perched on top of her head.
It comes as we revealed the pressure of a crippling £1million debt was the final straw for the struggling couple’s relationship.
However, there has been tension bubbling under the surface ever since the pair fell in love on the Strictly dance floor 12 years ago.
The pair initially grew close when they were partnered together on the eleventh series of Strictly.
Not long after their turn on the dancefloor, Ben left ex-wife Abby for Kristina in 2014.
Heartbroken, Abby told The Sun on Sunday at the time that she referred to Kristina “that f***ing Russian”, when talking about how the split had ruined her life.
Those close to Kristina told The Sun she was upset by the remark, and despite Abby later apologising for what she said – they claim the comment became a “painful memory”.
“To be tarnished with the ‘other woman’ brush was particularly hard for Kristina,” a friend says.
“Her relationship with Ben didn’t start until his marriage was over but to see Abby coming for her at the start of their relationship so hard was painful.
“Even though Abby later apologised for what she had said, it was tough for Kristina to hear herself being called out in public.
“She said she had spoken with Ben about him not coming out to publicly defend them, and naturally it led to some arguments.
“Kristina herself eventually came out and publicly said that it was normal for people to meet at work, just like they did.
“It was a sore point for her.”
As Kristina, 47, and Ben, 46, moved on with their lives – welcoming their first child in 2016 – friends claimed his cordial friendship with Abby, the mother of his two children, appeared to lead to tensions.
More recently, Kristina and Ben went into business together.
Kristina said the pair had “invested everything we’ve ever had” into their company Soo Yoga, after turning her passion for the exercise into a business.
However after the pandemic hit, they ran into serious trouble.
Their financial difficulties were laid bare in public during a court appearance last September, when Kristina was caught driving her £30,000 Audi without insurance.
Kristina sobbed as Ben took to the stand and admitted human error on his part meant Kristina had been driving without insurance – meaning she was facing a driving ban which would be financially devastating for her business as a dance instructor.
As Ben spoke to the court, he revealed the pair were fighting to save their 12-year relationship, admitting he was crippled with debts from their businesses, including their joint yoga venture.
Paperwork reveals that debts accrued by their companies added up to £1million.
Their Soo Yoga Group ran up debts of £488,470 and another of their fitness firms – Yoga Wellbeing Limited – had debts of £63,000.
Their business Soo Greens Limited also racked up £54,000 of debts and fitness company Beyond Wellbeing was dissolved in 2022 with debts of £22,000.
Ben also quit as a company director of struggling web firm Silicon Networks in 2020 and the company is now in liquidation with debts of £275,000, including a £98,000 tax bill owed to HMRC.
Ben and Kristina met after being paired with her on Strictly in 2013[/caption]
Ben, 46, and Kristina, 47, have an eight-year-old daughter[/caption]
Ben with his ex Abby[/caption]
