Elizabeth Hurley's "sadness" over Shane Warne's death has "stayed with" her

Elizabeth - who stars in her son's directorial debut 'Strictly Confidential' - told Telegraph magazine: "We have suffered loss. And interestingly, this movie ['Strictly Confidential'] sort of pulls on those feelings of loss quite a lot - and in a lot of Damian's work I do see that.

"Yes, it's a bond... It was appalling losing Shane; it was a terrible thing. And it's a sadness, you know, that stays with you a long time.

"I know as we get older we're going to experience more and more loss, but Damian as a young man has experienced probably more than most and I think it does affect you. I think it affects his writing and it does affect him as an artist."

The 'Royals' actress was changed "immensely" by motherhood and found it "quite liberating" to have to put someone else's needs before her own.

Asked if motherhood changed her, she explained: "Immensely, because it meant that somebody else was always put first. So often I think in life you're frequently putting other people first, your parents or your siblings or your friends, or whoever needs you.

"But when there's a child, there's absolutely no doubt about it that they're going to be first and in some ways that's quite liberating, because putting someone else ahead of you takes a bit of pressure off yourself as well.

"Becoming a parent changes you in so many ways. I mean, you're always scared for your kids on some level. As they're growing up those fears change in some ways. But you worry for their safety constantly, you worry for their happiness, you worry for their mental health, you worry about everything... But I'm quite a worrier, anyway, so that does tap in a little bit."

Elizabeth famously dated Hugh Grant - who has two children with Tinglan Hong and three with Anna Eberstein - and the pair are still close now, even if they don't see each other very often.

She said: "We're very good friends. He's married. He's got five children. His career is amazing.

"I always know what he's doing and he knows what I'm doing. We'll be best friends for ever, but he's got young kids, so he's busy."

The Estee Lauder spokesmodel confirmed she has a new man in her life, but wouldn't be drawn on the details.

She simply said: "I am dating at the moment. But that is something that I'm still keeping private."