Former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Kristina Rihanoff has revealed she is facing an elevated risk of breast cancer after discovering she carries a rare genetic mutation.
The 49-year-old television personality disclosed that she has been suffering in silence over the past year while enduring extreme perimenopause symptoms, heavy periods, and a secret cancer scare.
Medical testing confirmed that Rihanoff carries an abnormal CHEK2 gene, a genetic mutation that doubles her risk of developing breast cancer. Following the discovery, she has undergone regular hospital checks, including mammograms, blood tests, and scans of both her ovaries and breasts.
Genetic mutation and medical decisions
Doctors have advised Rihanoff against taking Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT) to manage her symptoms due to her genetic profile. Perimenopause is the transitional phase leading up to menopause, during which a woman's ovaries gradually produce less estrogen, often leading to symptoms such as irregular periods, hot flushes, and severe mood changes. While HRT is commonly prescribed to relieve these physical symptoms by replacing declining hormones, medical professionals may advise against its use in patients with specific genetic mutations associated with elevated cancer risks.
Without the option of taking HRT, the professional dancer is currently having to decide whether to undergo a hysterectomy to remove her womb and ovaries to stop her periods. A hysterectomy is a surgical operation to remove the uterus, often accompanied by an oophorectomy to remove the ovaries, a procedure sometimes recommended to reduce cancer risk or treat severe gynaecological symptoms.
Rihanoff explained that a family history of both ovarian cancer and breast cancer prompted her to undergo genetic testing in 2023, which ultimately led to the discovery of the abnormal CHEK2 gene.
Emotional impact and daily struggles
Speaking in an interview with Closer magazine, Rihanoff admitted that her ongoing health struggles are taking a heavy toll on her mental and physical well-being. She explained: "Now I live with this worry day and night. Once I start worrying, I can't get it out of my head... It's like a monster that grows inside you. I wake up sweating, with my heart jumping out of my chest. I'm normally good at looking on the bright side, but this has been so demoralising and it's really taking its toll."
The physical symptoms have also severely impacted her day-to-day life. She added: "For the last three or four months, I've felt like I'm in a black hole. I don't want to socialise or be in the public eye... Some days, I can barely get out of bed because of the pain, sickness and headaches, but I've been putting on a brave face."
Despite her dark days, Rihanoff noted that her 10-year-old daughter Mila helps her cope when she feels overwhelmed. She also stated that she wanted to speak out to encourage people to be more aware of what others could be going through in secret.
Dancing career and charity campaigning
Rihanoff is best known to television audiences as a popular professional dancer on BBC One's flagship entertainment show Strictly Come Dancing. Born in Russia, she trained extensively in ballroom and Latin dance before joining the cast of Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, performing on the series for eight consecutive years until 2015.
Her recent health disclosure builds on a history of supporting cancer awareness. In 2013, Rihanoff took part in the Dare To Bare campaign with online beauty retailer Escentual.com to raise money for Breast Cancer Care. As part of the campaign, she posed without make-up to raise public awareness and funds for the charity, which provides specialist support for anyone affected by breast cancer in the UK.
Relationship breakdown and financial struggles
Rihanoff's health scare follows a turbulent period in her personal life, marked by financial difficulties and the end of her 12-year relationship with former England rugby player Ben Cohen. The couple split last year, becoming the latest high-profile partners to be linked in the press to the infamous Strictly curse.
The term Strictly curse refers to the long-standing media phenomenon describing the breakdown of real-life romantic relationships involving celebrities or professional dancers competing on the BBC show. Cohen, 46, won the Rugby World Cup with England in 2003 as a winger before appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, where he partnered Rihanoff on the dance floor.
Reports last year revealed that Rihanoff and Cohen were facing a major dispute with creditors and the government due to severe financial problems. Daily Mail was told that severe financial difficulties were believed to be behind their eventual split.
The couple faced crippling debts after investing their savings into a yoga studio business, which plunged into crisis during the Covid pandemic. A friend of the couple told MailOnline: "The past six months have been hell for them and it has torn the love they had apart. For the sake of their family, they have chosen to go forward as separate individuals. Those close to them who know them as a couple had hoped they would be able to work things out but for now it's over and it looks like there's no going back."
Court appearance and insurance dispute
The full extent of their financial distress was laid bare during a court appearance last September when Rihanoff was caught driving without valid motor insurance. Giving evidence during the court case, England World Cup winning star Cohen admitted that he had bungled the handling of their car insurance policy.
In a frank admission to the court, Cohen revealed that he was fighting to save his relationship and home amidst escalating financial pressure. He told the court: "I get up every day and I fight not to lose everything - to lose my cars and my house and my relationship. I'm so overdrawn."
As Rihanoff continues to weigh her surgical choices with her medical team, she remains focused on managing her health while caring for her daughter.
