Abby Cohen was left heartbroken when the so-called ‘Strictly curse’ struck in 2013, after husband Ben Cohen had been partnered with professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff.
Rugby player Ben, 46, and photographer Abby first married in 2003 – welcoming their twin daughters Hettie and Isabelle, now 17, in 2008.
He appeared on the 11th season of the BBC dance competition Strictly Come Dancing in 2013 and was partnered with professional dancer Kristina, 47.
As his marriage ended, Ben moved on with Kristina, welcoming a daughter of their own, Mila, in 2016. By 2022, the pair had announced their engagement – although Ben has always maintained that he did not leave his wife to be with Kristina.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that Ben and Kristina had split after 12 years together, with sources claiming that they were driven apart by financial difficulties.
Following the news, Abby has spoken out, sharing her reaction and summing it all up with the sentiment: ‘What goes around comes around.’
Speaking to MailOnline, Abby gave her thoughts on the situation, saying: ‘I’m sick of being talked about every time Ben and Kristina are mentioned. Unfortunately, I’m always brought into their story because I was the victim, if you like, at the time. Their love story involves me because I was the third person.
‘But I just want it to go away. I want this to be closure on it.’
She added that she has sympathy for him: ‘I’m sad for Ben. I do feel sorry for him. Our marriage broke down, and it’s happening all over again to him, and he’s got another child.
‘He’s got to start again from nothing, in his late forties. He’s going from being so successful as a rugby player to [people] now reading of his business failures.’
She continued: ‘It’s come full circle now that they have split. It reminds me of all the hurt I went through. Was it really worth it? I don’t know.’
When asked whether she felt a sense of satisfaction about their split, Abby reflected on comments she’d read regarding Ben and Kristina’s split.
‘I have read people commenting on this, saying: “The wife will be happy about that, it’s karma.” I think that what goes around, comes around, doesn’t it?’
News of Kristina and Ben’s apparent split broke earlier this month, with a source describing the break-up as ‘like the curse in reverse.’
A friend told The Sun: ‘Ben left his wife Abby for Kristina, only to now split with her.
‘This will be like karma for Abby, she was so upset when Ben left her.
‘It’s like he has got his comeuppance.’
The publication’s source also claimed that the past six months had ‘torn the love they had apart’ after the stars were forced to put their £1.75million Northampton house on the market.
This came soon after they went into business together, with Kristina reportedly investing ‘everything [they’ve] ever had’ into their company, Soo Yoga.
‘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 source added.
In the days after news of their breakup spread, a glum-looking Kristina was spotted leaving her yoga studio in Northamptonshire.
Dressed in an all-black outfit and keeping warm with a fur coat, the former Strictly dancer cut a solemn figure.
