The cricketing hero died suddenly aged 52 back in 2022

Liz Hurley has opened up about her heartbreak at visiting ex-fiancé Shane Warne‘s home country of Australia for the first time since he died.

Cricketing legend Shane – who appeared on I’m A Celebrity… Australia in 2016 – died in Thailand in 2022. He was 52 years old.

Liz and Shane started dating in 2010, with Shane popping the question the following year. And, although they split in 2013, the former couple remained close until his death. Liz has now found new love with country singer Billy Ray Cyrus.

Liz Hurley returned to Australia for the first time since her ex fiancé’s 2022 death (Credit: Splash News)

Liz Hurley ‘got very upset’ visiting family of late Shane Warne

Speaking on the Travel Secrets podcast, 60-year-old Liz Hurley has shared her “trauma” over heading Down Under for the first time since Shane died.

“Last November, we went to the Melbourne Cup and it was the first time I’d been back to Melbourne since Shane died. We knew it was going to be a very traumatic trip, so we linked it in to going racing and also an opportunity to get some closure in other ways,” she said.

Liz added: “Going back to Melbourne was very bittersweet. I got very upset, but then I was very glad that I went. And I know when I next go back to Australia, it’ll be fine.

“All Shane’s family are there. So I could see his mum and dad and brother, and it was the first time I’ve seen them since he passed away. I’ve seen the kids before because they come to England. So, yeah, that was really full of disturbing… Yeah, that wasn’t good, but I’m really glad I’ve done it,” she said.

Liz was stepmum to Shane’s kids – Jackson, Brooke and Summer, who he shared with ex-wife Simone. She shared a heartbreaking tribute following his tragic death.

Liz and Shane were together between 2010 and 2013, with the cricketer asking the model to marry him (Credit: Splash News)

‘It is still such a shock’

Meanwhile, Jackson Warne, 26, has also spoken about his cricketer dad’s death this week. Tragically, he said that the star’s family heard that he had died at the same time as the rest of the world.

“It was the worst phone call of my life. I found out at the same time as the rest of the world. As soon as I hung up on the first call, I got messages from people saying: ‘Tell me it’s not true,’” he told the Herald Sun.

Jackson said he was with his mum and sister Brooke when Shane’s manager called with the news. He revealed how the family received two phone calls. The first explained that Shane had had a massive heart attack. The second told them CPR was underway. Then, after a 90-minute wait, they were given the heartbreaking news that he’d died.

Jackson explained that there were initially two separate phone calls, the first explaining that Shane had a massive heart attack, and the second informing the family that a resuscitation attempt was underway.

“There was not a single part of me that thought Dad wouldn’t make it. That thought wasn’t there 100%. I looked at him as Superman. I didn’t think anything would happen to him. It still is such a shock,” he said.

Shane Warne was 52 years old when he died (Credit: Splash News)

How did Shane Warne die?

Shane died a day after checking into Samujana Villas in Koh Samui, Thailand, on March 4, 2022.

That morning, he left a local tailor after ordering clothes at around 1pm. He was spotted on CCTV returning to his villa about 30 minutes later. Just before 3pm, four spa therapists were seen on CCTV after leaving the resort. There were claims at the time that two of them gave Shane a massage.

Between 3.15pm and 4pm, Shane is said to have received a final massage before watching a cricket match on TV. At 5.15pm his manager Andrew Neophitou found Shane unresponsive in his room and began CPR. Paramedics were called five minutes later but they were unable to resuscitate Shane.

At 7.05pm Shane was pronounced dead at the Thai International Hospital.