The actress has previously opened up about her alcohol and drug addiction
Hayden Panettiere has opened up on losing custody of her daughter.
Image: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic via Reuters
US actress Hayden Panettiere says signing over custody of her daughter was the “most heartbreaking thing” she's ever had to do.
The Heroes actress opened up on the thorny issue on the latest episode of the popular Red Table Talk, hosted by actress Jada Pinkett-Smith, her mother Adrienne Banfield-Norris and daughter Willow Smith.
In a clip shared before the release of Wednesday's episode, a sombre Panettiere revealed how she lost custody of seven-year-old Kaya Evdokia Klitschko.
Initially no agreement was reached between her and former partner Wladimir Klitschko.
“At first it was not, because it wasn't a discussion ... if he had come to me and said, 'I think because of where you're at right now and the struggles you're having it would be good for her to be over here with me for a while'.
“To which I, probably, if I'd had enough of a conversation, would've have said 'OK, that makes sense. I get it. I'll come there to visit and stuff like that',” she said.
The way the custody issue was handled was “very upsetting”, and signing the papers was the “worst”.
Panettiere revealed the agreement was she would sign over custody and take time to work on herself and once she was well enough, things would change. This did not materialise.
“It [signing over custody] was the most heartbreaking thing I've ever had to do in my life.”
The actress has previously opened up about her struggle with addiction to alcohol and pills, telling People she was in a “cycle of self-destruction”.
