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Sunday, 31 May 2015
Strictly's tearful Kristina Rihanoff: Why IS the finger always pointed at the woman?
Strictly's tearful Kristina Rihanoff: Why IS the finger always pointed at the woman?
Unless Kristina Rihanoff is as good at acting as she is at dancing then the tears pouring down her cheek are the real thing.
Her hands fly to her eyes and she starts to dab at the two charcoal rivulets of mascara staining her face.
She hunches the shoulders of her 5ft 2in frame to stifle a loud sob and suddenly the Siberian Siren seems frail and sad and really rather vulnerable.
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Strictly Come Dancing star Kristina Rihanoff (pictured) is distressed that photos of England rugby hero Ben Cohen leaving her flat, after apparently spending the night, have seen her branded a marriage wrecker
The Strictly Come Dancing star is distressed that the publication on Monday of photographs of England rugby hero Ben Cohen leaving her flat, after apparently spending the night, have seen her branded a marriage wrecker.
Speaking exclusively to The Mail on Sunday, Kristina, 37, said: ‘We are both single people. We enjoy each other’s company. We work together.
‘Who knows what the future will hold. I do not owe it to the whole country to speak about my private life because it’s just that, private.’
And that sounds a lot like she wants Cohen to be in it. In her stellar eight years at Strictly she has had a fling with fellow professional Vincent Simone and a four-year relationship with boxing champion Joe Calzaghe.
Cohen's marriage foundered after he partnered Kristina in the 2013 series of Strictly (pictured on the show)
She admits: ‘I am a normal human being, maybe I have not always done the right thing. I make mistakes but I do not have to be crucified for them. My past should be allowed to be my past.
‘People say I don’t care about criticism but I do, I do care, it makes me cry for days, for weeks. Those who know me closely tease me and say I should trademark the Siberian Siren tag and create a perfume or a lingerie line but I don’t want to because it’s not me.’
She added: ‘It’s like I’ve been drawn as a man-eater and now I am not allowed to be anything other than that, the single girl who is to blame for other couples’ problems.
‘Why do people point the finger at the woman and never the man?’
‘Recently, during the show, Susanna Reid and Rachel Riley’s relationships fell apart and they were the targets, portrayed in the worst possible way.
Kristina Rihannoff and Ben Cohen pictured outside her home on Monday night
‘If you are a little bit successful, a little bit strong, then you are torn to shreds. It is always the woman who gets the blame. There are double standards at work even now in 2015 when we should be beyond that.
‘A woman will be called all the names under the sun, a guy gets, “Oh … he’s just a man being a man.” It would be nice to be treated equally.
She continues: ‘I have borrowed Kate Moss’s policy of never complain never explain but after seven years of abuse I feel I have to say something in my own defence. I long for my work as a dancer and a choreographer to speak for itself but instead this scrutiny of my private life means my hopes have all come undone.’
That scrutiny is now focused on her relationship with Cohen whose marriage foundered after he partnered Kristina in the 2013 series of Strictly.
She says: ‘When I was paired with Ben I had just come out of my relationship with Joe and I was not in a good place emotionally. I did not go to therapy – perhaps I should have done – but I felt comfortable talking to him about it.
Scrutiny is now focused on her relationship with Cohen whose marriage foundered after he partnered Kristina in the 2013 series of Strictly
‘Through his anti-bullying foundation, Ben has experience of talking to vulnerable people and helping them. He is kind and supportive and encouraged me to move forward by doing a great job on the show.
‘It’s very intense doing Strictly – you work together, you spend your lunch break together, he was the only person I had time to speak to.
‘He told me, “Kristina, put your heart and soul into your passion for dance…”
‘I felt safe opening up to him. The perception of people who talk to me is that I am amazingly strong and that I’ll always be fine, like there’s no other option for me. With Ben, I felt like I could communicate with him, ask him for his advice, discuss my issues and insecurities.’
Kristina does not deny they remain close and the couple are committed supporters of each other’s charity work, with Ben backing Kristina’s Dot Com Children’s Foundation.
This led to them being photographed together on a Tube train in London last June, heading home from a rehearsal studio where they’d taught a lesson that was auctioned in a fundraising event.
The pictures hinted at intimacy back then but Kristina is adamant they were innocent.
‘When I was told about the pictures I was not really worried, I had no issue, no fear, because there was nothing in them which could be bad.
‘After that trip Ben went to Euston station to catch a train and I went home, that’s it.
‘I was upset and angry at how it was portrayed and I think the timing was suspicious.’
The snap, taken in June, was first printed in September the day before the launch of the 2014 series of Strictly in which Kristina was to enjoy a hugely successful partnership with Simon Webbe from boy band Blue.
The fallout did nothing to damage her career – she and Webbe eventually came second – but it coincided with a pause in Cohen’s marriage.
Lawyers for the rugby star, a member of England’s 2003 World Cup-winning squad, announced he and wife Abby would ‘take some time apart to deal with some marital issues’.
There was intense speculation that the ‘issues’ included his friendship with Kristina.
Cohen and his wife announced their separation and Kristina held crisis talks with Strictly’s producers at the BBC.
Showbusiness gossip suggested she was warned about her behaviour and told it had the potential to damage Strictly’s wholesome family brand. It is something Kristina denies.
Lawyers for the rugby star announced he and wife Abby would ‘take some time apart to deal with some marital issues’.There was intense speculation that the ‘issues’ included his friendship with Kristina
She says: ‘I called that meeting because I wanted to talk about it, to say it was uncomfortable for me but that I was fully committed to the job despite having a turbulent time in the media. They were very empathetic, said they valued me as a dancer and a teacher and told me, “We are there for you”.’
But the damage was done, at least to Kristina’s personal reputation. Online abuse labelling her a home-breaker was so hysterical she contemplated ending her life last September.
She recalls: ‘I felt so depressed and unhappy. My mum was reading all this stuff about me, some of it while she was in hospital with a cancer scare, how do you think that felt?’
As she discusses recent events she appears softer than her super-glamorous show persona suggests.
Without the bouffant hair, fake tropical tan and stage make-up she looks professional and businesslike, in a dark jacket and red top.
She does not see herself as the architect of all of her own troubles and genuinely regrets the brief relationship with Simone which helped create the reputation she now loathes. ‘All stories have two sides,’ she says.
In her liaisons with fellow Strictly stars, Kristina is far from alone. Since the franchise was born there’s been a trail of broken marriages across the globe because of the intimacy the show creates.
And the closeness of the dancing partners is not manufactured for the cameras. The couples work together for up to 16 hours a day, their dancing demanding hyper emotion and eroticism if it is to score winning marks.
Ben Cohen and Kristina Rihanoff dance the Rumba to 'Make You Feel My Love' during 2013's Strictly
Then add to that the allure stardom bestows. As judge Craig Revel Horwood said last year: ‘Being up close and personal all day every day, working on some sexy moves together, it’s almost inevitable.’
Kristina’s journey towards Strictly stardom began in Vladivostok where she supported her impoverished parents by giving dance lessons.
Spotted in competition she was headhunted to move to America in 2001, and make her name on the world’s dance stages.
She debuted on Strictly in 2008 partnering political broadcaster John Sergeant who became so popular for his terrible dancing that the couple were forced to withdraw before they won.
On the post-show tour she had a month-long affair with show professional Simone who cheated on his pregnant girlfriend to be with Kristina.
She said: ‘He made my life hell. He chose to lie to both me and his girlfriend by acting like a single person. I was the new girl desperate to fit in with that group of dancers. I had no reason not to trust him, it was his responsibility to tell me he was in a relationship. It was awful, like a cruel joke, I felt completely played and I regret it.
‘I blame myself for not seeing the reality, for only hearing what I wanted to hear. It was extremely damaging and I did not want to come back to Strictly. I only returned because the producers asked me to, promising it would blow over.’
Kristina with ex-boyfriend boxer Joe Calzaghe
And it did, but Kristina then tossed a huge firelighter back into the embers of the row by embarking on a relationship with Joe Calzaghe a year later.
Calzaghe’s model girlfriend of five years said the boxer dumped her when he started training with Kristina. Kristina maintains that Calzaghe was newly single when they first met.
She says: ‘His girlfriend dragged me into it by saying she had hoped he’d go back to her but it just wasn’t true. Lots of people meet their partner at work and my work is dancing. Joe and I had a wonderful life together even though being in the public eye was hard.
‘When the relationship is mentioned now it’s always from a negative perspective and that’s not right, we were committed and happy for a long time.’
Sadly the narrative of her fling with Simone helped write the script for the coverage of her relationship with Calzaghe, just as her four years with him is now influencing the allegations being made against her in relation to Cohen.
She’s found it a bruising experience for she is not as tough in real life as her glitzy showgirl image suggests.
She worries about the 10lbs added by television and admits she can’t bear to watch Strictly other than in brief clips on YouTube if she needs to review a routine.
‘Maybe I am a brand,’ she says, ‘but I don’t consider myself famous. I came to this country to dance, that’s all. I get on the bus and do my own laundry and shopping.
‘I don’t even have a cleaner, I do it myself the Russian way, down on my knees, scrubbing. When I’m not working I am so tired I am usually on my couch watching box sets. I don’t fuel gossip by going out to restaurants and clubs.’
Maybe not, but for as long as the Siberian Siren stars in Strictly it will billow around her as surely as dry ice rising from that iconic set.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3103998/Strictly-s-Kristina-finger-pointed-woman.html#ixzz3bhpwU6QJ
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Justin Bieber's glamorous friend Chantel Jeffries puts on a busty display as she suns herself on the beach in a thong bikini
Justin Bieber's glamorous friend Chantel Jeffries puts on a busty display as she suns herself on the beach in a thong bikini
She was one of Justin Bieber's constant companions last year.
But Chantel Jeffries proved she knows how to make a statement on her own as she sunned herself in Miami Beach, Florida on Saturday.
The 21-year-old model was showing off her curves in a seriously skimpy bikini as she took a dip in the ocean alongside a few female friends.
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Flower power: Justin Bieber's girl pal Chantel Jeffries took a dip in the ocean in Miami on Saturday, wearing a rather revealing floral bikini
Chantel, who was riding shotgun in Bieber's Lamborghini when he was arrested for drag racing last year, courted attention in a floral two-piece with yellow string detailing on the hips.
The barely-there bikini was cut in a thong style which flaunted her toned derrière as she sunned herself on the beach.
The stunning brunette also shared a snap of herself posing on a wooden bridge leading up to the sea, much to the delight of her 1.1million Instagram followers, who showered her with compliments.
Making a splash: Chantel appears to have cooled off her friendship with Bieber since last year's drama, when he was stopped by police in Miami for allegedly drag racing while under the influence last January
Chantel appears to have cooled off her friendship with Bieber since last year's drama, when he was stopped by police in Miami for allegedly drag racing while under the influence last January.
She then turned up in Panama with him days after the arrest, sparking rumours she was dating the Baby singer - but the charges were soon dropped.
Reflecting upon their getaway, Chantel told E! at the time: 'I just think he wanted to get away and have some fun. He was a gentleman.'
Skimpy: Chantel's thong swimwear left little to the imagination as she dried off on the sand
However, she was keen to shoot down the rumours and insisted they were nothing more than good friends, stating: 'I didn't date Justin.’
They also spent some time together last summer, sending the Canadian singer's fans into meltdown when they snuggled up for a bed selfie.
Justin - who has most recently been linked to model Hailey Baldwin - and Chantel were last seen together at a Shots events held in Beverly Hills last December.
Life's a beach: Chantel struck a pose against the picturesque seaside backdrop, sharing the snap with her 1.1million Instagram followers
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3104527/Justin-Bieber-s-ex-Chantel-Jeffries-puts-busty-display-thong-bikini.html#ixzz3bjnVAGuN
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Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman stuns in off-the-shoulder dress as she watches Prince Harry at the polo
Doctor Who star Jenna Coleman stuns in off-the-shoulder dress as she watches Prince Harry at the polo
Jenna Coleman looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder dress as she watched Prince Harry playing polo on Saturday.
With her locks styled into a chic shoulder length bob, the Doctor Who star looked relaxed and enjoyed the sunshine at the glamorous Audi Polo Challenge at Coworth Park in Ascot.
The petite actress, 29, paired the elegant cream dress with blue and white striped wedge sandals and completed the look with round sunglasses and a black bag.
Elegant: Jenna Coleman looked stunning in an off-the-shoulder dress as she watched Prince Harry playing polo on Saturday
She cut a slender figure as she mingled with A-listers at the stylish event as her Fifties-inspired off-the-shoulder dress accentuated her small waist.
The brunette beauty was seen chatting with War Horse actor Jeremy Irvine and Atlantis star Hannah Arterton, whose sister is Gemma.
She also partied with Unbroken star Jack O'Connell and Samuel L Jackson at the star-studded after party.
Stylish: The Doctor Who actress cut a slender figure as she mingled with A-listers including War Horse actor Jeremy Irvine
Chic sunglasses: The petite actress, 29, paired the elegant cream dress with round sunglasses
Star-studded party: Jenna rubbed shoulders with fellow actors including (l-r back row) Jack O'Connell, Harry Treadaway and Holliday Grainger as well as (l-r front row) Hannah Arterton and Perdita Weeks
The Pulp Fiction star was seen laughing and joking with Prince Harry in the VIP area earlier in the day.
Wearing his white polo kit and riding boots, the fifth-in-line to the throne grinned as he shook hands with the actor.
Jenna, who plays Clara Oswald, the Time Lord's companion, was impeccably turned out as she watched Prince Harry galloping across the field during the polo match.
Royal match: Jenna paired the elegant cream dress with blue and white striped wedge sandals as she watched Prince Harry playing polo on Saturday
Polo party: The brunette beauty was seen chatting with Atlantis star Hannah Arterton, whose sister is Gemma
Brunette beauty: She has been dating Richard Madden, who played Prince Charming in the recent Cinderella film, since 2011
She has been dating Richard Madden, who played Prince Charming in the recent Cinderella film, since 2011.
The pair looked besotted on the red carpet for the London premiere of the latest Disney reimagining in March, playfully dancing and giggling in front of the cameras.
She couldn't match his height in her sky-high heels, but looked elegant as she walked the blue carpet with her bobbed hair curled into messy waves.
The actress is currently now back filming for series 9 of the hit BBC show.
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-3104176/Doctor-star-Jenna-Coleman-stuns-shoulder-dress.html#ixzz3bhfkOlYs
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Super glam SamCam, the bikini babe aka Prime Minister David Cameron's wife Samantha
Super glam SamCam, the bikini babe - but how DID she get beach body ready? As PM courts European leaders she 'chillaxes' in Ibiza
- Samantha Cameron shared her husband's punishing Election schedule
- So everyone is asking: how did she find the time to get this beach-ready
- The 44-year-old showed off her slim toned figure on party island of Ibiza
She has spent the past few months travelling the country, sharing her husband’s punishing Election schedule.
So there’s one question everyone is asking: just how did Samantha Cameron find the time to get this beach-ready?
The 44-year-old showed off her slim, toned figure as she spent a few days unwinding on the Spanish party island of Ibiza.
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Relaxed: Bikini-clad Samantha Cameron was spotted on a public beach on the Spanish party island of Ibiza
She was spotted at the public Cala Nova Beach, an upmarket resort on the south east of the island – a place known for its unspoilt landscape, golden sands and azure seas.
Dressed in a classic black bikini – believed to be by British lingerie brand Pour Moi? – and carrying a matching clutch, she visited the beachside bar, which is open to all holidaymakers, with one of her children looking for ice cream.
As well as showing off her stylish side, Mrs Cameron also proved she is somewhat frugal. The bikini top – thought to be from the brand’s best-selling Azure line – costs £25, while the bottoms are priced £16.
During the Election, she was seen by Tory strategists as the party’s secret weapon, with some saying she has brought the same glamour to Downing Street that Jackie Kennedy did to JFK’s White House in the early 1960s.
Glam Sam: The Prime Minister's wife looking at ice creams with one of her children at a beachside bar
The photos are sure to make husband David a little wistful – far from being able ‘chillax’ himself, the Prime Minister is on a whistlestop tour of Europe in his efforts to reform the EU.
Marlene Reader, 67, a retired nurse from Middlesbrough, who goes to Ibiza twice a year with her family, said: ‘We saw Sam on the beach and she definitely looked better in the flesh.
‘She looked very pretty and natural – a normal mum. She was building sandcastles with her children. But there was a security presence every few feet. They went to the little bar – we were surprised they ate at such a small place.’
Ibiza – dubbed the dance capital of the world – has become a favourite of the Camerons, who have spent several summers there.
The trip is a well-earned break for Mrs Cameron, who has spent the past few months doing everything from cuddling babies in Lancashire to supporting social justice projects in Glasgow.
Asset: Mrs Cameron (pictured left with her husband on their return to No 10) was seen by Tory strategists as the party’s secret weapon. Right, pictured leafleting on a campaign visit to west London last month
... Even more fabulous four years on
Most women facing their first beach break after having a new baby would reach for a sarong. But not Samantha Cameron.
During a family trip to Ibiza in May 2011 – just nine months after giving birth to her daughter Florence – the Prime Minister’s wife was proudly showing off her flat stomach and toned legs.
Then Mrs Cameron hired celebrity trainer Matt Roberts to help her regain her pre-pregnancy figure – leading to speculation she has done the same for this year’s General Election campaign.
Four years ago, she looked fresh-faced and energetic as she lapped up the sunshine while her husband entertained the couple’s older children, Nancy and Elwen.
The family were staying with friends in a private villa for the half-term break.
Post-baby: Mrs Cameron on a family trip to Ibiza in 2011 – nine months after giving birth to daughter Florence
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3104040/Super-glam-SamCam-Ibiza-bikini-babe-DID-beach-body-ready.html#ixzz3bhZsz4iC
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