Billy Ray Cyrus opened up about his new relationship with Elizabeth Hurley for the first time while appearing on Apple Music Country’s The Ty Bentli Show. 

Less than a week after hard launching his romance with the Austin Powers actress, 59, on Instagram, the country star, 63, revealed how he found love again following his divorce with Firerose last year. 

While navigating a difficult period in his life, the Achy Breaky Heart crooner recalled receiving an unexpected text message from his former Christmas in Paradise. 

‘I felt like, ‘Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?’ For me, at a certain point it was like, you can’t get knocked down any flatter than laying on your back when life is kicking you,’ he said. ‘And in this moment… a friend reached out.’ 

According to Cyrus, Hurley’s message read something along the lines of: ‘Hey, it looks like life might be a little bit tough and just wanted you to know I’m in your corner; you’ve got a friend in your corner.’ 

Upon getting her text, the father-of-five  admitted he ‘didn’t even know the number.’

Billy Ray Cyrus opened up about his new relationship with Elizabeth Hurley for the first time while appearing on Apple Music Country’s The Ty Bentli Show

‘So, I text back, I go, “Who is this?” And it’s like, “Elizabeth Hurley.” Of all the people to reach out to me in that second that maybe I needed most… this friend who made me laugh,’ he said. 

Although they hadn’t spoken in ‘two years’ shortly after wrapping their 2022 holiday film, Cyrus instantly remembered ‘there was a chemistry’ between them on set during their ‘very few scenes together.’

Read More Elizabeth Hurley shares sneak peek inside new life with ‘hillbilly’ lover Billy Ray Cyrus

‘We just laughed, and it was at a time I wasn’t laughing a lot,’ he noted. ‘The oddest part was first, how much we laughed. Second, I figured we were so different but in some very strange way we had way more in common than we had different.’

Christmas in Paradise was sH๏τ in the Caribbean, not long after he separated from ex-wife Tish in April 2022 after 28 years of marriage.

Cyrus proceeded to describe Hurley as a ‘a great human being’ and insisted he would have been satisfied just being friends.

‘She’s so impressively brilliant. She reminds me a lot of Dolly Parton. She’s a very smart businesswoman,’ he gushed. ‘If you can laugh together, you can make it through everything.’

Cyrus also teased that there would be more pH๏τos of them coming since taking their relationship public on Easter with a sweet pH๏τo of him giving her a kiss on the cheek. 

‘There will be one coming where she’s kissing me because people have been saying, “Why’s he always kissing her?” Unfortunately when I see her, when she puts her cheek out there, I don’t know what happens, I just kiss it,’ he mused.

Less than a week after hard launching his romance with the Austin Powers actress, 59, on Instagram, the country star, 63, revealed how he found love again following his divorce with Firerose last year.

While navigating a difficult period in his life, the Achy Breaky Heart crooner recalled receiving an unexpected text message from his former Christmas in Paradise

The singer raved that their relationship has ‘been beautiful.’ 

Cyrus also said he loves Hurley’s son, Damian, 23, ‘a lot.’

‘It’s great that God brought them into my life when he did. It’s just a good thing. It’s been a long time since I’ve been this happy,’ he said of his new relationship.

A source told Us Weekly that the pair ‘bonded over life experiences’ as they’ve ‘both been through a lot in life’ adding that the relationship is ‘very recent.’   

‘I felt like, ‘Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?’ For me, at a certain point it was like, you can’t get knocked down any flatter than laying on your back when life is kicking you,’ he said. ‘And in this moment… a friend reached out’

‘They really understand each other and Liz is a very compᴀssionate person, which Billy Ray adores,’ the insider added.

The actress and model has been spending time with Cyrus at his Nashville farm, as they both enjoy ‘the low-key, nature-loving lifestyle.’

The pair have ‘just been enjoying life together and wanted to make it public. They have nothing to hide and are very happy.’  

Elizabeth previously confessed that ‘the opportunity to work with Billy Ray’ was one of the main reasons she sH๏τ the Lionsgate sequel to the 2021 flick Father Christmas is Back opposite onscreen dad Kelsey Grammer (who’s only 11 years older than her).

‘I’ve long been a fan of [Cyrus],’ Hurley gushed to MovieWeb in 2022.

According to Cyrus, Hurley’s message read something along the lines of: ‘Hey, it looks like life might be a little bit tough and just wanted you to know I’m in your corner; you’ve got a friend in your corner’

‘My son [Damian] was the age where he used to watch Hannah Montana all the time, so of course, I used to watch it with him. I knew Billy Ray really well from that, and of course, some of his music. That was a big plus.’

Indeed, the two-time Grammy winner portrayed widowed single father Robby Ray Stewart in the Disney Channel series from 2006-2011 opposite his real-life estranged daughter Miley Cyrus.

Their relationship shocked fans, coming just months after Billy’s whirlwind divorce from singer Firerose in August, following a dramatic break-up that played out both publicly and privately. 

However, new reports claim that it was Billy and Firerose’s split that laid the foundation for his romance with Liz, with the singer said to have reached out to the model for help during the ‘really hard time’.

A source told The Sun: ‘There has always been a spark, but he reached out again last year when his short-lived third marriage ended. He has had a really hard time, but she has been there helping him turn things around.’

‘Liz has been really great for him, but her friends are cautious because of what’s been said in the past about him. She insists he has turned a corner and is a changed man.’

Upon getting her text, the father-of-five admitted he ‘didn’t even know the number’

They went on to reveal that the Bedazzled star has been helping Billy Ray by urging him to take steps to fix his relationship with his estranged children.

Pop star Miley and her father have had a strained relationship over the years, as have several of her siblings, including sister Noah, 25.

While Liz has a famously close relationship with her own son Damian, 23, with the pair saying they are more like ‘siblings’ than parent and child.

The insider said: ‘Liz has been encouraging [Billy Ray] to mend his fractured relationship with his daughter Miley, as well as his other children. Her closeness with Damian is inspiring.’

Billy Ray reportedly hid his new relationship with Elizabeth from his superstar daughter Miley, with sources claiming the singer, 32, ‘won’t be happy’ about their romance.

Their relationship shocked fans, coming just months after Billy’s whirlwind divorce from singer Firerose in August (seen in 2023)

An insider has come forward to allege three-time Grammy winner Miley had no idea they were even together. ‘Of course Miley didn’t know,’ a source told New Idea just hours after their Easter debut.

‘She stays away from her dad as much as possible. She won’t be happy about this. She’s about to launch an album and a movie and this is going to overshadow it all!’

A source previously told DailyMail.com that Billy Ray became ‘a recluse’ since his split from Firerose because he ‘truly believed’ she was ‘the one.’

‘Since [their divorce], Billy has shut a lot of people out because he really trusts no one,’ they added.

Billy and Firerose announced their engagement in August 2022 and went on to exchange vows at their farm in October 2023.

However, in June 2024, news hit the web that the couple were going their separate ways after only seven months of marriage.