Brian Hickerson, Hayden Panettiere’s former partner, has recounted some distressing moments from their turbulent relationship, which he acknowledged involved his abusive behavior.
The couple was in an on-and-off relationship from 2018 until 2022, marked by various incidents of domestic violence that led to multiple arrests.
In an interview with TMZ regarding Panettiere’s forthcoming memoir, *This Is Me: A Reckoning*, he mentioned that she candidly addresses the issue of domestic violence in their relationship.
Hickerson noted that there were certain details she initially hesitated to include in her book but ultimately went ahead with them.
“There was a moment when I was drunk, and she was across the room. I had a phone in my hand and said, ‘Hayden, before you throw it to me, I’m going to run really fast for 10 seconds,'” he recalled.
He acknowledged having read her memoir, remarking, “Who wants to read something about themselves? But you have to be vulnerable, and I did that.”
He described dark times in their relationship, emphasizing how substances played a role in their struggles: “Drugs, alcohol, we went to some very dark places.” He also humorously remarked on her stature, stating, “She’s 5 feet 2 inches tall on paper and 4 feet 11 inches in real life. I mean, come on.”
In April 2021, Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in county jail after pleading no contest to two felony charges related to domestic violence. This included a four-year probation sentence, mandatory attendance in 52 domestic violence classes, and a five-year restraining order against him approaching Panettiere.
Hickerson shared that he thinks about Panettiere “every day” and often wonders about the possibility of rekindling their relationship.
Meanwhile, Panettiere, the star from *Nashville*, has expressed her own reflections about their abusive relationship in her memoir, set to release on May 19. She describes revisiting those memories as difficult, characterizing the experience as “brutal, traumatic, and emotional.”
She expressed the need to articulate her experience properly, explaining, “This is a very embarrassing story. I’ve always seen myself as strong and resilient. The fact that I allowed something like this to happen surprised those who know me best.”
