{"id":6779,"date":"2026-08-17T15:08:57","date_gmt":"2026-08-17T15:08:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6779"},"modified":"2026-08-17T15:08:57","modified_gmt":"2026-08-17T15:08:57","slug":"who-is-brian-hickerson-meet-hayden-panettieres-on-again-off-again-boyfriend","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6779","title":{"rendered":"Who is Brian Hickerson? Meet Hayden Panettiere’s on-again, off-again boyfriend\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

Hayden Panettiere was in an on-and-off relationship with Brian Hickerson since 2018.<\/p>\n

Read more Listen to Hayden Panettiere 911 dispatch audio as cops called to \u2018cardiac arrest\u2019 and \u2018overdose\u2019<\/a><\/p>\n

The couple had a tumultuous relationship up until the \u201cHeroes\u201d actress was found dead by an acquaintance inside a South Carolina home on Aug. 16, 2026.<\/p>\n

Keep scrolling to read more about Panettiere\u2019s rocky romance with Hickerson through the years.<\/p>\n

What is Brian\u2019s career?<\/h2>\n

Hickerson is originally from South Carolina, where his family still resides. <\/p>\n

He moved to Los Angeles to pursue opportunities in real estate development and to break into the acting industry.<\/p>\n

However, Hickerson has limited acting credits, including an appearance in the 2017 thriller film \u201cM.F.A.\u201d<\/p>\n

When did Brian and Hayden meet?<\/h2>\n

Panettiere and Hickerson were first romantically linked in 2018. <\/p>\n

That August, the pair was photographed at a screening of\u00a0\u201cBreaking & Exiting\u201d\u00a0in Los Angeles.<\/p>\n

A source told Us Weekly that the \u201cNashville\u201d alum \u201cseemed very happy\u00a0and in great spirits and they were having [a] fun night together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The insider added that the couple \u201cseemed cute together.\u201d<\/p>\n

The following month, a source told the outlet Hickerson and Panettiere \u201cwere\u00a0very affectionate\u00a0and sat next to each other the entire time\u201d while grabbing brunch with friends.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen their two friends went exploring the space, they stayed behind and remained close to each other talking and kissing,\u201d the insider shared.<\/p>\n

What happened during their relationship?<\/h2>\n

Hickerson and Panettiere\u2019s romance was filled with ups and downs.<\/p>\n

In May 2019, Hickerson was\u00a0arrested for domestic violence\u00a0due to an alleged incident with the \u201cBring It On: All or Nothing\u201d star. <\/p>\n

At the time, Panettiere and Hickerson were drinking in Hollywood the night before the physical altercation at their home. After police interviewed the couple, they took Hickerson into custody for felony domestic violence for allegedly starting the fight.<\/p>\n

TMZ reported that redness and marks were visible on Panettiere\u2019s body.<\/p>\n

Hickerson was charged with felony domestic violence later that month and\u00a0ordered to stay 100 yards from Panettiere\u00a0and not contact her.<\/p>\n

In September 2019, Hickerson\u2019s domestic violence case was dismissed.<\/p>\n

The following February, Hickerson was arrested in Wyoming\u00a0on Valentine\u2019s Day following an alleged domestic dispute with Panettiere. <\/p>\n

TMZ\u00a0reported that the couple got into a fight in which he allegedly struck her \u201cwith a closed fist on the right side of her face.\u201d Hickerson was later released on a $5,000 bond.<\/p>\n

Panettiere\u2019s face allegedly appeared red and swollen, and she also appeared to have a scrape and some swelling on her left hand, which she believed came from Hickerson\u2019s watch.<\/p>\n

In July 2020, the \u201cScream VI\u201d actress was granted a restraining order against Hickerson, Page Six confirmed at the time.<\/p>\n

She also took to Instagram to break her silence about her ongoing issues with her boyfriend.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am coming forward with the truth about what happened to me with the hope that my story will empower others in abusive relationships to get the help they need and deserve,\u201d she\u00a0wrote on Instagram. <\/p>\n

\u201cI am prepared to do my part to make sure this man never hurts anyone again. I\u2019m grateful for my support system, which helped me find the courage to regain my voice and my life,\u201d the actress added.<\/p>\n

That month, Hickerson was arrested again in Los Angeles and hit with an eight-count criminal indictment with charges stemming from a series of abusive incidents between May 2019 and January 2020. <\/p>\n

He was held on a $320,000 bond.<\/p>\n

In April 2021, Hickerson accepted a plea deal, pleading no contest to two felony counts of injuring a spouse or girlfriend. The remaining six counts were dismissed. <\/p>\n

Read more Breece Hall hobbles off field in worrying Jets training camp injury<\/a><\/p>\n

A judge sentenced Hickerson to 45 days in county jail, four years of formal probation, 52 mandatory domestic violence classes and a five-year restraining order.<\/p>\n

The following month, Hickerson surrendered to the LA Men\u2019s Central Jail to serve out his sentence. He had received credit for 12 days previously served.<\/p>\n

In May 2022, the pair got into a wild brawl with people in LA outside the Sunset Marquis\u00a0hotel, where they had been grabbing drinks.<\/p>\n

An eyewitness told TMZ that the fight started inside the bar between the actress, Hickerson and other patrons. One of the people involved in the fight was overheard claiming that Hickerson had spat on him, and the manager ultimately threw everyone out.<\/p>\n

Panettiere was allegedly overheard screaming, \u201cBrian, jail,\u201d seemingly to remind Hickerson that he is on probation after being arrested multiple times for acts of domestic violence against her.<\/p>\n

Hickerson and Panettiere officially split for good in July 2022.<\/p>\n

What did Hayden write about Brian in her memoir?<\/h2>\n

In her 2026 memoir, \u201cThis Is Me: A Reckoning,\u201d Panettiere got candid about the alleged domestic abuse she faced from Hickerson.<\/p>\n

The \u201cRemember the Titans\u201d actress described several instances where Hickerson allegedly slammed her head into a wall and beat her face so badly that she could not leave the house for weeks.<\/p>\n

In May 2026, Hickerson shared a horrifying story from their troubled relationship, admitting he was abusive towards her.<\/p>\n

Hickerson said there was one particular incident he didn\u2019t want in her book, but she included it anyway.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere\u2019s a story where I was drunk, right? Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand and I said, \u2018Hayden, I\u2019ll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you,\u2019\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

\u201cWho wants to read something about themselves, right?\u201d he admitted about her memoir. \u201cBut you gotta be vulnerable and I did it. I did it, so.\u201d<\/p>\n

Hickerson said he missed Panettiere \u201cevery day\u201d and that he thought about getting back together with her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI went into such a dark place, man, drugs, alcohol,\u201d he recalled of their time together. \u201cGood God, almighty, she\u2019s five foot two on paper, four foot 11 in real life. I mean, come on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Has Brian reacted to Hayden\u2019s death?<\/h2>\n

On Aug. 16, 2026, news surfaced that Panettiere had died. She was 36.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is with profound sadness that we share the tragic passing of our beloved Hayden,\u201d her father, Skip Panettiere, said in a statement to Page Six.<\/p>\n

\n<\/div>\n

\u201cShe was an incredible light and a force of nature who brought immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her \u2014 and to the millions who watched her onscreen. We ask for privacy as our family takes time to process this unimaginable loss.\u201d<\/p>\n

Law enforcement sources\u00a0confirmed to TMZ\u00a0that police responded to an incident involving Panettiere on Sunday and that an investigation is currently open.<\/p>\n

The outlet also reported that just one day prior, the actress flew from LA to South Carolina with Hickerson.<\/p>\n

As of this publication, Hickerson has not publicly responded to his girlfriend\u2019s tragic death.<\/p>\n

TMZ reported, however, that his family \u201cis aware.\u201d<\/p>\n

If you or someone you care about is affected by any of the issues raised in this story, call SAMHSA\u2019s National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Read more Massive tooth of 3.6M-year-old megalodon \u2014 largest shark to ever live \u2014 discovered on Jersey Shore<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Hayden Panettiere began her tumultuous relationship with Brian Hickerson in 2018 and they dated on and off until the actress died in August 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6778,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[16],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6779","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-celebrity-news"],"yoast_head":"\nWho is Brian Hickerson? Meet Hayden Panettiere's on-again, off-again boyfriend\u00a0 - Metro Transit Review<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/metrotransitreview.com\/?p=6779\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Who is Brian Hickerson? 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