A STRICTLY hunk has signed up for Celebrity SAS just weeks after his shock split from wife and his debt misery.
Ben Cohen, 46, might be best-known as a Rugby player, but he is also known for his appearance on Strictly Come Dancing more than a decade ago.
Former Strictly star Ben Cohen has signed up for Celebrity SAS[/caption]
He appeared on Strictly Come Dancing back in 2013[/caption]
And now Ben is gearing up for another television appearance after signing up for Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
A TV insider told The Sun: “Ben has had a difficult few months with his split from Kristina, having to sell their home and also having spiralling business debts.
“Celeb SAS is not only a good pay day for him, but it’s a new challenge to throw himself into.
“Ben is obviously a sportsman and a very physical, competitive player so if anyone can handle the SAS recruitment process, it’s him.”
This won’t be Ben’s first brush with reality television.
As mentioned, in September 2013, Ben took part as a contestant in the eleventh series of Strictly Come Dancing.
Then, in January 2016, he took part as a contestant on the third series of The Jump.
He won the series in March 2016, beating Dean Cain.
In 2017, he was a contestant on season 7, episode 8 of The Celebrity Chase.
In January 2018, he participated in And They’re Off! in aid of Sport Relief.
And in December 2023, Ben participated in ITV’s The Real Full Monty to raise awareness of cancer.
While Ben was on Strictly, he met and fell in love with his professional dance partner Kristina Rihanoff.
Back in March of this year, The Sun told how Ben and Kristina’s marriage ended.
The ex-England rugby star dumped his wife Abby to date Russian pro Kristina after being paired on the dancefloor in 2013.
But pals confirmed they had parted after financial difficulties tore the relationship apart.
A friend said: “Ben left his wife Abby for Kristina, only to now split with her.
“It’s like the curse in reverse.
“This will be like karma for Abby, she was so upset when Ben left her.
“It’s like he has got his comeuppance.”
The former couple. who have an eight-year-old daughter, have put their £1.75million house in Northampton on the market and Ben has been removed as a director of their joint yoga business.
A pal said: “The past six months have been hell for them and it has torn the love they had apart.
“For the sake of their family, they have chosen to go forward as separate individuals.
“Those close to them who know them as a couple had hoped they would be able to work things out but for now it’s over and it looks like there’s no going back.”
We also revealed the full extent of their financial difficulties.
The issues started when the pair went into business together, with Kristina also working as a dance instructor.
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 made public in court last September, when Kristina was caught driving her £30,000 Audi without insurance.
He met his now former wife Kristina on the hit show[/caption]
The couple fell in love on the dancefloor[/caption]
