‘Strictly Come Dancing’ professional Kristina Rihanoff has revealed how she was left feeling suicidal over abuse she received for dating her co-stars.
MORE 'STRICTLY':
- 10 Celebrities We'd Forgotten Had Been On 'Strictly'
- The 12 Most Memorable ‘Strictly’ Moments
- How Many 'Strictly' Winners Can You Remember?
- 16 Stars We'd Have Preferred To See On This Year's 'Strictly' Line-Up
- The Most Show-Stopping 'Strictly' Routines Ever
- Revealed! All The Celeb Victims Of The 'Strictly' Curse
- The Sexiest Ever 'Strictly' Stars
The Russian dancer previously enjoyed relationships with former fellow pro Vincent Simone and 2009 dance partner Joe Calzaghe.
Kristina Rihanoff
However, she was trolled by fans of the show over both romances, which Kristina admitted “destroyed” her.
Writing in her autobiography Dancing Out Of Darkness, excerpts of which have been published in The Sun, she said: “I felt suicidal at that point in my life. I was having such dark thoughts — and I’m not a person who gives up easily.
“I know that I’m strong but the abuse... it just destroyed me emotionally. I couldn’t find a single positive thing to tell myself.”
What the trolls didn’t know was that she was hiding secret heartache in both relationships, as it turned out Vincent - who she dated following her first series on the BBC ballroom show in 2008 - had got another woman pregnant.
And while with Joe, his love of drinking and partying drove a wedge between them, before splitting in 2013.
Kristina dated Joe Calzaghe between 2009 and 2013
Kristina, who is partnering Irish singer Daniel O’Donnell on this year’s series, has since found love with rugby star Ben Cohen.
The pair met when she was paired with him on ‘Strictly’ in 2013, and their partnership was subject to speculation.
While the pair insist that nothing happened on the show, Ben then left his wife, and the couple went public with their romance earlier this year.
She recently hit out at claims she was a ‘homewrecker’ on Twitter, ranting: He left his wife a year ago. Recently we started dating but we’re allowed to see each other as two single people.
“I don’t know why I am always attacked. I am a hardworking, self-made person. I support five people in my family in Russia.
“It is such double standards.”
‘Strictly Come Dancing’ continues tonight at 6.15pm on BBC One.
If you've been affected by the issues in this article, please call the Samaritans on 116 123 (UK and ROI - this number is FREE to call and will not appear on your phone bill.)
