Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend defends relationship

Hayden Panettiere’s boyfriend is defending his relationship with the actress following reports of a domestic altercation.
The former Nashville star made headlines earlier this month after she and her new beau, Brian Hickerson, were allegedly involved in a heated altercation with his father during a trip to South Carolina.
According to TMZ, police were called to the scene and questioned the actress, who admitted she had been drinking.
The drama ledt to tabloid speculation about Hayden’s new romance, with sources telling various outlets that her friends didn’t think Hickerson was a good fit.
Now, the aspiring actor is fighting back, telling Access Hollywood everything between himself and the 29 year old is good.
“Just to be clear, Hayden’s friends and family are not worried about her at all,” he says. “Hayden is happy and healthy and so is our relationship. That is all I will comment on so please respect my privacy.”
Panettiere has yet to comment on her romance.
She has been linked to Brian since August (18), shortly after her split from her fiance Wladimir Klitschko went public. Hayden and the now-retired Ukrainian boxer had been dating on and off since 2009, and they became engaged in 2013, a year before welcoming their daughter Kaya.