Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen have reportedly called it quits after more than a decade together.
The Strictly Come Dancing pro, 47, and former England rugby star, 46, first met on the BBC show in 2013, sparking speculation that the infamous Strictly curse played a role in Cohen’s split from his wife, Abby.
Though the sports star has always denied leaving his ex for the dancer, sources now claim financial struggles have driven him and Rihanoff apart.
An insider told The Sun: “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.
“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.”
The couple, who got engaged in 2022 and share a daughter born in 2016, have allegedly faced a tough six months, even putting their £1.75 million Northampton home on the market.
The pal added: “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.”
Last year, reports suggested they were fighting to save both their relationship and their home amid money troubles.
In September, Rihanoff was taken to court for driving without insurance, with Cohen appearing as her witness.
He revealed that his credit cards were overdrawn and that his business had fallen into debt due to Covid.
In a 20-minute statement, he said: “I get up every day and I fight not to lose everything – to lose my cars and my house and my relationship.”
Fighting back emotion, he added: “We’re still living together… We’re in it financially.
“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 honesty, this is just another problem for me to deal with.”
After eight years, the Russian dancer left Strictly in 2016 and trained as a yoga teacher.
The Standard has contacted Kristina Rihanoff and Ben Cohen for comment.
