Shane Warne death: Elizabeth Hurley pays tribute to cricket legend and ex-fiancé
Shane Warne Death: Shane Warne‘s ex-fiance Elizabeth Hurley has broken her silence in the wake of the cricket legend’s shocking death on Friday evening.
Hurley took to Instagram late on Saturday night to remember her “beloved Lionheart”, sharing a picture of the two of them.
“I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart,” she wrote.
Warne and Hurley first got together in 2010, with the Aussie cricketer proposing to the actor in September 2011 before their split in 2013.
Speaking about their relationship in 2018, Warne said “who knows what the future holds?”
“There’s a difference between being in love with someone and loving someone. I’ll always love Elizabeth but I don’t think we’ll ever get back together,” he said at the time.
Hurley’s post comes as the world was left in disbelief after the news broke that the 52-year-old had died of a heart attack in Thailand.
Her son Damian, 19, also took to Instagram to share his memories of the cricket great who he described as a ‘father figure’ to him in his formative years. The model described Warne as ‘one of the best men I’ve ever known in a moving post about his mother’s ex.
Damian’s biological father, Steve Bing, took his own life in June 2020. It was revealed last year that Damian would not receive any money from his late father’s estate after his paternal grandfather fought to overturn the decision to include him in Steve’s will.
Warne was found unresponsive in a villa on Koh Samui on Friday afternoon when one friend reportedly tried to wake him to no avail.
Warne had gone away with mates as he took three months off from work.
Tributes have come in thick and fast for the cricket legend, from current and former players to admirers of his cricketing exploits and everything in between.
It has also been revealed that Warne will be honoured at a state funeral and the Great Southern Stand at his beloved MCG will be renamed the S.K. Warne Stand.
Former England star Isa Guha left no dry eyes in the place as she paid tribute to Warne.
“Just stunned. I loved him, and he just did so much for so many people,” Guha said.
“He was magic, watching him on the screen as a cricketer.
“So many incredible stories of him playing cricket.
“But post that, he just made people feel that much taller, 10 feet taller, which is a tremendous help to me, specifically.
“Coming into the commentary box, I could have felt quite intimidated being around someone like Shane Warne.
“But he showed tremendous respect, and when he respected and liked someone, he always had that loyalty and generosity, and that just gave me tremendous confidence in the commentary box.”
She said Warne supported her as a broadcaster but also radiated gratitude for his life and his family.
Former England captain Michael Vaughan struggled to get through his interview on Fox Cricket, saying he was “like everybody else, absolutely gutted” and that he was “distraught”.
Vaughan, who commentated alongside Warne during the Ashes, said he went from rivals on the field to mates off it.
The former English captain said he shared Warne’s last Christmas with him and his family and said it was “very special to me”.
Vaughan said that while he may have died at a young age, 52, but he packed as much into life as he could, saying “he’s probably lived the age of an 85-year-old. One thing the King has done is that every minute he’s been on this planet, he’s made the most of it.”
But asked about what Warne means to the UK, Vaughan was overcome with emotions, saying he had spoken to many of them yesterday.
“They’re gutted, he’s going to be hugely missed over here,” Vaughan said as he couldn’t hold his emotions in any longer.
Vaughan also took to Instagram, sharing a picture of he and Warne together over Christmas.
“It just doesn’t feel real to be talking about someone who once was an enemy on the pitch to one who became a great friend off it,” he wrote.
“Shane was the greatest ever cricketer but more than that his character lit up every dressing room, comm box, bar, golf club & friendship group.
“I will never ever forget the warmth he & his family gave me this winter when I was down under for Xmas alone. To say I spent Warney’s last Xmas with him and his family is so sad but one I will cherish. All of us eating turkey, beef, the usual Xmas trimmings & the King to stick to his lasagne sandwich’s with bread rolls plastered with butter … that’s Warney.”
Former Australian captain Allan Border said he had shed plenty of tears after the death of Rod Marsh on Friday and Warne in the early hours of Saturday morning.
“I’ve shed some tears over the last couple of days with Rod Marsh. It’s going to be hard getting through the next couple of days finally realising I’m not going to see Shane again,” Border said.
“It’s just so sad.”
Border also said Warne is in the argument for the greatest bowler Australia has ever produced.
“Sir Donald Bradman was a batsman, he’s our best batsman,” Border said.
“But who’s our best bowler? That starts an interesting debate: Lillee and McGrath, but Warne’s got to be our best bowler ever.
“When Shane Warne was in the Australian cricket team, Australia won Test matches. It was the same with Bradman.”
Former Australia wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist said he was “stunned, numb” over the news.
“I’ve said so many times to so many people, the highlight of my cricketing career was to wicketkeep to Shane Warne,” Gilchrist said.
“I feel like we (he and Ian Healy) were thieves in the night being pretty much the only two to have the best seat in the house to watch a maestro at work.
“I feel like we’ve done the wrong thing by society to steal those seats for so long. But gee, it was a highlight, it was the best part of the game.”
Brett Lee said it was a “horrible day” and said he was in disbelief when he first heard the news.
Fox Cricket commentator Mark Howard also said Warne was “many many different things to many many different people”, from cricket legend, to doting father, to loyal friend, to icon for children who followed his every move.
Leg spinning great Kerry O’Keeffe also teared up as he spoke of his sadness about Warne’s death.
“The great Richie Benaud once said ‘don’t ever use the word tragedy in a cricket commentary situation’,” he said with a tear in his eye.
“Today is a tragedy. We’ve lost one of our greatest ever at 52.”
Former Australian captain Mark Taylor said the loss was “sinking in slowly”.
“I’m deeply saddened that I’m not going to see him again, I spoke to AB (Allan Border) a short time ago and we shared that sentiment.”
Source: NZ Herald
