Ben Cohen’s heartbreak after father attacked by gang in nightclub that led to his death

‘They beat him to an inch of his life’

Ben Cohen previously opened up about the tragic death of his father after he was attacked over 20 years ago.

The rugby star was left heartbroken in 2000 when his dad Peter, was beaten up at a nightclub after trying to break up a brawl. Peter was hospitalised but sadly died just four weeks later from a blood clot.

And over years later, Ben – who is on Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins today (January 4) – spoke about the tragedy, revealing he has been left scarred by it.

Ben Cohen during a podcast
Ben’s father died over 20 years ago (Credit: The Good The Bad and the Rugby / YouTube)

Ben Cohen on dad’s brutal attack that led to death

In 2023, Ben appeared on ITV’s two-part series Grand Slammers, here he reflected on his father’s attack and later death. At the time, his dad was at the Eternity nightclub in Northampton in 2000 when he tried to break up a fight.

Peter ended up getting attacked and suffered serious head injuries. As a result, he was rushed to the hospital but died four weeks later from a blood clot.

On the ITV show Strictly star Ben was seen looking at photos of the attackers – who have since been freed. Ben said: “These guys started a fight, my dad tried to stop it and they beat him to an inch of his life.”

Ben looking serious
Ben was left devastated (Credit: ITV)

‘I hope it haunts them for the rest of their life’

Ben added: “I got called in to go to hospital, and then, pretty much the last conversation I had with my dad. He died a month later of his injuries.”

Sharing his frustration over their sentencing, Ben added: “They got done for violent disorder in the end. They got three years, I think and they were out in 18 months.

“Was it a long enough sentence? No. Of course not. I hope it haunts them for the rest of their life because it has me.”

Ben also spoke about how his father would be encouraging him to move on from his death. He shared: “All of this kind of stuff going through my head, you can let it chew you up, you can let it spit you out.

“I know one thing that my dad would want me to do, is keep looking forward. ‘Don’t keep looking back, son.’”