Tish Cyrus suspected ex Billy Ray of having affair with Elizabeth Hurley years ago when they were married

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Billy Ray Cyrus and Elizabeth Hurley managed to send their collective fandom into a spiral after casually announcing their romance during the Easter weekend.

While the world was left shell-shocked by the sudden announcement, the musician’s ex-wife was apparently the one who was not. 

According to a source, who shared with Daily Mail, Tish, 57, has reportedly long suspected her ex-husband of having an affair with the actress, 59, and even confronted the ‘Hannah Montana’ actor about it. 

The ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ singer, however, “flat out” denied the rumors to his then-wife, with whom he was married for almost three decades.

Tish Cyrus suspected Billy Ray Cyrus had an affair with Elizabeth Hurley while being married

The country star, 63, was married to Tish for almost three decades before finalizing their divorce in 2022. However, when they were still married, Tish reportedly noticed the present lovebirds growing close during the 2022 film ‘Christmas in Paradise’. 

As Billy Ray and Hurley appeared to make their romance public by sharing a PDA-filled picture of them, the source shared that the public announcement reportedly felt like a “slap in the face,” as she felt she was likely right in her assumption. 

Speaking to the outlet, the source shared, “Billy Ray met Elizabeth in 2022 on the set of their Christmas film, which they both starred in.”

They further continued, “Tish had her thoughts and suspicions at the time that he was cheating on her with Liz, but Billy Ray flat out denied it.”

The mole dished further, “They got very close on the set and seeing that they are together now is a slap in the face for Tish, but it also confirms that she was likely right about her suspicions,” before highlighting, “They never stopped being in contact.”

Speaking about the new relationship, the insider claimed that the ‘Strictly Confidential’ actress “is good” for Billy Ray and that he can “be himself” when he is with her. 

“Despite what people think about this, she is good for him,” continued the insider, as they added, “If she can keep Billy Ray on the straight and narrow, more power to her.”

They continued, “The fact that she has such a history with him and met him at a time in his life when he was doing well is a good thing. He can be himself around her..”

An insight into Billy Ray and Tish’s love lives post-divorce

The ‘Words By Heart’ singer and his ex-wife, who divorced in 2022, share daughters Miley, 32, and Noah, 25, and son Braison, 30, together. The country star also previously adopted Tish’s daughter Brandi, 37, and son Trace, 36, from her previous marriage.

Following the high-profile split, she went into a relationship with actor Dominic Purcell, with whom she tied the knot in August 2023, with Miley being the maid of honor. 

The ‘Some Gave All’ singer, on the other hand, moved on with singer Firerose, eventually tying the knot in 2023. However, his marriage fell apart, and the ex-couple parted ways following messy divorce in August 2024. 

While the exact date of the start of Billy Ray’s romance with Hurley is not yet known, with many claiming they started dating soon after his marriage to the singer ended, the insider noted that many in the singer's family “feel that Liz is a rebound from Firerose.”

Hurley, on the other hand, was previously married to tech businessman Arun Nayar from 2007 to 2011. She was also in a 13-year-old relationship with Hugh Grant, and dated cricketer Shane Warne around 2013. 

She is also the mother to her son, Damian, whom she shares with the late businessman Steve Bing.