Elizabeth Hurley Pays Tribute To Ex-Fiancé Shane Warne: 'RIP My Beloved Lionheart'

The Australian cricket legend died suddenly this week at the age of 52.
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Shane Warne and Elizabeth Hurley pictured in 2012
Lewis Whyld via PA Wire/PA Images

Elizabeth Hurley has spoken out following the death of her ex-fiancé Shane Warne.

Earlier this week, it was announced that the Australian cricket legend had died suddenly at the age of 52, following a suspected heart attack.

The following afternoon, Elizabeth – who was engaged to Shane between September 2011 and December 2013 – paid her respects publicly in an Instagram post.

Alongside a series of throwback photos taken over the course of their relationship, the Austin Powers star wrote: “I feel like the sun has gone behind a cloud forever. RIP my beloved Lionheart.”

Elizabeth’s 19-year-old son, model Damian Hurley, also paid his respects to his mum’s former partner on social media.

“I’m still trying to wrap my head around this,” he told his followers. “SW was a father figure to me for most of my formative years and was truly one the best men I’ve ever known.

“My heart is broken. Thinking of and sending love to all SW’s family.”

Shane, who began his professional cricket career in the early 90s, went on to be considered one of the greats of the sport, and is credited with “reviving the art of leg-spin”.

Over the course of his career, he set the record for most Test wickets taken by any bowler with 708, though this was later bested by fellow spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in 2007.

At the 1999 cricket World Cup, Shane was the joint-leading wicket-taker as Australia won the tournament, and finished with 293 one-day dismissals in 194 matches.

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Shane Warne and teammate Steve Waugh proudly display the World Cup trophy in 1999
Stuart Milligan via Getty Images

He ended his international cricket career in 2007, before retiring from cricket completely in 2013, the same year he was inducted into the International Cricket Council’s Cricket Hall Of Fame.

Following his retirement, he worked as a cricket commentator in both Australia and the UK, as well as briefly serving as a guest captain on the BBC panel show A Question Of Sport.

Shane was embroiled in several scandals during his time as a professional sportsman, including a one-year ban from organised cricket after he tested positive for a banned diuretic.

Outside of the cricket world, he briefly presented his own chat show, Warnie, in his native Australia, and portrayed a Shane Warne impersonator in the cult sitcom Kath & Kim in 2007.

He also appeared on the Australian version of the reality show I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here! in 2016.