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'He told his twins first'
Former Strictly star Kristina Rihanoff talks candidly about moment Ben Cohen told his family about new baby
The dancer also revealed how hard its been to get back in shape following her pregnancy
FORMER Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff has talked candidly on This Morning about the moment Ben Cohen had to tell his twin girls he was having a baby with her.
The Rugby hero, 37, met the dancer, 38, while he was still married, although they both insist nothing went on while he was still with wife Abby, 37.
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When asked by host Phillip Schofield about why she decided to reveal the big news during her stint on Celebrity Big Brother, the pretty blonde insists it was because she wanted to give Ben time to tell his seven-year-old girls.
She said: “It was most important for Ben to tell his twins before the show, but he didn’t have them for a few days prior to the show, so we couldn’t announce it in the press or on Twitter.”
She continued: “So I had to go into the house keeping it quiet so he could tell his family, his daughters, that was the most important thing for us to make sure they knew first.
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“Obviously when I was already on Big Brother I knew that he had spoken to the girls so I announced it on Big Brother”
She said she almost didn’t say anything, but felt she had to, adding: “I did think maybe I will keep it quiet but then people were drinking in the house doing crazy tasks, and I thought how can I keep it quiet?
“Cause they would be thinking she is physically fit so why can’t she take part.”
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Kristina gave birth to 7lb 1oz baby Mila on June 24 at Northampton General Hospital in a difficult 19-and-a-half hour labour - complicated by the umbilical cord being wrapped about the child's neck.
Ben was still married to wife Abby, 37, when he met Kristina while taking part on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing in 2013.
Kristina previously had a relationship with boxer Joe Calzaghe after being paired with him on the BBC dancing show in 2009.
While Ben denies that their relationship was more than friendship until after he had left Abby, mum to twin girls Harriette and Isabelle, their marriage breakdown was incredibly bitter.
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Kristina shocked the nation when she announced live on television that she was going to become a mother when she took part in Celebrity Big Brother back in January.
She told her housemates: "There was something [that] happened in my life before I came into the house over Christmas.
“And obviously I thought it’s very private news, you know, but because we are living as one family now and everybody is sort of supporting one another now, it happened to be that I found that my boyfriend and I are going to have a little one."
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After being congratulated by her fellow housemates, Kristina fought to hide her tears as she added: “Well I found [out] over Christmas. Thank you guys.
"I just didn’t know how to break it, what to say, when to say, it played on my mind and I wanted everyone to hear.”
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At the time, Abby, who had not previously known about the new arrival, told The Mirror: “I'm Ben Cohen's ex-wife. If it wasn't for that woman me and Ben would still be married. But so what? I'm moving on.
“I don't want to talk about being the ditched wife. Ben's getting on with his life. I wish him well with his new family.”
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Kristina also revealed on This Morning that it’s been hard to get back into shape following the birth of her baby, she confessed: “My body will never be the same “
She added: “I still need to use a few pounds, but hopefully dancing will whip me back into shape.”
The star is set to head to the West End soon for her show called One More Dance.
When asked who she would like to see in the judging line-up on Strictly Come Dancing, she replied: “Anton Du Beke, I think he would be brilliant.”
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