Ben Cohen rocked by family tragedy that’s ‘hit him like gunshot’ as he opens up about torment of Kristina Rihanoff split

WITH her angelic face, five-month old Isabelle beamed up at her famous daddy, Ben Cohen, as the rugby hunk recreated the iconic Athena poster from the 1980s.

As one of twins along with sister Harriette, she was chosen to be the lucky sibling captured in the image, created to raise funds for charity.

Ben, 47, poured his heart out about his daughter Isabelle’s health in a letter which he wrote during his appearance on celebrity SAS: Who Dares WinsCredit: Channel 4

Izzy is having a pacemaker fitted and it’s a lot to process, said BenCredit: instagram/bencohenrugby

The trauma of Isabelle’s health difficulties has led to him rekindling his on-off romance with Kristina RihanoffCredit: Getty

After Ben tried getting the desired look with both babies, to no avail, it was ultimately Izzy who made the final frame because she delivered the best smile.

Fast forward 17 years and he is facing the trauma of his little girl being diagnosed with a deadly condition – a heartbreak he has endured alongside the backdrop of a turbulent relationship with ex-Strictly dancer Kristina Rihanoff and £1million debts.

Ben, 47, poured his heart out about Isabelle in a letter which he wrote during his appearance on gruelling physical challenge show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.

His revelation, in which he also spoke about the brutal death of his father when he was 21, comes after his recent financial difficulties which led to a company he was running owing more than £1million.

And it is thought the trauma of Isabelle’s health difficulties has led to him rekindling his on-off romance with Kristina Rihanoff, who he danced with on Strictly in 2013.

Ben told the Celebrity SAS instructors: “That’s what I’ve been battling with over the last 18 months — it’s been horrendous.

“Izzy is having a pacemaker fitted and it’s a lot to process.

“How do you deal with it? You be strong for your daughter — you have to be that pillar of strength.

“That’s when the self-neglect comes in because you prioritise other things before yourself.”

After being told on the show to pen a letter home that could be sent in the event of his death, he writes to Isabelle: “You are such a brave girl and have been so mature since finding out about your heart problem.

‘Depression can sneak up if you’re not careful’

“You’ve been beyond amazing deciding what treatment you want, which pacemaker you would prefer.”

Ben doesn’t go into detail about the heart condition affecting Izzy, who has a twin sister, Harriette. He shares the girls with his ex-wife Abby, whose 13-year marriage with Ben ended in divorce a decade ago.

The former England international also has a nine-year-old daughter, Milena, with 48-year-old Kristina.

Ben and Kristina struggled financially around the time of Covid when lockdown meant paid work dried up — and they didn’t receive any government support.

Their business, Soo Yoga group, owed over £1million and they were facing being struck off as they hadn’t filed accounts in four years.

The financial issues were thought to have contributed to the couple’s split, which they announced early last year.

But The Sun reported that Ben and Kristina were reunited in September, which may have been brought about by them being galvanised by Izzy’s heart ordeal.

Ben started his playing career age 17 with his local rugby club the Northampton SaintsCredit: Colorsport

Ben endured an emotional rollercoaster after his dad’s violent deathCredit: Channel 4

Ben added: “There’s so much going on in my life personally, in so many different areas, when you get to this point it almost takes the f***ing lid off the can and all those emotions swirl with each other.

“There has been a lot of horrible stuff happening in my life and you don’t realise what is going to come back and get you a little bit later.

“I definitely hide my emotions. Like any other man, we probably suppress some of the darker sides or parts of their mental health that they should probably express.”

Ben started his playing career age 17 with his local rugby club Northampton Saints.

The winger was part of England’s Rugby World Cup winning team in 2003, before ending his club career at Sale Sharks.

That’s what I’ve been battling with over the last 18 months — it’s been horrendous. Izzy is having a pacemaker fitted and it’s a lot to process

But despite his success, behind the scenes Ben was enduring an emotional rollercoaster that would affect him for the rest of his life.

He said: “A long time ago my dad got beaten to death protecting someone. It was savage. I was 21 at that point, when life was so rosy.

“My dad was a really tough man, to be fair, but he got a severe beating and that’s what gave him an aneurysm.”

Ben’s father, Peter, died a month after the attack, which took place in October 2000 at the Eternity nightclub in Northampton, which he managed. He had tried to intervene between fighting customers. Three men kicked, punched and bit him as he lay on the ground.

They were acquitted of manslaughter but found guilty of violent conduct and jailed for between two-and-a-half to three years each.

Ben said: “I didn’t know how to handle it at that age. It’s kind of what I’m really trying to process now.

“What happened to my dad leaves a hole in your life. I’m on my own at 21. I haven’t got many people I can properly turn to and ask for advice or help. Depression can sneak up and nip you in the backside if you’re not careful.”

Ben said that after his father died, he threw himself into rugby to give himself a focus, but that also caused him problems when his playing career ended in 2011.

He said: “My career lasted another eight years. Then that was it. It was scary. (I was) not fit for purpose. No education. So I do have resentment.

“There should be something in place to help transition. When you leave the game it’s: what the f am I going to do now? It’s a f**ing dark hole. Who am I?”

He added: “I’d say my journey to civvy street after sport, I’ve had to get to know me, understand me.”

After rugby ended he turned his attentions to tackling the bullying of LGBTQ+ people and launched a media career.

Ben, dancing with Kristina on Strictly in 2013, said ‘A long time ago my dad got beaten to death protecting someone. It was savage’Credit: Handout

The Sun reported that Ben and Kristina were reunited in September

‘Conquer a fear by facing it head-on’

As well as dancing on Strictly, where he met Russian pro Kristina, he took part in Channel 4’s The Jump in 2016 and The Celebrity Chase on ITV in 2017, and in 2023 stripped off on The Real Full Monty, also on ITV.

My dad was a really tough man, to be fair, but he got a severe beating and that’s what gave him an aneurysm

The gap of around six years was partly down to Ben falling ill in 2017 with chest pains so severe that he thought he was having a heart attack. In fact he had pericarditis, inflammation of the protective, fluid-filled sac around the heart.

Doctors also diagnosed sepsis — life-threatening blood poisoning that can lead to multiple organ failure. Once discovered, both could be treated with antibiotics.

It was discovered at the same time he also had glandular fever, which could have been the cause of his other two ailments. The virus floored him and it took him months to recover as he struggled with exhaustion for over a year.

He recalled: “I’d sleep solidly eight or nine hours at night then go to bed twice a day for up to an hour and a half at a time.

“I’d gone from getting up and being active all day to having no energy. It was really horrible. It was the glandular fever that was a nightmare. Kick me, poke me, break my bones and I’d be happy compared to glandular fever. It was brutal.”

Now fully recovered, Ben has decided to take part in the new series of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins on Channel 4, which is where he revealed the complicated home life he has been dealing with in recent years.

Explaining on the show why he had signed up, he said: “The only way you’re going to conquer a fear is by facing it head-on. I have a lot of self-doubts, but where do you get tested as much as this? When will you be pushed to your limits like this physically, mentally?

“Where am I going to learn all this in civvy street? I don’t think you’re going to.

“It’s the mental side I’ve got to get right. The thing that’s on my mind is my daughter’s pacemaker she’s got to have when I get back.”

In one section of the series, all the participants on the course, which includes former Love Islander Dani Dyer and ex-cricketer Graeme Swann, received messages from home from family members.

It’s been soul searching, tough. Really tough. I’ve had some real horrible mental battles

But Ben gets a message from his former rugby team-mate, Steve Thompson, and replies: “It’s f***ing nice to see your face.

“It’s been soul-searching, tough. Really tough. I’ve had some real horrible mental battles.”

Even the normally stony-faced SAS instructors could see he was not in a good place, with Billy Billingham remarking after one of his challenges: “He’s really struggling mentally and emotionally.

“He’s got his daughter who’s having a pacemaker put in. He’s trying to mask it by being here, being distracted, this is a band aid over a f***ing gun shot wound for him.

“He’s a good guy, he’s just got some f***ing demons.”

• Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins is on Channel 4 every Sunday night and available to stream on channel4.com.

The star with his ex-wife Abby, before their divorce a decade agoCredit: Rex Features