Former heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko has said his family is experiencing "profound shock and grief" following the death of actress Hayden Panettiere, his former partner, according to BBC.
The 36-year-old actress died earlier this week, with emergency services reportedly called to her residence. Sky News reports that officers at the scene told those present that Panettiere was in "cardiac arrest." The Telegraph, citing an emergency call, said the incident is being treated as a "suspected overdose."
Klitschko, who dated Panettiere for nearly a decade before their split in 2018, issued a brief statement through BBC expressing the family's sorrow. The couple share a daughter together.
The circumstances surrounding Panettiere's death have drawn renewed attention to her well-documented struggles. Page Six notes that her boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, had faced a legal setback in a domestic abuse case just days before she died. The Guardian has also weighed in, arguing that Hollywood continues to fail child stars, pointing to Panettiere as the latest example.
Panettiere rose to fame as a teenager on the series "Heroes" and later starred in the musical drama "Nashville." She had been open in recent years about her battles with addiction and postpartum depression.
Authorities have not yet released an official cause of death, and an investigation remains ongoing. Fans and colleagues have begun paying tribute online, though the family has asked for privacy during this time.
What to watch next: Official autopsy results and any further statements from Klitschko or Panettiere's family regarding memorial arrangements.
