Former Strictly star Kristina Rihanoff has candidly discussed the difficult childhood she faced while growing up in the Soviet Union.
The 39-year-old professional dancer, who soared to fame on Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, revealed her embattled former years at the hands of her parents led to her turning her back on school and seeking solace in dance.
Speaking to Closer magazine, Kristina admitted since becoming a mother to daughter Milena last summer, with partner Ben Cohen, her life has changed for the better and helped heal the wounds of her youth.
Happier times: Former Strictly star Kristina Rihanoff has candidly discussed the abuse she was subjected to during her childhood in the Soviet Union
Kristina grew up in Vladivostok, Russia to engineer parents, who split when she was 10, leading to the star having to work as a part-time dance instructor at the age of 15 to help in her mother’s single parent household.
Prior to their split, the blonde beauty, nicknamed the Siberian Siren on Strictly, revealed the struggles of her parents’ constant rows and violence.
She told the magazine: ‘My parents were often violent towards each other, always arguing and being verbally aggressive. From about the age of 10, I saw my mum being very unhappy in her relationship.
‘It drove me away from home and towards dance school. That’s where I felt comfortable. The dance floor became my safe zone.
Moving on: The 39-year-old professional dancer, who soared to fame on Strictly Come Dancing in 2008, revealed her embattled former years at the hands of violent parents led to her turning her back on school and seeking solace in dance
Found love: Kristina found love with Ben Cohen in 2015 before welcoming a child last year
‘A lot was going on in Russia at that time – the Soviet Union was collapsing, families were losing their jobs and savings and kids were going off the rails. But dancing kept me happy and away from trouble.’
Kristina has spoken in the past about life growing up in the Soviet Union, as she told The Telegraph in 2013, she said: ‘When I grew up in Vladivostok in Russia my parents didn’t have much money. They were both engineers.
‘At that time it was still the Soviet Union and everybody got paid the same by the government, which wasn’t much.
‘We managed OK but it taught me to be very careful with money. When I started earning – and I started teaching dance very early, when I was 15 – I was very careful with the little that I earned.
‘Even now, when I make a bit more money and could buy loads of things, I never go crazy because I send money back to Russia to my family. I support my mum and my aunt, who is a single mother with two kids.’
Growing up: She said: ‘At that time it was still the Soviet Union and everybody got paid the same by the government, which wasn’t much’