Nigel Farage’s number two, Richard Tice, was blasted after claiming Brits should celebrate soaring temperatures as they make sparkling wine better – despite hundreds of people dying and homes being burned in wildfires

Nigel Farage’s number two has been blasted after dismissing the misery caused by the heatwave – which claimed hundreds of lives – and said Brits should enjoy sparkling wine instead.

Richard Tice’s remarks were branded an insult to those affected after he hit out at the “doom and gloom” around climate change and urged people to celebrate soaring temperatures instead. Huge wildfires have raged in recent days, with people forced from their homes in worst-affected areas including Stourbridge.

And the Met Office estimates 2,700 people died from heat-related causes in the May and June heatwaves alone – with 42% of these fatalities a result of “human-induced warming”.

Reform UK deputy leader Mr Tice sparked anger after telling a press conference in Westminster: “Climate change has always happened, it always will. Maybe the smarter thing to do is to adapt to it, (rather) than think arrogantly you can stop it.

“I’m old enough to remember 1976 – this feels a bit the same. That was 50 years ago. I think when it’s a bit warm, let’s enjoy it. And if it means that English wine and sparkling wine gets better and better, fantastic.

“That means we can take on the French, fantastic. Let’s celebrate some of these things rather than just be sort of doom and gloom about it.”

The comments provoked a furious response from environmental groups. Danny Gross, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth, said: “If Richard Tice wants to live in a world of make believe, that’s his call. But telling people to enjoy the heat after the scenes we’ve seen in the last week… how out of touch do you need to be?

“Homes burnt to a cinder and the military drafted in after wildfires raged uncontrollably. Farmers at their wits end because weeks without rain have made for yet another brutal harvest.

“And the more than 1,000 lives needlessly lost during this summer’s heatwaves thanks to global heating. It’s an insult – particularly to their loved ones – to suggest the weather extremes we’re seeing are cause for celebration.”

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He pointed to Friends of the Earth polling which found 87% of people think the UK is unprepared for extreme weather events like heat and drought. This includes 81% of Reform UK supporters.

Mr Gross added: “Failing to acknowledge the real-world consequences of our changing climate may not be as easily forgiven as he thinks.”

Amy Cameron, a programme director for Greenpeace UK, said: “Tice’s words show that a party bankrolled by fossil fuel interests will keep denying the climate crisis for its funders’ benefit even when its impacts are undeniable.

“Reform should try telling nurses fainting on shifts, farmers losing their crops and people running from burning homes to enjoy the hot weather and see what reaction they’ll get.

“There’s only one way to stop this extreme weather: cutting emissions from fossil fuels. Things will only get from bad to worse if we listen to the politicians being paid to deny it’s even happening.”

And Alasdair Johnstone, from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, said: “Far from being an enjoyable experience, for many this summer will have brought hardship, with 2,877 deaths during the May and June heatwaves, over 1,100 of which are directly attributable to the extra heat added by climate change.

“Firefighters have been called to over 1,000 wildfires, which have devastated the landscape, displaced people, and destroyed home. The only way these climate change impacts can be prevented from becoming more common and severe is to tackle the cause, which means reaching net zero emissions by 2050.”

Mr Tice is a long-term critic of the government’s Net Zero drive, which aims to cut atmosphere-warming emissions to effectively zero by 2050.

The heatwaves have taken a huge toll on the UK economy, analysis suggests. Thinktank Verdant estimated that so far the country has taken a £4.4billion hit this year alone due to the weather’s impact on business output.

On a visit to Stourbridge on Monday, Housing Secretary Angela Rayner voiced her horror at the devastation. She told The Mirror: “It was like going through a movie. I’ve never seen that level of devastation and the indiscriminate way in which you can see the fire had moved so swiftly.”

Months before her death at the age of 36, Hayden Panettiere relied on crutches and the assistance of others for help walking as she struggled with a painful back injury.

The Nashville actress died on Sunday afternoon but details surrounding her passing remain unknown. She was found dead in Greenville, South Carolina, with the dispatcher from the 911 call describing her as suffering from a ‘cardiac arrest.’

Another dispatcher was then heard saying Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose.

For the past year, Panettiere had been suffering from a mysterious back injury that left her unable to walk on her own and her physical troubles were made apparent in the months leading up to her passing. 

In March, just five months before her shock death, Panettiere was seen hobbling on crutches at LAX while accompanied by ex-boyfriend Brian Hickerson.

When asked about the crutches, Panettiere explained that she was suffering from ‘some pinched nerves in my lower back,’ in footage obtained by the Daily Mail. 

Panettiere was pictured in May walking with a limp as she continued to suffer side effects from pinched nerves in her lower back

However, she added that she was ‘on the mend,’ offering a smile and a thumbs-up before climbing into a black SUV outside the airport. 

Video taken in May appears to show the impact the injury had on Panettiere as she struggled to walk while out in New York with her right leg visibly causing her some trouble.

Yet Panettiere attempted to mask the issues, putting on a happy face as she strode into the building. 

While arriving at CBS Studios to promote her memoir that same day, Panettiere also relied on an assistant for support as she emerged from her car.

She held the woman’s hand tightly as she walked inside the studio, a smile on her face again deflecting attention from her physical troubles. 

It is an injury that Panettiere struggled to find answers for and one that left her fearing she would be ‘paralyzed’ for the rest of her life. 

Panettiere opened up about the issue during an interview in May with Women’s Health, revealing it all began when she woke up and felt ‘nothing but pins and needles’ from the waist down.

‘I’ve been dealing with an injury for the past year,’ she told the outlet during a barre workout. ‘Some nerve damage in my lower back.’

‘I quite literally woke up and felt nothing but pins and needles from my waist down,’ she said. 

When asked about the crutches, Panettiere explained that she was suffering from ‘some pinched nerves in my lower back,’ in footage obtained by the Daily Mail

Panettiere held an assistant’s hand as she made her way into CBS Studios in May

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‘I wasn’t able to bend my toes or lift my foot at all. No one was able to give me a solid answer.

‘It was like that for so long, that I was sitting there going, “Oh my gosh, am I gonna be paralyzed for the rest of my… life?”

‘It’s the scariest thing that’s ever happened to me physically, for sure.’

The former child star, who was known for her roles on the hit NBC series Heroes and musical drama Nashville, leaves behind an 11-year-old daughter.

Representatives for Panettiere announced on Sunday: ‘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.’

Detectives confirmed to the Daily Mail that they responded to the apartment block in Greenville yesterday afternoon after they received a 911 call from an ‘acquaintance’ of Panettiere, describing her as ‘unresponsive’.

In the dispatch audio of the call made at 1.51pm, a female dispatcher described Panettiere as suffering a ‘cardiac arrest.’ A few moments later, a male dispatcher could be heard saying that Panettiere had suffered a suspected overdose at the home in Greenville.

Officers and paramedics carried out chest compressions while trying to save Panettiere’s life.

The actress – who was due to turn 37 this Friday – was pronounced dead at the scene just over 40 minutes later at 2.32pm.

The Hollywood icon played cheerleader Claire Bennet in the superhero drama Heroes

Panettiere made a slew of public appearances promoting her memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning, earlier this year

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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.’

Panettiere had daughter Kaya following a life-threatening birth, but later gave full custody to her former fiancé, Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

The star first appeared in soap operas, then gained 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.

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, the comedy-drama film Raising Helen, and appearances in Scream 4 and Scream VI as Kirby Reed.

The star began acting as a child, appearing in soap operas before being catapulted further into fame

On Monday, a spokesman for the 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.’

Judson Mill Lofts is a former textile mill dating back to 1912, which was recently converted into apartments. These include studios and three-bedroom homes that can be rented from $1,295 to $3,485 a month.

No cause of death has been announced.

Panettiere leaves behind a daughter whom she had with Ukrainian boxer Wladimir Klitschko 

Scream co-star Melissa Barrera paid tribute to the actress in an Instagram story, writing, ‘Rest in peace sweet Hayden,’ alongside a broken heart emoji.

Commenting under Panettiere’s latest social media post after news of her death broke, actress Selma Blair said: ‘I love you. Don’t be gone. Don’t be gone. Please. Please.’

Singer JoJo wrote on her Instagram stories: ‘This is such devastating news. I am so sorry to hear of her passing. Oh My God’, and Rosie O’Donnell shared a picture of Panettiere with the caption: ‘Oh my god – heartbroken.’

Following her rapid rise to fame, the pressure of the industry began to weigh on Panettiere – with the actress previously revealing that she had struggled with addiction throughout her 20s.

In a memoir published earlier this year, Panettiere opened up about her struggles with mental health, the loss of her younger brother Jansen and her decision to give full custody of Kaya to her former partner Klitschko in 2018.

‘The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be okay with it is heartbreaking and couldn’t be further from the truth,’ she told podcaster Jay Shetty after the release of her memoir in May.

Panettiere said her daughter had lived with her father full-time from a young age amid the actress’s struggles with addiction and mental health.

Panettiere pictured with her daughter Kaya in 2017

She said, ‘I was struggling with mental health and anxiety and the postpartum and having to act my way through it and just feeling like I completely lost myself.’

Panettiere also spoke about giving up custody of her daughter while struggling with addiction in one of her final interviews before her death.

In an interview with parenting outlet Mome for its July cover, she discussed the life-threatening birth of her daughter Kaya and the eventual decision to give up custody to Klitschko.

While battling substance addiction issues, in 2018 the actress made the decision to sign over custody of her daughter to Klitschko, who was not living in the same country as Panettiere at the time.

She said, ‘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… I knew I needed to be able to put her first so that I could get the help I needed and be the mum she needed me to be.’

After giving birth to her daughter in 2014, Panettiere recalled hemorrhaging before she underwent seven blood transfusions and surgery to repair vessels that had begun to fail.

Panettiere played country singer Juliette Barnes for six seasons on Nashville

She said, ‘I closed my eyes and just prayed for my daughter to be OK. I truly was ready to go if it was my time. Kaya being safe and healthy was all that mattered.’

However, days later, she recalled feeling ‘nothing’ when looking at her daughter and developed postnatal depression. The actress then turned to drinking.

She said. ‘I turned to wine, which ultimately ended up leading to an alcohol dependency. It was how I would get through each day.’

Although she underwent treatment, Panettiere felt the ‘root cause’ of her drinking, the depression, was not addressed.

‘I wish more people had known what it was at the time. Maybe I wouldn’t have waited so long to get help,’ she said.

Six years on from giving up custody, Panettiere spoke about her current relationship with her daughter.

She said, ‘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.’

The actress went on to say she had ‘been able to put her first no matter how I’ve felt or what I’ve experienced’ and that she hoped that one day Kaya would ‘understand my story and why I wasn’t able to be with her all the time’.

She then called herself ‘resilient’ and a ‘work in progress’, but that she was ‘doing the work…and doing my best.’

Emergency services were called to the crash between the Felton and Swarland turn-offs in Northumberland around 2.10pm on Monday (August 17).

No one is believed to have been seriously injured.

The road was closed, and is yet to reopen.

A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: “At about 2.10pm today we received a report of a three-vehicle collision on the A1 near Felton in Northumberland.

“Emergency services are in attendance and no-one is reported to have been seriously injured.

“A section of the road is currently closed to allow for the recovery of the vehicles.”

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) confirmed that two people were taken to hospital following the crash.

A spokesperson added: “We received a call at 2.13pm on Monday, August 17, to reports of a road traffic incident on the A1 near Felton, Northumberland.

“We dispatched two ambulance crews, a clinical team leader, and two crews from our Hazardous Area Response Team (HART) to the scene.

“Two patients were transported to NSECH (Cramlington Hospital) for further treatment.”

An American tourist died after being struck by lightning on Sicily‘s Mount Etna while hiking in an area closed to visitors due to recent volcanic activity, Italian firefighters said on Monday.

The 29-year-old man from Kansas was rescued by helicopter after being hit Sunday evening in an exposed section above the tree line, officials said.

Medical personnel later declared him dead.

His identity has not yet been released while next of kin is still being reached.

Authorities have closed large sections of the volcano’s slope to hikers due to prolonged volcanic activity, which also forced the airport in nearby Catania to close for most of last week.

Etna’s activity often interrupts flights at the airport, situated 30 kilometres (20 miles) south; the current closure was the longest emergency since 2002.

“Volcanic ash can be a great risk for aircraft,” said Boris Behncke, a researcher at the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology’s Etna Observatory.

“It can be sucked into the motors, and force them to stall. This is why everyone is so very cautious with aircraft when there is a volcanic ash emission.”

As Europe’s largest active volcano, Etna’s recent unrest is unusual for its persistent ash emissions.

Northerly winds have carried light amounts of volcanic ash across to Malta and northern Africa.

“There have been many shorter interruptions — and stronger eruptions — over the past few decades, but this event is different because the ash emission from Etna’s summit has been much more persistent,” Behncke said.

Catania airport resumed flights on Saturday following the volcanic alert downgrade.

Officials noted that lightning strikes have killed more people on Etna in recent decades than volcanic activity.

The airport is Italy’s fifth-busiest hub by passenger traffic, with nearly 2,000 flights canceled or rerouted.

The last fatalities linked to an eruption on Europe’s most active volcano occurred nearly 40 years ago in 1987.

Teofimo Lopez will challenge Rolly Romero for the WBA welterweight title this weekend, in an intriguing clash in Las Vegas.

Lopez, one of the most-controversial personalities in boxing, is a former unified lightweight champion who has also held gold at super-lightweight, but this bout marks the 29-year-old’s debut at welterweight.

It also marks a chance to bounce back from the second loss of his professional career, a one-sided decision defeat by a sublime Shakur Stevenson in January.

Meanwhile, fellow American Romero will enter Saturday’s main event on the back of his biggest win so far: a points victory over Ryan Garcia last May. Like Lopez, the 30-year-old has lost twice as a pro, but he is a three-weight world champion.

Here’s all you need to know:

When is the fight?

Romero vs Lopez will take place on Saturday 22 August at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The main card will begin at 1am BST on Sunday (5pm PT /7pm CT / 8pm ET on Saturday), with Romero vs Lopez expected at around 4am BST (8pm PT /10pm CT / 11pm ET on Saturday).

How can I watch it?

The event will stream live on Amazon Prime Video and DAZN, at a cost of £24.99 on each platform. You can purchase the fight on DAZN here, including eight days of DAZN Standard at no additional cost.

Odds

Romero – 2/1

Lopez – 14/1

Draw – 2/5

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Fight card in full

Subject to change; ‘C’ denotes champion:

Rolly Romero (C) vs Teofimo Lopez (WBA welterweight title)

Yoenli Hernandez vs Francisco Daniel Veron (middleweight)

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Enjoy 185+ fights a year on DAZN, the Global Home of Boxing

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Victor Santillan vs Gary Antonio Russell (super-bantamweight)

Carlos Utria vs Israel Mercado (super-lightweight)

Marco Romero vs TBA (middleweight)

Aldo Blancas vs Ricky Mamone (super-lightweight)

Joseph Brown vs TBA (super-welterweight)

Benjamin Johnson vs Jose Gabriel Rodriguez (welterweight)

Jordan Roach vs TBA (super-flyweight)

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The newest member of the Royal Family was born in Portugal earlier this month

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Princess Eugenie and her husband Jack included a tribute to three people they admire, when naming their newborn daughter.

The latest addition to the British royal family was born on August 3, weighing 6lb 9oz, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Eugenie revealed on Instagram her third child 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”.

Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank’s daughter is a younger sibling to the couple’s two sons August, five, and Ernest, three, known as Augie and Ernie.

The name Adelaide is understood to have been inspired by Queen Adelaide (1792-1849), who was married to King William IV, as well as Maria Adelaide of Portugal.

Annina was inspired by a personal connection to Eugenie and Jack, which has not been revealed.

Adelaide’s birth was a rare occasion where a member of the British royal family has been born overseas, with Eugenie and her husband having a home and other connections in Portugal.

Eugenie wrote on Instagram, as she shared new photos of Adelaide, including one of the princess and Ernie holding the baby’s hand: “Two weeks ago today we welcomed our girl to the world. And since then we’ve had the most special, cosy and love-filled time.

“We are so happy to share Adelaide Elizabeth Annina Brooksbank.

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“Named after three people we love and admire past and present, including her great-grandmother who we hold close in our hearts.

“Her name is part of English and Portuguese history, two places we love and call home.

“Augie and Ernie are already the best big brothers.”

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LONDON (AP) — Britain’s Princess Eugenie has named her first daughter Adelaide Elizabeth Annina, she said Monday.

The 6-pound, 9-ounce (3-kilogram), girl born Aug. 3 in Lisbon, Portugal, is the third child of Eugenie and husband Jack Brooksbank.

“Two weeks ago today we welcomed our girl to the world,” Eugenie said on Instagram. “And since then we’ve had the most special, cosy and love-filled time.”

Eugenie is the younger daughter of the former Prince Andrew and his ex-wife Sarah Ferguson. She’s the niece of King Charles III.

The infant girl has two brothers, August, 5, and Ernest, 3.

She was named in honor of three people “we love and admire past and present,” including Eugenie’s late grandmother Queen Elizabeth II, and to reflect her English and Portuguese roots.

The name was also inspired by Queen Adelaide (1792-1849), who was married to King William IV, as well as Maria Adelaide of Portugal. Annina is the name of a close friend.

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.’