Elizabeth Hurley has revealed how she thought “what a shocking combo!” when first told her new husband Arun Nayar was half-Indian and half-German.

Now the 41-year-old model and actress, this week named as the woman whose figure most British women aspire to, calls Nayar “Sugar Plum” or “Puppy”.

Hurley, whose wedding to businessman Nayar was a multi-million pound nine-day extravaganza spanning two continents, described how they first met at a dinner hosted by a mutual friend, financier Alex Tomei.

They saw each other again at another meal at celebrity haunt Le Caprice in central London when Nayar asked for her number.

She said: “There was something about him that made me feel very comfortable. I was a bit embarrassed, as I was 36 and it felt bizarre going on a date. But I was pleased he asked me.

“When Alex Tomei first came to pick me up, I said ‘Who is this guy we are having dinner with?’ He said ‘He’s half-Indian and half-German,’ and I thought ‘What a shocking combo!’ But I quickly revised my opinion.”

Hurley told ES magazine: “The weird thing is we are very, very similar. I very much like his mother. We are both close to our families and both have very loyal friends whom we adore.”

She said she has two pet names for her 42-year-old textiles magnate husband, Sugar Plum and Puppy.

The couple’s marriage earlier this month took in a Gloucestershire castle, plus Indian cities Mumbai and Jodhpur. Her other favourite haunts include Mustique, the Maldives and St Moritz.

She said: “When I was growing up, we couldn’t afford holidays abroad. The most glam we got was school exchanges to Germany and France.

“Arun had a much more jet-set upbringing. He’s been going to St Moritz and St Tropez for 30 years. I was on the Isle of Wight.”

Hurley said she does not expect married life to be problem-free, but is ready for that.

She added: “I am not naive enough to think that because something is rosy today, it won’t be bleak tomorrow. My life has always been massive ups and massive downs.

“But because I am so used to it, I feel anaesthetised against past bad times. I spend zero time thinking about them.”