The untold heartbreak of Elizabeth Hurley and Billy Ray Cyrus: The real reasons they won’t merge their families

Eyes closed and beaming as her new man planted a kiss on her cheek, there were no signs of the pain Elizabeth Hurley and her new man Billy Ray Cyrus have suffered as they confirmed their shock new romance.

After blindsiding fans over Easter, the British actress, 59, and the Achy Breaky Heart crooner, 63, continued their love-in this weekend, sharing pictures from a recent trip to his Tennessee home.

But behind their newfound happiness is years of personal struggles and heartbreak, the pain of which is said to have bonded the unlikely duo.

Elizabeth was ‘left reeling’ when Steve Bing, the father of her only child, took his own life in June 2020. Two years later she was heartbroken by the news of her ex-fiancé Shane Warne’s death.

Meanwhile, Billy Ray has endured two divorces in two years and has been plagued by reports of estrangement from his children and concerns for his wellbeing after his son Trace shared an open letter to his father following his controversial performance at President Trump’s inauguration.

‘Liz has had her struggles,’ an insider told DailyMail.com. ‘She was left reeling after Steve’s death and was dealt another blow when Shane died two years later.

Elizabeth Hurley shared more photos from her shock new romance with Billy Ray Cyrus after the unlikely couple went public with their relationshipat Easter 

But behind their newfound happiness is years of personal struggles and heartbreak, the pain of which is said to have bonded the unlikely duo, a source told DailyMail.com 

‘Billy Ray has had issues with his love life and with family in recent years. They have bonded over heartbreak and they both revel in each other’s resilience.

‘There’s definitely a spark between them. They just get along.’

But when it comes to their children, the source said they want to ‘figure each other out before they start adding in other family members.’

Hurley has son Damian, 23, while Billy Ray shares daughters Miley, 32, and Noah, 25, as well as son Braison, 30, with his ex-wife Tish Cyrus.

He also adopted her children, daughter Brandi, 37, and son Trace, 36, from her previous marriage to musician Baxter Neal Helson.

The two families have yet to unite, but Damian has grown close to Billy Ray, even joining his mother during her recent stay at the singer’s sprawling 500-acre Tennessee farm.

‘Billy does have a connection with Damian, and talks to him a bunch, but they will take the time to fully incorporate their families,’ the insider said.

‘Miley isn’t paying much attention to who her dad is dating because she still has to figure out what type of relationship she wants with him going forward.’

‘Liz has had her struggles,’ an insider told DailyMail.com. ‘She was left reeling after Steve [Bing’s] death and was dealt another blow when Shane [Warne] died two years later’

‘Billy Ray has had issues with his love life and with family in recent years,’ they continued. ‘They have bonded over heartbreak and they both revel in each other’s resilience’ (pictured together in 2022 movie Christmas in Paradise)

DailyMail.com has contacted representatives for Billy Ray, Elizabeth and Miley for comment. 

The father-daughter duo have had a strained relationship since he split from Tish in 2022, with Miley and her siblings seemingly picking sides. She was a no show at his wedding to Firerose in 2023 which was attended by Noah and Braison and ended last year with a very public and bitter divorce.

Rumors of estrangement between Miley and her father intensified when she failed to mention him during her acceptance speech for Record of the Year at the 2024 Grammy Awards, in which she gave a shout out to her sister Brandi and mom Tish.

DailyMail.com previously reported how Billy Ray’s new relationship had come as a ‘slap in the face’ for his ex wife who had long suspected a relationship with Elizabeth.

Tish and Billy Ray officially divorced in April 2022 after nearly three decades of marriage.

She is now married to actor Dominic Purcell, who she wed in an intimate Malibu ceremony in August 2023 with Miley as her maid of honor. Noah and Braison did not attend.

Elizabeth was previously married to multimillionaire textile heir Arun Nayar in 2007. They divorced in 2011, but have remained good friends, with the actress once claiming that it was the ‘cheapest case’ her lawyer had ever handled ‘because neither of us wanted anything.’

She was previously engaged to Australian cricketer Shane. The pair dated from 2010 until 2013, with the sportsman proposing in 2011.

Elizabeth’s son Damian, 25, gets on with Billy Ray, but the new couple want to ‘figure each other out before they start adding in other family members’

‘Miley isn’t paying much attention to who her dad is dating because she still has to figure out what type of relationship she wants with him,’ our source said

The father-daughter duo have had a strained relationship since he split from Tish in 2022, with Miley a no-show at his wedding to Firerose in 2023 (pictured). The couple split last year  

He was found unresponsive in his villa in Koh Samui, and was later pronounced dead aged 52, back in 2022. Elizabeth was left heartbroken.

‘I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever,’ she wrote on Instagram at the time alongside pictures of the pair. ‘RIP my beloved Lionheart.’

Last week she received the seal of approval from Shane’s daughter Brooke, 27. The influencer wrote ‘gorgeous’ and posted a love heart and cowboy emoji in response to a gallery of images the actress had tagged Billy Ray in.

Austin Powers actress Elizabeth starred alongside Billy Ray in 2022 film Christmas in Paradise. They reconnected when she came to his aid as his third marriage crumbled last year, sending him a message to let him know ‘you’ve got a friend in your corner.’ 

Sources recently told The Sun that friends have said ‘marriage could be on the cards’ soon.