Life has thrown some serious challenges at Ben Cohen lately, and the former rugby star doesn’t hold back about it.
On the upcoming episodes of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins, Cohen, 47, opens up about the emotional and practical storms he’s been navigating over the past 18 months.
Daughter Isabelle’s Heart Condition
One of the hardest moments for Ben has been his daughter Isabelle’s recent heart diagnosis.
The teenager will need surgery to have a pacemaker fitted, a reality that Ben describes as overwhelming.
Speaking during intense interrogation scenes on the show, he said, “It’s been horrendous. Izzy is having a pacemaker fitted and it’s a lot to process.”
Ben adds that being strong for his children sometimes means putting their needs above his own, which can lead to self-neglect.
“You have to be that pillar of strength for your daughter,” he explains, “and that’s when you push yourself aside.”
He hasn’t disclosed the specifics of Isabelle’s heart condition, but a pacemaker is a small device implanted to regulate irregular or slow heartbeats, improving quality of life.
A Heartfelt Letter to Isabelle
During the series, Ben pens a moving letter to Isabelle, applauding her courage throughout her diagnosis.
He reflects candidly on the emotional turmoil he’s faced personally, describing it as if it “takes the lid off the can and all those emotions swirl together.”
He admits there has been a lot of difficult events in his life, and sometimes their effects only hit later.
Struggles Beyond the Family
Ben’s emotional battles aren’t limited to his children.
He also confronts the grief of losing his father, Peter Cohen, the brother of 1966 World Cup winner George Cohen.
Peter’s death left a significant void in Ben’s life after he passed from a blood clot a month following a violent attack at his nightclub in 2000.
Relationship and Financial Challenges
The former Strictly Come Dancing professional has also endured ups and downs in his relationship with Kristina Rihanoff.
After a rocky period and financial pressures, the couple has recently rekindled their romance.
They had invested heavily in a yoga and fitness business, which suffered major setbacks during the Covid pandemic, leaving them with significant debt.
Ben previously revealed in court the extent of these struggles, describing being “so overdrawn” and fighting to keep his home, cars, and relationship intact.
He admitted the stress of juggling personal, financial, and business issues sometimes felt overwhelming.
Despite the hardships, he remains focused on supporting his family and trying to hold things together.
Business Setbacks and Property Sale
The couple’s yoga venture, Soo Yoga Group, started in 2017, ran into financial difficulties, with Companies House records showing the company nearly half a million pounds in debt by 2022.
Ben has since stepped down as director, leaving Kristina in charge, and the couple put their Northamptonshire home on the market.
Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins Appearance
Amid all this, Ben takes on the grueling challenges of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
SAS officer Billy Billingham points out that participating in the show is like putting a “band aid over a f*****g gun shot wound,” underscoring how it forces participants to confront their physical and emotional struggles head-on.
The series airs on Channel 4 on Sundays and is also available to stream, giving viewers an intimate look at Ben’s resilience under extreme pressure.
What Is a Pacemaker?
For context, a pacemaker is a small, battery-powered device designed to prevent the heart from beating too slowly.
The procedure to install it is generally done under local anesthesia, and in the UK, around 50,000 people receive a pacemaker each year, according to the British Heart Foundation.
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