Elizabeth Hurley is taking on a role like no other alongside her pal Rob Rinder in “camp” and “cutthroat” new reality show The Inheritance. 

The glamorous model and actress – fondly known as Liz – will star as The Deceased, aka a dead woman, in the “wickedly immersive” series.

Liz’s friend, TV presenter and trained barrister Rob, is acting as the Executor of her will and 13 strangers will compete to get their hands on her fortune. The only trouble is, The Deceased has set a series of “devilishly difficult” final requests to complete first. Wild!

Here’s everything we know about The Inheritance on Channel 4, including how the show works, how many episodes and its start date.

The Inheritance: How does it work?

The Inheritance begins with 13 strangers being summons to a very grand stately home. They are there to hear the reading of the will of The Deceased, a very charismatic and classy benefactor played by Elizabeth Hurley.

The Deceased has left a large inheritance behind, although she had a very wicked sense of humour. In order to get their hands on the cash, the strangers will have to take part in a mischievous game first.

Rob Rinder will act as The Deceased’s Executor and trusted legal counsel. He will be overseeing the proceedings and making sure everyone is abiding by the rules.

The strangers will be required to work as a team and complete a series of final requests made by The Deceased. But only the best players will be awarded the fortune.

The assignments are described as “devilishly difficult” and require each of them to be “clever, collaborative and cunning”. And of course, there’s a twist.

The Deceased has decided only one player can bag a portion of the money after completing each request. And how is this decided? They each have to persuade the others they deserve it, even though they will have all worked together to get it.

A synopsis of the show says: “The Inheritance is a game of wit, willpower, persuasion and betrayal, where it’s not about who deserves the money, but who is willing to outplay, out-charm and out-scheme the competition to claim it. It is camp, cut-throat and completely gripping.”

Who is Rob Rinder?

Rob Rinder, 47, is a trained criminal barrister and television personality. He made his break into television while still working as a barrister, with his own show Judge Rinder.

The courtroom series aired on ITV from 2014 to 2020 and saw Rob presiding over real life civil cases. Rob wore his barrister robes and would ponder over evidence from both the claimant and the defendant, before giving his verdict.

Using his expertise, Rob has continued to present a string of crime-related shows. These include The Rob Rinder Verdict, Judge Rinder’s Crown Court, Rob Rinder’s Interrogation Secrets and Britain Behind Bars.

Rob has been a regular host on Good Morning Britain since 2022. Last year, he joined forces with Rylan Clark for the BBC Two series Rob and Rylan’s Grand Tour. The pair even won a BAFTA for the series.

Fans will also remember Rob competed in Strictly Come Dancing in 2016 and he has appeared on Celebrity Gogglebox. He traced his Jewish family’s tragic history on Who Do You Think You Are?, and went on to front the BBC documentary My Family, the Holocaust and Me.

Speaking about his new role on The Inheritance, Rob said: “This is a high-stakes strategy game served with a side of scheming and sabotage.

“As The Executor I enforce the rules, keep the chaos in check – more or less – and make sure our players are deserving of every glittering penny left by our dearly departed deceased, played by the iconic Elizabeth Hurley.”

Elizabeth Hurley: The Deceased

Elizabeth Hurley is a model and actress. After leaving school, she studied dance and theatre in London with the aim of becoming an actress. Liz got her wish and broke into the industry in 1992 with a role in the movie, Passenger 57.

Two years later, Liz accompanied Hugh Grant to the premiere of Four Weddings and a Funeral in that safety pin dress. The icon was born.

Liz went on to star opposite Mike Myers in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery. She’s also known for Bedazzled and the American TV series The Royals on E!.

When it comes to modelling, 60-year-old Liz is still going strong. She was announced as Estée Lauder’s spokesmodel in 1995 and, although she was replaced in this role in 2001, Liz still models for the cosmetics brand and a host of other big names. 

Liz owns her own swimwear company and fronted Debenhams’ Christmas advert last year. She also starred in Strictly Confidential in 2024, which was her son Damien’s debut film.

Damien was born in 2002 and his father is the late American businessman, Steve Bing. His godfathers include Hugh Grant, David Beckham, Elton John and Denis Leary.

Liz, who is dating county singer Billy Ray Cyrus, says of The Inheritance: “It’s a thrill to be part of this clever game, playing The Deceased; it all takes place on her huge estate in the English countryside and she dresses to the nines in every scene.”

Fabulous, darling!

When does The Inheritance start? How many episodes?

The Inheritance has 12 episodes and starts on Channel 4 on Sunday August 31, 2025.  A trailer for the series has already dropped to get you ready – and it’s superb!

Elizabeth Hurley can be seen lying in an open coffin while wearing a gold sequinned dress. Mourners dressed in black are quietly sobbing and wiping away their tears before one woman reaches in and swipes Liz’s diamond necklace.

All hell then breaks loose as Rob Rinder looks on. Elizabeth’s mourners suddenly begin snatching everything they can get their hands on, from paintings to jewellery, to ornaments and candlesticks. The last thing to go is a portrait of Liz that was hanging on the wall.

With her eyes open, Elizabeth tells the camera: “If you haven’t noticed, darlings, I’m dead which means my entire estate is up for grabs. But only one of them will take home the biggest share.”

Rob then says in a voiceover: “The Inheritance on Channel 4. A devious new game. Coming soon.” You can watch the trailer below!

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The Inheritance starts on Sunday August 31, 2025 on Channel 4