Hayden Panettiere's ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko describes 'profound shock and grief' after star's death

Former boxer Wladimir Klitschko has paid tribute to his ex-partner Hayden Panettiere as his family goes "through a time of profound shock and grief" after the star's death.

Klitschko, who shares a daughter with Panettiere, remembered the Heroes and Nashville star for her "immense talent" following her death on Sunday at the age of 36.

The actress was found in her home in Greenville, South Carolina, by police, following reports that she was "unresponsive" and in "cardiac arrest".

The cause and manner of her death have not been confirmed, but police said there were "no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances".

Klitschko and Panettiere were together from 2009 to 2018, and their daughter was born in 2014.

The Ukrainian heavyweight champion wrote on Instagram: "Our family is going through a time of profound shock and grief.

"The announcement of Hayden's tragic death saddens me deeply.

"She left this world far too soon.

"Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya."

In 2018, Panettiere relinquished full custody to Klitschko as she struggled with addiction and mental health.

Panettiere was a child actress before rocketing to fame in the TV show Heroes. She also starred in films, including 2006's Bring It On: All Or Nothing, comedy-drama film Raising Helen and the Scream franchise.

Touching on her struggles, Klitschko said his former partner had also experienced the "darker sides" of Hollywood.

"She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry," he said.

"Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives.

"To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was.

"I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden's parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.

"I ask everyone to please respect our family's feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say."

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Panettiere spoke openly about her struggles with addiction through her 20s, as well as her experience of postpartum mental health following the birth of Kaya.

In a memoir published earlier this year, Panettiere spoke about the loss of her younger brother, Jansen, and her decision to give full custody of Kaya to Klitschko.

"The idea that anyone would think that I would just give away my child and be OK 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 as she battled addiction and poor mental health.

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."

(c) Sky News 2026: Hayden Panettiere's ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko describes 'profound shock and grief' after star's death