CLOSE TO DEATH
Kristina Rihanoff reveals partner Ben Cohen nearly DIED from glandular fever over the summer
FORMER Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff has revealed her partner Ben Cohen nearly died over the summer.
The professional dancer has revealed the retired rugby player contracted glandular fever and was left at the point of death over the summer.
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"It's been terrible," she said on Lorraine today.
She added: "But he was getting really, really bad, day after day and at some point he said, 'I can't breathe, I can't breathe'.
"'I feel like something is going on with my heart' and he got to the doctors and the doctors got him to A&E right away and they said if hadn't come on time basically he would have been... very unfortunate."
"It took a lot of time to get over it actually," she added.
"He was very weak for a couple of months and couldn't work out, couldn't actually do anything and he wasn't himself. I was really worried."
But apparently Ben was much better after adopting a vegan diet and was even back in the gym after three days.
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"Actually we then decided to go on a vegan diet, both of us because we felt like perhaps he needs to cleanse his body... and now a month on a vegan diet he feels amazing.
"He's OK, he went straight into the gym after three days of being on a vegan diet."
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It comes as she has reportedly landed her own reality showand her partner Ben Cohen are in talks to get their own reality TV show.
The show would follow the couple, who met while partners on Strictly in 2013 when Ben was married to another women, as they go about their daily life and give an insight into their family dynamic with new daughter Milena.
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Kristina told the: “We were asked to do one but I was pregnant. Several production companies were in talks, but there was a lot happening.”
The Russian dancer, who has just turned 40, admitted that she wanted to wait for the right show to come along before she shared her life with the public.
She added: “In my heart and soul I am a dancer. To open the doors on our private life it has to be a very good contract.”
Kristina, who no longer dances on Strictly, also revealed she turned down a chance to appear on The Jump alongside former rugby star Ben after seeing what happened to Ola Jordan.
She admitted that “one bad fall and my career would be finished”, so decided not to take part.
While the dancer was more than happy to talk about work she said she had “more important” thing to worry about than comments made by new Strictly judge Shirley Ballas’ ex-husband Corky.
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Corky branded her an "ice queen" after he dated her for five years following the breakdown of his marriage to Shirley. They split in 2008 when Kristina moved to the UK for Strictly.
She added: “What people say about me is their business.”
Kristina became a household name when she was partnered with Ben on the dance show in 2013.
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Ben, who has two children from his marriage to Abbey Cohen, has always denied anything romantic occurred until his marriage split in September 2014.
The former rugby star and Kristina, who have one daughter together, are not engaged but hinted at the possibility of marriage.
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In an interview earlier this year, Ben said: “I imagine we will get married at some point.
“Having a baby later on in life, we were both very set in our ways so it has been a big change for both of us.”
Kristina added: “It’s not something we’re ruling out. We will see what the future holds. But with the baby it’s not something we’ve got time to think about at the moment.
“And I want to be in better shape on my wedding day than I am now.”
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