Roger Bell, the talent scout who discovered the performer when she performed in a club in Swansea, shared his tribute: “Gaynor said she was lucky I walked onto the wrong floor when she was singing but I was the lucky one because I had 52 years of special love and friendship with her that I will always treasure.

“Gaynor was one of a kind, you always knew where you stood with her, she said it as it was,” he says.

He said she had a “unique, incredible voice”.

“She was loved by millions worldwide,” he said. “She was down to earth and everyone loved her for it,” he told Swansea Minister.

Cards of condolence have come from around the world, from the House of Commons, the Prince and Princess of Wales, Rod Stewart, Suzie Quattro

“Here in Swansea she was loved by Robert and the family as Auntie Gaynor,” he says. “There was a warmth and sincerity about her that shone through, and she never said no to having a photo taken or giving an autograph to anyone who asked.

“I think everyone here today has a story about meeting Gaynor, or Bonnie Tyler, and will treasure it.”

He says their Christmas Day parties were a thing of legend, with plenty of singing and Champagne being poured.

“She was a beautiful person inside and out. Gaynor was proud to be Welsh, and was a proud ambassador for Swansea and Wales,” he says.

He referenced the huge crowds for her journey home last weekend and how Total Eclipse of the Heart was played repeatedly last week for the partial eclipse.

Raising laughs, he says he was trusted by her implicitly, but she never let him see her without her false eyelashes. “What I will miss most of all is having here with us,” he says.

LIVEUpdated 6 mins ago

It is finally time for Cardiff City to begin life back in the Championship as they welcome fellow Welsh side Wrexham to Cardiff City Stadium for a mouthwatering opening-night clash.The Bluebirds secured an immediate return to the second tier last season under Brian Barry-Murphy, while Phil Parkinson’s Wrexham continued their remarkable rise by narrowly missing out on the Championship play-offs last term.Now the two sides meet in the league for the first time since March 2002, with bragging rights up for grabs in what promises to be a fascinating all-Welsh encounter.The game gets under way at 8pm on Monday, August 17, with the match being shown live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.Wrexham have strengthened significantly over the summer, bringing in the likes of Danny Imray, Ben Whiteman and goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, while former Cardiff striker Kieffer Moore remains a key threat up front. Josh Windass, last season’s top scorer, is struggling with injury.Parkinson said: “When the fixture came out, everyone was instantly excited by it.” He added: “Having three Welsh teams in the Championship, it’s enormous for the country. There will be a mini-league going on, and it’s going to be a challenge to win it.”Who will win on Monday?Cardiff, meanwhile, have been working to strengthen their squad ahead of the new campaign, with Liverpool left-back Calum Scanlon returning to the club on loan after his spell in the promotion-winning side.The last meeting between these sides came in the Carabao Cup last season, when Cardiff prevailed 2-1 at the Racecourse Ground. Yousef Salech put the Bluebirds ahead before Kieffer Moore levelled, but Will Fish’s late volley sent Cardiff through to the quarter-finals.We’ll have live team news, build-up, match action, analysis, reaction and all the key moments from Cardiff City Stadium throughout the evening.Follow Bluebirds correspondent Glen WilliamsScroll down for live updates…

Hayden Panettiere’s death at just 36, after a life fraught by addiction and numerous heartbreaks, has shocked the world.

Panettiere, who would have turned 37 on August 21, was found ‘unresponsive’ by officers and paramedics in an apartment block in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday, and she was later pronounced dead at the scene following a suspected overdose.

Police and the local coroner’s office are probing the death, but said the ‘preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances’.

The star and her on-off, real estate agent boyfriend Brian Hickerson, who was previously jailed for abusing her, were said to have flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina, where he is from, one day before she died. 

She is survived by one daughter, Kaya, 11, who she welcomed during her longest romantic relationship, with boxer Wladimir Klitschko, 50.

The pair sparked up a romance in 2009, and even became engaged, before going their separate ways in 2018 following the actress’ public mental health battles.

The actress, who never married, had previously had a high-profile age-gap romance with her former Heroes co-star Milo Ventimiglia when she was 18 and he was 30 – with the star later blaming her inability to say ‘I love you’ as a catalyst for the split.

Her final romance was with Hickerson, who previously admitted to abusing her and was sentenced to 45 days in county jail – and served 13 days the following month –  after pleading no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend back in April 2021.

Hayden Panettiere’s convicted felon ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson were said to have flown from Los Angeles to South Carolina, where he is from, one day before she died.; The two seen in 2018

STEPHEN COLLETTI – 2006-2007 

Panettiere and the actor, now 40, hit it off as young stars on the rise in Hollywood, dating for almost two years from 2006-2007

Colletti is now married to Alex Weaver, and they share one child. He has gone on to star in the last season of The Traitors as a Faithful (pictured March 26 2026)

Panettiere and the actor, now 40, hit it off as young stars on the rise in Hollywood, dating for almost two years from 2006-2007. 

At the time Panettiere was rising to fame in Heroes, while Colletti was starring in reality show Laguna Beach – before a starring role on One Tree Hill.

The actress spoke to Us Weekly in April about Colletti, saying: ‘I’m so grateful that he was part of my life, especially when he was. Because when I was with him was when I started having to deal with paparazzi and tabloids and being the focal point of them.

‘He was able to help guide me through that experience and getting used to that.

‘He never appeared to be or came off as a bad guy. So I knew that there was a way to protect yourself and put up boundaries without being offensive or rude.’

The pair broke up at the end of 2007, with Panettiere saying: ‘We just ended up going our separate ways, there wasn’t really a story there.’

‘We don’t keep in touch the way that I wish we did, because he’s such a great guy, but there was no drama.’

Colletti is now married to Alex Weaver, and they share one child. He has gone on to star in the last season of The Traitors as a Faithful.

MILO VENTIMIGLIA – 2007-2009

Hayden reflected on her short-lived romance with her Heroes castmate Milo Ventimiglia, which ended in 2009 after just 14 months (pictured in 2007)

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Panettiere and Ventimiglia’s friendship-turned-romance in 2007 raised eyebrows with the actress just 18 and Ventimiglia aged 30 at the time.

The pair were cast as Claire Bennet and Peter Petrelli in the NBC superhero drama as far back as early 2006.

‘I saw him as my partner and that it was going to hopefully keep going and evolving and lead to marriage,’ the actress said in her Us Weekly cover story earlier this year. 

‘But it was a point of contention that I was unable to put the “I” in front of “love you” and at the time, I didn’t realize or understand why it made me feel so uncomfortable. I could only say “love you” in a casual way. 

‘Being older, he was much more aware of what that meant. And that said a lot.’ 

‘Every relationship I’ve ever been in, I invested my whole self in. I saw him as my partner and that it was going to hopefully keep going and evolving and lead to marriage.

Looking back on her teenage romance with the actor earlier this year, Panettiere revealed motherhood had given her a new perspective on age-gap romances.

Ventimiglia is now marred to Jarah Mariano and the pair share two children 

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‘That’s hard. My daughter’s 11, so I’m trying to think of how I would feel. I’m sure she’s going to do exactly what Mommy did.

‘I’m ready and prepared for it, but I think it’s about the person. I was working with him all the time. My family knew him well. I was also … At 18, I lived so much life that he almost couldn’t count me as being 18. So Milo and I, even though he was 30, had a lot more in common than people might think.’

Ventimiglia, now 49, is now married to Jarah Mariano and the pair share two children.

WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO – 2009-2018 

Panettiere met Klitschko in 2009 and dated for two years before splitting in 2011 – they later rekindled their romance and welcomed a daughter – pictured 2013 shortly before getting engaged

In 2018, following her split from Klitschko, 50, Panettiere announced she had made the ‘difficult decision’ to sign full custody to her ex, meaning Kaya would move to his native Ukraine 

Discussing the prospect of bringing her daughter back, Hayden insisted that she would not want to take her away from her ‘incredible’ life in Ukraine. She said: ‘By the time I finally got healthy, I felt like it would have been unfair of me to, and selfish of me to try to pull her out of this life that she had been creating’ 

Panettiere’s most enduring, and unlikely romance, began in 2008 when she met pro boxer Wladimir Klitschko at a party.

After her shock split from Ventimiglia, she sparked up a relationship with Klitschko in 2009 and dated for two years before splitting in 2011. 

They reconciled in 2013 and she announced her engagement several months later in October 2013.

They welcomed their daughter Kaya in December 2014.   

‘He is just so over the moon,’ Panettiere said of Klitschko. ‘I’m lucky if I can get my hands on the kid. He’s like, “No, no, I got her.” Which is exactly what I thought he would be like.’

However, the couple’s relationship would hit turbulent waters after Panettiere’s mental health began to unravel after the birth of Kaya. 

Panettiere previously revealed that she had started abusing drugs and alcohol when she was just 15 years old – and that her addiction spiraled out of control while she was battling postpartum depression after Kaya’s birth – leading her to seek treatment when her baby was four months old.

She said at the time of her mental health battle: ‘It’s something a lot of women experience. When [you’re told] about postpartum depression you think it’s ‘I feel negative feelings towards my child, I want to injure or hurt my child.’

In 2018, following their split, Panettiere announced she had made the ‘difficult decision’ to sign full custody of her daughter to her ex. Kaya then moved to his native Ukraine. 

In her final interview in May, she spoke to Dear Momé about her choice, saying: ‘It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make. I was going through a really challenging time in my life’

In her final interview in May, she spoke to Dear Momé about her choice, saying: ‘It wasn’t a decision I made lightly, nor was it a decision I even wanted to make. I was going through a really challenging time in my life.’ 

She told Jay Shetty on his On Purpose podcast in May: ‘I have been the one who sought it out, who was saying, ‘I desperately need help. I know this is going to look terrible, but I am. I cannot live like this anymore…

The idea that anybody would think that I would just give away my child and be OK with it is heartbreaking. It couldn’t be further from the truth…

‘It became this horrible cycle for years of battling depression and anxiety and alcoholism and substance abuse, and just me trying to find my way back.’

‘I love my daughter, and I’m so proud of the young woman she is becoming. I talk to her all the time, and I feel so connected to her. She’s like a mini-me.’

Discussing the prospect of bringing her daughter back, Panettiere insisted that she would not want to take her away from her ‘incredible’ life in Ukraine.

She said: ‘By the time I finally got healthy, I felt like it would have been unfair of me to, and selfish of me to try to pull her out of this life that she had been creating.

SCOTTY MCKNIGHT – 2011-2012

Panettiere dated New York Jets wide receiver Scotty McKnight, now 38, for more than a year following her brief breakup with Klitschko in 2011 – pictured November 2012

McKnight is now in a relationship with partner Tayla Burke and the couple share three young children

Panettiere dated New York Jets wide receiver Scotty McKnight, now 38, for more than a year following her breakup with Klitschko in 2011. 

She and McKnight ended their relationship in December 2012 and she was seen with Klitschko shortly afterwards.

McKnight is now in a relationship with partner Tayla Burke and the couple share three young children. 

BRIAN HICKERSON – 2018-2022 

Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had an on-again, off-again relationship from 2018 to 2022 that was marred by domestic violence incidents and arrests (pictured together in 2019)

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Panettiere and Brian Hickerson had an on-again, off-again relationship from 2018 to 2022 that was marred by domestic violence incidents and arrests.

The actress was in the midst of her substance abuse issues when she started dating Hickerson, 37, shortly after she wrapped the sixth and final season of Nashville. 

Their relationship soon turned ugly when Hickerson was arrested in May 2019 after an incident with Panettiere. He was charged with domestic violence, and she received a protective order before the charges were dropped.

In July of 2020, he was arrested again in connection with eight charges of domestic violence. He entered a no-contest plea to a pair of felony counts of injuring a partner in 2021, and the rest of the charges were dropped. 

In July of 2020, he was arrested again in connection with eight charges of domestic violence. He entered a no-contest plea to a pair of felony counts of injuring a partner in 2021, and the rest of the charges were dropped 

Hickerson was in jail for 13 days, and Panettiere put out a statement following the arrest saying she hoped she could serve as an example for others in a similar situation.

‘I am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me in the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,’ she said at the time. ‘I am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again.’

Panettiere told People that she continues to ‘feel the same way’ about the statement she put out two years ago.

‘None of it is OK,’ she said. ‘But I want to make sure that everybody knows that each person who goes through something like that, they’re on their own journey. No two things are exactly alike.’

Panettiere also spoke with the publication about an incident in which she and Hickerson got into a bar brawl with a group of revelers at a celebrity hotspot in Los Angeles in 2022. 

According to TMZ, Hickerson sparked the fight when he spat on a fellow patron at Sunset Marquis, which prompted the manager to throw everyone out of the establishment. 

However, a representative for Panettiere told People that Hickerson ‘made a comment to an individual about leaving the waitress a poor tip.’

Panettiere later said she was ‘trying to live in a place of understanding’ in regards to her history with Hickerson and the multiple domestic violence incidents he was charged with during their relationship.

‘I think [Brian] has done his time and was willing to get help. I think about the things I have done in my life that people forgave me for,’ she told People. ‘Making amends is a really important thing that you learn in treatment. And it gives you a lot of inner peace.’

It’s unclear when exactly they split, but Hickerson confirmed that they are ‘just friends’ and ‘absolutely not’ together anymore.

However, in recent years the pair appeared to have repaired their friendship and were spotted travelling together. 

After Panettiere recounted their terrifying relationship in memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, Hickerson in May unbelievably said he can still see a future with the star.

When asked by TMZ if he ever thinks about marrying the actress, he responded: ‘Yeah, of course… I hope so – she probably doesn’t think the same way.’

However, Hickerson acknowledged it was not healthy for the pair to resume a romantic relationship, adding: ‘I think that Hayden is one of the most talented people I’ve ever met in my life, and I would be an idiot not to walk away from her and let her flourish in her career. 

‘So, we probably wouldn’t be good together.’

Hickerson said the pair’s relationship had now evolved into friendship after they were seen at the airport together in March, but whined: ‘I miss Hayden every day.’

The actress later offered her response to Hickerson’s comments about marriage while talking to TMZ as she arrived to LAX airport.

When asked to offer her reaction, she simply replied with a small laugh, ‘I don’t think that’s going to happen,’ before making her way into the crowded airport. 

Despite his public declaration of affection, Hickerson also revealed there was one particular violent incident he wanted Panettiere to leave out of the book, but she ended up keeping it in. 

‘There’s a story where I was drunk, right? Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand and I said, “Hayden I’ll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you,”‘ he recalled.

‘Who wants to read something about themselves like that, right?’ he asked, before adding, ‘I did it. I did it.’

‘I went into such a dark place, man, drugs, alcohol,’ he recalled of their relationship. ‘Good God, almighty, she’s five foot two on paper, four foot 11 in real life. I mean, come on.’ 

‘Terrible thing I did to her,’ he added. 

Hickerson said he’s had a ‘couple of opportunities to apologize’ to his ex, adding, ‘You never lay hands on a woman. Bottom line.’

He also spoke about an incident that took place in 2020 when he was arrested on Valentine’s Day for allegedly punching her. He entered a plea of not guilty at the time.

‘I had a lot to drink, and I got physical with her, and I got arrested, spent the night in jail. That’s just what happens when you lay hands on women,’ he said. 

Panettiere also previously dated retired NFL wide receiver Scotty McKnight, Welsh TV presenter Steve Jones, singer Jesse McCartney, The Hills alum Stephen Colletti and the late Pink Taco founder Harry Morton. 

On Monday it was announced that Panettiere, best known for her roles in Heroes and Nashville, has died aged 36 with police saying there were ‘no signs of foul play’.

The star began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas then gaining wider recognition for her role in the 2000 sports drama Remember The Titans with Denzel Washington, and as the voice of Dot in Pixar’s 1998 film A Bug’s Life.

Panettiere later found fame playing cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes before starring as country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville.

It was announced on Monday that the Heroes actress had passed away aged 36, in the wake of a number of public battles including her substance abuse issues and her rehabilitation for postpartum depression

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She earned two Golden Globe nominations for best supporting actress on the show, while her singing produced 11 entries on the US Billboard Hot Country Songs charts.

Panettiere’s film credits include 2006’s Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.

On Monday, a spokesman for City of Greenville Police told the Daily Mail: ‘On August 16, 2026, at approximately 1.51pm, officers from the Greenville Police Department, accompanied by EMS personnel, responded to a report of an unresponsive female at Judson Mill Lofts, located at 701 Easley Bridge Road.

‘Upon arrival, medical assistance was administered; however, the individual, later identified as Hayden Panettiere, was pronounced deceased at the scene.

‘The case is under investigation by the Greenville Police Department in conjunction with the Greenville County Coroner’s Office.

‘The preliminary investigation has not indicated any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances. An acquaintance of Ms Panettiere placed the 911 call. At this time, no further details are available for release.’ 

Earlier, a representative for Panettiere confirmed the death, saying her family would remember her as an ‘incredible light’ who brought ‘immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her.’ 

Admiral Cooper also released a statement brushing off fears of widespread suicidal ideation alleged to be experienced among those aboard the aircraft carrier.

In the statement, posted to CENTCOM’s X account on Sunday, Admiral Cooper said: ‘Of the US Navy’s 11 active aircraft carriers, the Lincoln currently has among the lowest number of cases related to mental health.’ 

At an emotional town hall meeting earlier this month, more than 200 family members of sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln met with acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao to express their concerns. 

A spouse tearfully told officials she received a message that same day from her husband saying ‘he hopes he doesn’t wake up tomorrow,’ Stars and Stripes reported.

A mother also described how her daughter said she felt like she was never going to be able to come home and believed she was going to die on the ship, according to MS Now.

Relatives also expressed concerns over food levels on board after pictures emerged appearing to show meagre provisions, and some reports claimed there was mildew in the showers and a lack of clean water, which officials said had been resolved.

One parent with a child on the Lincoln said they received a photo from mid-April that showed a tray with boiled carrots, a scoop of ground beef and a gray slice of dry-looking meat.

Relatives expressed concern about food aboard the ship. One parent with a child on the Lincoln received this photo from mid-April showing a sad-looking plate of food 

Congressional Democrats demanded answers last week about the conditions onboard the aircraft carrier.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Senator Richard Blumenthal said the USS Abraham Lincoln ‘has been deployed more than 250 days’ without coming ashore ‘in over 200 days, setting a record for consecutive days at sea’.

Mr Blumenthal voiced concern for such extended deployments, noting ‘widespread reports of shortages of basic supplies, water contamination, plumbing issues, deteriorating mental health, deck safety concerns’ and other problems aboard the Lincoln.

Amid the outcry, reporters asked Donald Trump whether the deployment had simply gone on too long, to which the president shot back: ‘No. Not nearly long enough.’

Still, Admiral Cooper was sent to visit the ship, and CENTCOM announced on Sunday that the USS Abraham Lincoln’s deployment is ending. 

The admiral mentioned the development in the first paragraph of his op-ed, in which he said: ‘I delivered the words every deployed sailor and Marine longs to hear: “You have delivered a performance for the ages, and now you are going home.”’

Admiral Cooper praised the service members aboard the aircraft carrier as ‘high-achieving Americans standing tall with justified pride in everything they have accomplished’. 

He acknowledged that ‘The crew is tired,’ but also emphasized ‘they continue to fire on all cylinders.’ 

Amid the outcry from relatives of sailors and Congressional Democrats, President Donald Trump said the aircraft carrier had not been deployed ‘nearly long enough’ 

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The admiral also gave a rundown of the aircraft carrier’s accomplishments during its deployment, which included shooting down more than 200 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) drones, executing hundreds of strikes on IRGC targets and twice enacting ‘the most effective naval blockade in modern history’. 

He also thanked the families of the sailors aboard the ship and said: ‘Your strength makes their service possible, and your wait is coming to an end. Godspeed and enjoy the well-deserved reunion soon.’

As the USS Abraham Lincoln prepares for its journey home, another aircraft carrier, USS George Washington, has departed the Pacific to take its place. 

No health data was recorded on Lindsay Clancy’s watch or phone after 5.38pm on January 24, 2023, when the user went up two flights of stairs, digital forensics expert Ian Whiffin testified.

This information shines a light on the possible timeline of the killings.

If 5.38pm was the moment that Clancy had reached the second-floor bedroom and begun harming herself, after climbing up the first flight of stairs from the basement to the first floor, then this would mean she had already strangled the children by that time.

Patrick left the home sometime after 5.15pm.

So this would suggest that Clancy immediately began killing the three children almost as soon as he left the home, which could support the state’s argument that it was premeditated.

However, her defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, pointed out that there is no data after 5.38pm so Whiffin, who was being cross-examined, cannot know what happened after that time. Clancy’s phone or watch could have been put down or the battery died, while she could have still been going up and down stairs, the expert acknowledged.

Reddington also argued that on January 25, 2023, the morning after the killings, Clancy’s devices recorded 47 meters of movement between 7am and 8am.

He pointed out that, at that time, Clancy was bedbound in hospital and the Apple Watch was found days later in a bedside drawer – casting doubts on the accuracy of the data.

However, under redirect, the expert said that the data could have come from the watch or phone, and the phone could have recorded movement being handled by investigators.

On Monday the couple revealed that she is to be called Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank in tribute to “three people we love and admire past and present”, including Adelaide’s late great-grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, and to reflect both English and Portuguese history – “two places we love and call home”.

For a second time, the US Supreme Court has declined President Donald Trump’s bid to overturn a federal civil jury verdict that found him liable for sexually abusing and defaming writer E Jean Carroll.

In June, the top court had already denied a prior attempt by Trump to review the civil case.

The president has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing and argued that the judge who oversaw the civil trial improperly allowed evidence to be presented that affected the jury’s perceptions of him.

In July, he paid Carroll more than $5m (£3.6m) in damages over her civil claim that Trump sexually assaulted her in the 1990s, and then branded the incident a hoax on social media.

“We are pleased that the United States Supreme Court has declined again to hear this case,” Carroll’s attorney, Roberta Kaplan, said in a statement following the decision.

“As a result, the jury’s unanimous verdict that Donald Trump sexually assaulted and then defamed E. Jean Carroll is now final and cannot be challenged in any court,” she added.

The court’s decision was posted as part of an order list on Monday, but offered no explanation for why the justices declined to rehear the case.

Legal experts said that Trump’s request to reconsider its previous June rejection was an unusual long-shot legal manoeuver, as the court rarely grants similar requests.

Carroll, a former magazine columnist who is now 82, sued Trump for attacking her in a Manhattan department store dressing room in the mid-1990s.

The defamation stemmed from a 2022 post on Truth Social in which he denied the claims and said Carroll was “not my type”.

Trump has yet to comment on the court’s latest decision to not rehear the case.

In a lengthy Truth Social post following the earlier decision in June, Trump vowed to continue battling what he termed the “weaponisation and lawfare case” and the “ridiculous” claim of defamation.

“This Case is really against the United States of America, and all it stands for, and should never be allowed to happen to another President, or Candidate to be,” he added.

In the initial petition to the Supreme Court, Trump’s lawyers argued that Carroll’s lawyers should not have let jurors see now infamous Access Hollywood footage from 2005 in which he used crude language as he discussed groping and kissing women.

Trump has also asked the Supreme Court to overturn a separate federal civil defamation verdict awarding Carroll $83.3m.

His lawyers have argued that Trump cannot be sued for comments he made while he was president.

The top court has not made a decision in that case.

Hayden Panettiere said she had “a lot more life to live” during one of her final interviews in the months before her death at age 36.

In May, the Heroes and Nashville actor spoke about her optimism after years of “darkness” and mental health struggles in an emotional, filmed interview with podcaster Jay Shetty ahead of the release of her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning.

“I finally feel like I have shaken off all of this darkness and this negativity,” the former child star said. “I’ve closed one door and another door is opened.”

She added, “I can feel all the exciting possibilities. I feel like I have a lot more life to live.”

In the years before her death, Panettiere was open about her experience with addiction to opioids and alcohol as well as postpartum depression following the birth of her daughter, Kaya, in 2014.

She told The Independent’s Adam White in May that growing up in the spotlight — she started modeling and acting when she was only four months old — negatively contributed to her mental health.

“It’s not healthy to receive so much praise as a child,” she said. “So when I got to an age where I became somebody the paparazzi were interested in, and the media wanted all the gory details… it broke my heart that people thought negatively about me.”

However, she said at the time that she was on an optimistic path anchored in her creativity.

“I know that if I surround myself with positive people, I can accomplish whatever I set my mind to,” she said. “I’ve made my share of mistakes, I’ve fallen on my face, but I’ve always stood up again and dusted myself off.”

Panettiere added: “I’ve got plenty of issues, but finding meaning in life isn’t one of them.”

The actor was known for her role as cheerleader Claire Bennett in the NBC superhero drama Heroes, which ran from 2006 to 2010. She later played country singer Juliette Barnes in Nashville, which earned her two Golden Globe nominations. She also starred in films like Ice Princess, Remember the Titans, Bring It On: All or Nothing and the Scream franchise.

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Her death was confirmed in a statement from her father Sunday, which 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 onscreen,” Skip Panettiere said.

Her cause of death has not been released yet. Police do not suspect foul play.

Representatives for Panettiere did not immediately return The Independent’s request for comment.

Top US based jockey Juan Hernandez is facing a helicopter dash to catch a flight to Los Angeles less than three hours after he rides in the big race at York on Friday.

The Mexican native heads the standings at the current Del Mar meeting in California and has important mounts on Saturday, Pacific Classic day. The day before he is due in Britain to be reunited with Bacio, the Wesley Ward-trained Royal Ascot-winning speedster who is favourite for the Group 1 Coolmore City Of Troy Nunthorpe Stakes.

Hernandez fulfilled a bucket list wish when he made his debut at the royal meeting in June and steered Bacio to an impressive three and three quarter length success in the Palace of Holyroodhouse Stakes.

Hernandez did not want to miss out on another chance to ride the sprinter but faces a tight turnaround between the off-time of the Nunthorpe Stakes at 3.40pm and his flight home from Heathrow, nearly 200 miles from York. The estimated flying time is around two hours.

“The plan is to ride Friday and then take a helicopter to Heathrow Airport,” Hernandez said.

“There’s a flight at 6:30 from Heathrow to LAX. It lands at 10 p.m. Friday because of the time change and then I will drive down to Del Mar. It’s going to be tough but I think I can do it.”

Hernandez told Del Mar that he’s never attempted a trip like this before, but he would never make his flight by car. He faces an 11½ hour flight back to California.

“I want to come back and ride because my agent Craig (O’Bryan) told me we have some nice horses Saturday and Sunday,” he said. “That’s why we’re rushing to get back. Hopefully we can do both, win the race and make the flight.”

Hernandez has a plan to combat jet lag and fatigue associated with long distance travel.

“I’m going over there a couple of days before. I’m flying Tuesday at noon and I get there on Wednesday at noon so I’ll have Wednesday afternoon to recover. I like to run the day before my race or the day of just to get used to the air. I’ll run three or four miles and then get ready for the race.”

The Nunthorpe is a “Win and You’re In” for the Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint.

“Coming back I’ll be flying at night,” Hernandez added. “I’ll just sleep the whole flight and save energy for when I get here.”

According to Ukraine’s president, Volodymyr Zelensky, North Korea is preparing to send as many as 50,000 fresh troops to support Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine. While the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs has been unable to verify Zelensky’s claim, it has not fallen on deaf ears in Seoul.

When questioned on August 10, an unnamed foreign-ministry spokesperson stated:

North Korea-Russia military cooperation is a matter directly related to our security and an act that violates UN Security Council resolutions … the government’s position is that such cooperation must be suspended immediately, and we are closely monitoring related developments.

Any new deployment would continue to cement a clear path. Pyongyang and Moscow signed a mutual defence pact in June 2024 and, within months, up to 15,000 North Korean personnel had been deployed to Russia. The deployment ranged from construction workers to logistics personnel, missile operators, engineers and infantry. It included 1,500 special forces troops.

North Korea has gained a lot from its partnership with Russia. So far, its troops have not fought within Ukraine’s internationally recognised borders. But North Korean soldiers have acquired battlefield experience in ground operations in the Kursk region of Russia, where Ukraine launched an incursion in 2024. North Korean missiles have also been fired at Ukraine and Pyongyang has received new military technology from Russia.

Perhaps more importantly, the partnership has provided North Korea with a financial boon. After many years of negative GDP growth, North Korea’s economy grew 3.5% in 2025. Beyond direct payment for the military support it is providing Russia, the partnership between the two countries supplies North Korea with fuel, food and technical assistance, as well as deferring debt repayments.

Their partnership has created a clear cycle in which North Korea supplies ammunition and manpower for Russia to use in the war, Moscow supports North Korea with resources and technology in return, and Pyongyang uses these to improve its standing against the south.

South Korean concern

For South Korea, a key concern is what North Korean troops may be learning in Russia. The North Korean military, the Korean People’s Army, has not fought a major conventional conflict since the Korean war in the early 1950s. But it is now directly involved in a modern war.

North Korean personnel have engaged not only in direct combat, but also drone surveillance, electronic warfare and precision artillery strikes. Pyongyang is also now able to analyse its own weapon technology – and assess its effectiveness – in an actual conflict rather than a test setting.

There have been calls from Kyiv and other allied capitals for Seoul to step up its involvement in the Ukraine conflict, but there is opposition both among South Korean citizens and within the political class to providing direct military support.

This position has been made clear by the South Korean president, Lee Jae-Myung, since 2025. Rather than becoming involved in a distant war in Europe, Lee has focused his foreign policy on the Korean peninsula – most recently calling for talks with the north to pursue peaceful coexistence on August 15.

At the same time, however, South Korea is attempting to bolster its readiness against emerging North Korean threats. The annual Ulchi Freedom Shield exercises, which South Korea carries out with the US military, have shifted in focus. They now incorporate drones, cyberattacks and GPS jamming in addition to more traditional scenario-based field manoeuvres and air operations.

But a key concern here is South Korea’s relationship with its historic security partner, the US. Just as Seoul will not engage in Russia’s war in Ukraine, it has been equally reluctant to join the US’s war in Iran. And, as has been the case for other US allies in Europe, it may face consequences for this.

In a social media post on August 16, Donald Trump said the US would “substantially reduce” its joint military exercises with South Korea. He cited South Korea’s refusal to join the Iran war, as well as his own “very good” personal relationship with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong‑un, as the reasons for doing so.

Meanwhile the US has used substantial quantities of ammunition during the war with Iran, despite being the world’s largest military power. Reports from early August suggested the US had used “virtually all” of its precision strike missiles.

Earlier in 2026, as the US burned through its missile stockpile in Iran, Washington and Seoul discussed the possibility of moving some of the US Patriot defence missile systems based in Korea to the Middle East. As North Korea strengthens, Seoul is learning that its own security policy can no longer be built around the assumption that US weapons will be available in the event of conflict with the north.

Whether or not the 50,000 extra North Korean troops materialise remains to be seen. But the broader warning for Seoul is real: it must prepare for a stronger north in a world where even the largest military arsenals are not always enough to achieve policy goals.