Elizabeth Hurley has joked that her 23-year-old son Damian might not inherit her fortune — because she intends to spend it all before she dies.
The 60-year-old actress and model stars in Channel 4’s new reality game show The Inheritance, in which she plays a wealthy benefactor who continues to issue instructions to contestants from beyond the grave.
In real life, however, she says she hopes her loved ones “check out on empty,” having enjoyed their money rather than saving it for others.
Hurley reflected that while she treasures a few heirlooms, such as her late great aunt’s porcelain coffee cups, she would prefer family members to focus on experiences rather than legacies.
Asked whether Damian could expect to benefit financially in the future, she suggested not, admitting she may go out “on empty.”
In The Inheritance, which begins Sunday at 9pm, Hurley plays “The Deceased,” a glamorous figure who leaves behind video messages recorded before her death. Thirteen contestants are brought to a stately home to compete in challenges overseen by barrister and broadcaster Rob Rinder, acting as executor of her fictional will. The better they perform, the larger the share of money released.
Hurley said she relished the camp premise, which even required her to film scenes inside a coffin. She has portrayed death on screen before, but lying in state for the production was a new experience — one she described as oddly restful.
The actress, known for roles in Austin Powers and The Royals, is also enjoying a busy personal life.
Earlier this year she confirmed she is dating American country singer Billy Ray Cyrus, 64.
Since making their relationship public in April, the pair have been regulars on the red carpet and have also embraced quieter pursuits, from adopting tortoises to birdwatching in the countryside near her £6 million Herefordshire home.
Hurley said they had spent much of the summer together in the UK, attending concerts by Cyrus’s daughters Miley and Noah, and enjoying the rural setting where The Inheritance was filmed.
She has previously spoken of her love of outdoor work, including hedge-cutting to stay fit, and says she avoids processed food to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
