Hayden Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend opens up about break-up in final interview months before her ‘overdose’ death at 36

HAYDEN Panettiere’s on-off boyfriend opened up his breakup with the actress in his final interview before her death. The Heroes and Nashville actress died on Sunday at the age of 36 after she was found “unresponsive” in an apartment by a friend, cops have said. Brian Hickerson and Hayden Panettiere had an on-and-off relationship until 2020 Credit: Rex Hayden starred as Claire Bennett in the acclaimed series Heroes Credit: Shutterstock Editorial A cause of death is yet to be confirmed but dispatch audio obtained by TMZ appears to pick up officials discussing an “overdose”. Just three months ago her former boyfriend Brian Hickerson told the outlet she “the sweetest thing in the world”. Sign up for the Showbiz newsletter Thank you! “It’s not about who you spend Saturday night with, it’s about who you spend all Sunday with, and Hayden Panettiere is a Sunday girl”, he said. Hayden was travelling with Brian over the weekend, US media has been reporting, with the pair spotted flying out of Los Angeles on Saturday. Hayden Panettiere and Brian Hickerson are seen on January 31, 2019 in Los Angeles Credit: Getty Hayden and Brian seen together at a family event in 2023 Credit: Getty The pair had a tumultuous relationship which lasted from from 2018 to 2020. Brian was then arrested, convicted and jailed for domestic violence against the actress. He served only one day of a 45-day jail term, and the couple reconnected in 2021 before reportedly getting into another physical spat at a bar in West Hollywood. During the interview published in May, Brian described Hayden as the most talented person he’d ever met. Most read in Showbiz It comes as… Hayden Panettiere has died aged 36, her father announced Brave Hayden battled decades of pain and turmoil from a custody battle and a family death to domestic abuse Tributes have been paid by Hollywood celebrities including Cruel Intentions actress Selma Blair and Sister Sister star Tia Mowry In a heartbreaking final interview Hayden opened up about her struggles but declared: ‘I have a lot more life left to live’ Hayden’s tragic final post shows the actress smiling with close pal as she hailed ‘good times and good friends’ But, he said he would be an “idiot” not to walk away from her and let her “flourish in her career”, adding that they “probably wouldn’t be good together”. Their relationship at the time of Hayden’s tragic death was unclear. Police initially said they found Hayden dead after responding to an “incident” involving the actress. Hayden’s heartbroken dad Skip Panettiere was the first to confirm the heartbreaking news. He said: “It is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden. “She was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her – and to the millions who watched her on screen.” It means that Skip’s two children have both died within three years of each other, after Hayden’s brother Jansen died at the age of 28 from “an enlarged heart” in 2023. Hayden had publicly spoken about her difficulties with mental health and addiction, but had been sober since spending weeks in rehab. A serious bout of postpartum depression led to her giving up custody of her daughter, Kaya, then 11, in 2018. Hayden had a daughter with retired Ukrainian professional boxer Wladimir Klitschko, with whom she had an on-and-off relationship between 2009 and 2018. The pair – who had a 14-year age gap – were engaged from 2013 but split up before tying the knot. The mother-of-one, who would have turned 37 on Friday, first hit the screens as an 11-month-old child when her mum took her to star in several TV commercials. She then landed her first acting gig when she was four-years-old on the American soap opera One Life to Live. The diminutive actress would stay in the TV and film industry for her entire life. Comment now