Former England rugby player Ben Cohen has shared devastating personal news, revealing that his teenage daughter Isabelle requires surgery to have a pacemaker fitted. The emotional disclosure is set to air in a forthcoming episode of Channel 4's Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins.
Emotional Confession Under Interrogation
During a tense interrogation on the gruelling reality show, the 47-year-old sportsman opened up about the family's health crisis. He described the past 18 months as 'horrendous', a period compounded by his on-off relationship with former Strictly Come Dancing professional Kristina Rihanoff and significant money troubles.
Ben Cohen is father to twins Isabelle and Harriet from his marriage to ex-wife Abby Cohen, and to daughter Milena with Kristina Rihanoff. He spoke of the immense pressure of processing his daughter's serious health diagnosis while trying to remain a 'pillar of strength' for his children.
The Family's Health Struggle and Personal Turmoil
While the specific nature of Isabelle's heart condition was not detailed on the show, reports suggest Ben writes a heartfelt letter to his daughter, praising her courage following her diagnosis. A pacemaker is a small implanted device that regulates heartbeat with electrical impulses, preventing it from beating too slowly or irregularly, and is crucial for managing certain cardiac arrhythmias.
Cohen explained the cumulative toll of his circumstances, stating: 'There's so much going on in my life personally, in so many different areas, when you get to this point it almost takes the lid off the can and all those emotions swirl with each other.' He added that a lot of 'horrible stuff' had been happening and that you don't realise what will 'come back and get you a little bit later.'
Relationship and Financial Pressures
The former Strictly star's personal life has been under public scrutiny. His relationship with Kristina Rihanoff, which began when they were paired on the BBC show in 2013, has been tumultuous. After breaking up earlier in 2025 amid reported financial difficulties, the couple were seen rekindling their romance at a fashion event in September.
Their shared business ventures, including a yoga studio, faced spiralling debt during the Covid-19 pandemic. Ben previously told a court he was fighting 'not to lose everything - my cars and my house and my relationship'. It is also thought he discusses the death of his father, Peter Cohen, during the SAS episode.
The emotional episode of Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins promises to show a vulnerable side to the rugby hardman, focusing on his role as a father grappling with a child's serious illness amidst a backdrop of personal and financial strain.
