KRISTINA Rihanoff gave a revealing hint about her money troubles over a year ago, as her relationship with Ben Cohen has come to an end amid their £1million debt.
Former Strictly pro Kristina, 47, opened up about challenges posed by the cost-of-living crisis in an interview from November 2023.
The dancer confessed that she had become more mindful of her spending, opting out of luxuries like dining out and paying for manicures and pedicures.
Instead, she began doing her nails at home – a skill she had mastered during lockdown.
Kristina told The Sun: “I’m much more conscious about things, and we don’t do as many things, such as going out for food.
“I also don’t get my nails done as often. I used to go for manicures and pedicures but now I can do them all myself.
“During lockdown I got my gel nail polish and I do it all myself at home, with my kids and it’s lovely, as opposed to spending £30-40 pounds on something I can quite easily do myself, so it’s little things like that.
“I always did my nails myself when I was young, so it’s hasn’t been difficult to adjust to.”
This week, we revealed Kristina and Ben were struggling with the seven-figure debt as their 12-year romance crumbled around them.
The issues started when the pair, who own a £1.75m house in Northamptonshire, went into business together, with Kristina also working as a dance instructor.
Kristina said they 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.
[bc_video account_id=”5067014667001″ application_id=”” aspect_ratio=”16:9″ autoplay=”” caption=”Ben Cohen breaks cover after split from Kristina Rihanoff as he speaks at pub ahead of England rugby match” embed=”in-page” experience_id=”” height=”100%” language_detection=”” max_height=”360px” max_width=”640px” min_width=”0px” mute=”” padding_top=”56%” picture_in_picture=”” player_id=”default” playlist_id=”” playsinline=”” sizing=”responsive” video_id=”6369816547112″ video_ids=”” width=”640px”]Their financial difficulties were made public in court 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 relationship, admitting he was crippled with debts from their businesses, including their joint yoga venture.
Paperwork reveals that debts accrued by their companies now add 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.
Speaking in court last year, Ben became emotional as he spoke about the realities of the financial crisis they were facing.
He said: “I get up every day and I fight not to lose everything – to lose my cars and my house and my relationship. I’m so overdrawn.”
When asked about the strain it had put on their relationship, Ben said: “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 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.”
Following the court case, where Kristina was spared a driving ban due to “exceptional hardship”, the pair put their Northamptonshire home up for sale.
But rather than choosing to limp on, the pair have now split and are trying to move on with their lives.
“There is only so much one couple can take,” a friend explained.
“The financial problems Kristina and Ben were facing pushed them to the brink and it has been incredibly stressful for them.
“This was what properly broke them and ended the relationship.
“But their union hasn’t always been rosy and they have had an up-and-down relationship for many years.”
