Billy Ray Cyrus' ex-wife Tish reflects on 'hard times' during marriage and 'surviving' parenthood as he debuts new romance with Elizabeth Hurley

Daily Mail​

02-05-2025

' ex-wife Tish Cyrus has reflected on 'hard times' during their marriage and admitted she was 'just surviving and getting through every day' when their kids were younger.
Tish, 57, lifted the lid on the difficulties she faced raising five children while the country star, 63, was 'on the road a lot' during an episode of her podcast Sorry We're Cyrus, which was released on April 24.
Joined by her daughter Noah Cyrus, 25, she also reflected on a hard time and 'crazy period' in her life where she suffered with anxiety and her children 'didn't know what to do'.
The episode is thought to be recorded before Billy went public with his new relationship with Elizabeth Hurley, 59, last month, with pals claiming they're set to marry.
In an emotional conversation, Noah told her mother how 'proud' she is of her for making it through a really hard time.
The singer said: 'You got yourself through such a hard time and I'm proud of you. Like, you did that. You are the one that does the work. You did do it yourself.
'I didn't get the anxiety out of you. I was just there to be there for you but it's you that gets yourself out of that, it's not anybody else. So that's something to really be proud of yourself for and that's why I'm so proud of you because you did that.
'And there were times that we really didn't know what to do and as a daughter I'm more than grateful and blessed that my mom is sitting next to me really happy and healthy and doing okay because that is the number one proprity in my world.'
Getting emotional, Tish reflected: 'It was a crazy period but here we are.'
Tish has been candid about the month-long 'complete psychological breakdown' she suffered before she divorced Billy Ray.
She made the decision to leave country singer Billy, 62, in 2020 – the same year her mum died.
Later in the podcast episode, a listener sent in a question about what it means to be a good mother.
Tish reflected: 'I think we all question if we're a good mom and put so much judgement on ourselves when we're parenting and especially looking back on...
'When you're so in the moment, especially when you have five kids, you're just surviving and getting through every day the ebst that you can. Especially when you're a single parent. Your dad was on the road so much and it is tough.'
'I was stressed. Moving to California and dealing with school and homeschool and sets. It was a lot but I think if you can step back.. now I've learned to step back and look at the bigger picture instead of being so in the moment, I've chilled out so much.
The mother, 57, lifted the lid on the difficulties she faced raising five children while the country star, 63, was 'on the road a lot' during a recent episode of her podcast Sorry We're Cyrus
In an emotional conversation, Noah told her mother how 'proud' she is of her for making it through a really hard time
'But its tough out there when your kids are small. When you have a big family it is really, really rough. Another thing I've learned is just to be kind to yourself.'
Last year, Tish opened up on the 'breakdown' she suffered in an appearance on the Call Me Daddy podcast with daughter Brandi.
Tish revealed Billy went to Tennessee during the Covid pandemic while she stayed in California where Wrecking Ball singer Miley, 31, lives.
While puffing on a joint, Tish explained: 'During that period, I took a really good, hard look at life, my life, and like, 'What was I gonna do?'
'Because it had not been in a good place for a long time. And I think I did stay so long out of fear of being alone. Like I had met him when I was 23, 24.'
Tish said that the COVID-19 pandemic had actually helped her gain the strength to be able to leave the Achy Breaky Heart hitmaker.
The two had lived in different places for the first few years of the pandemic with Tish living alone in their California home and Billy Ray staying in Tennessee.
Tish explained: 'So being alone, and all of a sudden just having kind of the weight of the world off my shoulders, and I was able to just breathe.
'And smoke pot and garden, and go skinny dipping in my pool. That's what I did during COVID. It was hugely transformative.'
The early days of the pandemic were especially heard as she received the news that her mother had died in August 2020.
The mother explained: 'I was alone during that time, I had to go through it alone, and I literally can't believe I did that.
'It was so crazy, my two biggest fears in life were being alone and my mom passing away. And I had one month of a complete psychological breakdown.'
The whole process had sent her entire world into a tailspin as she detailed what an incredibly hard time it was for her.
Tish explained: 'It was the worst thing, it was not good... Kind of pushed the mom thing under the rug, and then the divorce thing came.
'I could not eat, I could not sleep, I could not stop crying. I don't have my mom, and then I don't have my husband that has been my husband for 30 years. Like I'm scared.'
The new podcast episode comes as Elizabeth Hurley revealed the true depth of her feelings for new boyfriend Billy Ray after the pair shocked the word with their romance last month.
Sharing a loved up snap to Instagram on Wednesday the pair were locked in a passionate kiss in a post just days after they announced their romance.
And the model revealed it's true love as she took to the comments sharing a black heart emoji before writing 'you xx'.
Their unexpected romance comes just over two years after the pair fatefully met on the set of their 2022 holiday movie Christmas in Paradise, which was shot in the Caribbean.
And Elizabeth has the full support of her son as Damian also commented on the snap as he penned: 'Awwww ❤️.'
Last week, Billy Ray broke his silence over his new relationship while appearing on Apple Music Country's The Ty Bentli Show.
The Achy Breaky Heart crooner, who finalized his divorce from Firerose in August 2024, revealed Elizabeth reached out during a difficult period in his life.
'I felt like, 'Wow, can life get any harder? Can it get any tougher?' For me, at a certain point it was like, you can't get knocked down any flatter than laying on your back when life is kicking you,' he said. 'And in this moment... a friend reached out.'
According to Billy, Elizabeth's message read something along the lines of: 'Hey, it looks like life might be a little bit tough and just wanted you to know I'm in your corner; you've got a friend in your corner.'
Upon getting her text, the father-of-five admitted he 'didn't even know the number.'
'So, I text back, I go, "Who is this?" And it's like, "Elizabeth Hurley." Of all the people to reach out to me in that second that maybe I needed most… this friend who made me laugh,' he said.
Although they hadn't spoken in 'two years' shortly after wrapping their 2022 holiday film, Billy instantly remembered 'there was a chemistry' between them on set during their 'very few scenes together.'
'We just laughed, and it was at a time I wasn't laughing a lot,' he noted. 'The oddest part was first, how much we laughed. Second, I figured we were so different but in some very strange way we had way more in common than we had different.'
Christmas in Paradise was shot in the Caribbean, not long after he separated from ex-wife Tish in April 2022 after 28 years of marriage.