Billy Ray Cyrus thinks Elizabeth Hurley is a "great human being"

In a clip from 'The Ty Bentli Show' - which has been shared with People - Billy Ray said: "We did very few scenes together but the couple times we were in the same scene there was a chemistry there. We just laughed, and it was at a time I wasn't laughing a lot.

"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."

Despite this, the celebrity duo didn't actually speak to each other for two years after shooting the movie.

But Elizabeth reentered Billy Ray's life when he was at one of his lowest ebbs, following his split from his wife Tish Cyrus.

He shared: "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. And in this moment ... a friend reached out."

Billy Ray didn't actually recognise the number but her text message proved to be a turning point.

He recalled: "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."

Billy Ray and Elizabeth have developed a strong bond over recent months, and the musician is now convinced that they can overcome any challenge together.

The 'Achy Breaky Heart' hitmaker also heaped praise on Elizabeth, describing her as "impressively brilliant".

He said: "If all we ever were [is] the friends that we are, I would take that. She's so impressively brilliant. She reminds me a lot of Dolly Parton. She's a very smart businesswoman.

"If you can laugh together, you can make it through everything."