In 2021, Brian Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail after multiple arrests related to the “Nashville” actress.

Hayden Panettiere’s ex-boyfriend reacts to her memoir, reveals domestic abuse story he asked to be cut out (but it wasn’t)

In 2021, Brian Hickerson was sentenced to 45 days in jail after multiple arrests related to the "Nashville" actress.

By Kathleen Perricone

May 12, 2026 8:49 p.m. ET

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Brian Hickerson and Hayden Panettiere in 2018. Credit: Eric Charbonneau/Shutterstock

- Hayden Panettiere's ex-boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, reacts to her new memoir, which details domestic abuse in their relationship.

- Hickerson reveals the one story he asked her to cut from the book, in which he threatened to throw a phone at her.

- Hickerson also says he spoke with Panettiere "yesterday" and thinks about marrying her one day.

Hayden Panettiere is revealing all in her new memoir, *This Is Me: A Reckoning*, including the "brutal" chapter of her life with boyfriend Brian Hickerson.

The two dated on and off from 2018 to 2022, during which Hickerson was arrested multiple times for domestic abuse. In 2021, he was sentenced to 45 days in jail and four years probation and ordered to stay away from the actress for five years.

Brian Hickerson interviewed by TMZ.

Panettiere details the “traumatic” relationship in her book, which Hickerson admits is a tough read but important.

"The domestic violence stuff, I think it's like page 272, my chapter. Everybody should read it," he told TMZ in a new interview.

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There is one story he wishes would not have been printed, however.

"I was drunk," he recalled to TMZ. "Hayden was standing across the room and I had a phone in my hand and I said, 'Uh, Hayden,' I said, 'I'll give you 10 seconds to run as fast as you can before I throw it at you.'"

Hickerson didn't offer up much contrition for the way he treated the actress. In fact, he defended himself to TMZ, saying, "People do this all the time, you know."

'This Is Me: A Reckoning' by Hayden Panettiere.

Panettiere publicly revealing what went on in their relationship is "more important for abusers" to read, added Hickerson. "My biggest thing about domestic violence is I don't think it is taught early enough in life. Never in my life did I ever get taught what domestic violence was, right? Maybe if I did at an early age, maybe I wouldn't have done what I did. We don't know."

Hickerson reserved his criticism for Panettiere's estranged mother, Leslie, whom he calls, "by far one of the worst people I've ever met in my life... She's terrible."

Hayden Panettiere in 2024.

Nathan Congleton/NBC via Getty

Hickerson also revealed he's now in AA after being in "such a dark place" with drugs and alcohol — and the leader of his group is none other than Shia LaBeouf.

"The man saved my life," Hickerson said of the actor, who was just arrested in February 2026 for an alleged physical altercation outside a New Orleans bar. "I am a very big Christian and so is Shia and we both love Jesus."

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As for himself and Panettiere, Hickerson claimed the two last spoke "yesterday" and that he holds out hope he'll marry her one day. "She probably don't think the same way," he admitted. "We probably wouldn't be good together."

Watch Brian Hickerson’s full interview with TMZ below.

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