The Public Display of Affection. Gross or adorable?

by KATE LEAVER

You might have seen Shane “Fast Bowler” Warne chuck a hissy fit on the pitch of his favourite sports concert, Twenty20 Cricket, this week. He swore, he shoved, he fumed. The man’s a legend  – and a lucky man, because his fiance jumped (gracefully) to his defence. Elizabeth “Total Babe” Hurley tweeted the following:

She has got her man’s back, and I like her for it. In fact… I have to confess to being quite addicted to their Twitter interactions. They’re sassy and romantic and supportive and sweet and schmaltzy and sentimental and dorky and endearing and silly and loving.

Not everyone is such a fan of their decision to whisper sweet nothings on our most public forum: the Twitterverse.

But… In the words of Shane Warne himself [sic]: “Question – doesn’t love conquer all and make PDA acceptable ? Surely you guys enjoy my fiancee & Me sharing our humour and fun with you ? X.”

I for one, actually do. I enjoy it very much, and I don’t mind declaring it for all to know.

When saucy photos of Shane and Liz (May I call you Liz?) first emerged, I was as baffled as anyone. How could a lifelong zinc enthusiast possibly seduce an Estee Lauder model / Austin Powers love interest? They seemed an odd pair, and the only smell stronger than Shane’s new tan was that of a publicity stunt.

I was skeptical. I was confused. I was startled by the sudden whiteness of Shane’s teeth. But now, I have to say I’ve grown to love the couple – and I’m deeply sorry for doubting them. Mark my words, there’s true love behind their shameless tweet-flirtation.

Speaking of which, I highly recommend following the bronzed lovebirds on Twitter. Shane’s account is an infinite source of dad jokes and exclamation marks. He’s surprisingly adorable, and he’s not afraid to ask the big questions: “What is your favourite meat pie?” and “Does everyone clean their teeth and floss in the morning before the dentist?”

Liz is as babe-ing as she’s ever been, and she uses the word ‘snigger’ a lot, which you may find endearing. Her interests include snuggles, bikinis, photos of herself in bikinis, her spaniel puppy, Gossip Girl, and Shane. They tease each other about cricket and have a cute little Australia Vs England rivalry going on, and I’ll eat my hat if there isn’t a special connection there.

Look, I know Shane and Liz live in a world far from our own – one of glitz, sprawling mansions, paparazzi, and all-consuming vanity. They take part in the pageantry of fame just like any other red carpet couple, and they’ve both made very public mistakes (Warne’s text message scandal, past infidelities, failed marriages, the movie Bedazzled). But by the power invested in me as a Grazia reader, I declare them excellent.

Yes. They’re Lord and Lady of the Public Snog. They’re Mr & Mrs Tan-in-a-can. They’re the Patron Saints of Too Much Information. But there’s something enormously appealing about their love story, and I find myself genuinely admiring their relationship.

I’ll put it to you: I think the Warne-Hurley alliance may, in fact, be one of the healthiest famous-people relationships out there.

Here’s why.

1. They appear to have mastered merging families. By all accounts, Shane’s three children adore Liz, and he gets on well with her son. Liz makes a delightful stepmother – a rare thing, especially in Hollywood. Admirable? Absolutely. Finding a harmonious, united step-family dynamic is a delicate process, and we can only commend the Warne-Hurley clan for doing so well.

2. They’re genuinely supportive of one another. If they’re as encouraging at home in their own time as they are on twitter, they’re a very sweet pair indeed. Juggling two careers and two egos is no small feat, especially with the world watching. Liz watches Shane play cricket; Shane visits the set of Gossip Girl and helps promote Liz’s new business ventures. It’s a beautiful thing.

3. They’ve made long distance love last – which is a notorious deal-breaker for couples. Liz lives in London, and Shane spends most of his time in Australia, but they’ve stayed together. Sure, they have the dollarz to fly across the world as often as they like, but distance seems only to have made their hearts grow fonder. Shane’s willingness to relocate – if his house really is on the market – also indicates a flexibility and commitment that bodes well for their future.

4. They clearly adore one another, and they’re not afraid to show it. They hold hands too, which is nice.

Shane and Liz, I wish you all the happiness in the world, and a very Happy Tanniversary.

Kate is the features editor at Cosmopolitan and a Goon Show enthusiast. You can follow her on Twitter at @Kateileaver and visit her website here.