Hayden Panettiere's ex Wladimir Klitschko says family in 'profound shock and grief'

ByPaul Glynn

Culture reporter

Hayden Panettiere's ex-partner Wladimir Klitschko has posted an emotional tribute to the "talented" late Heroes and Nashville star, who he said has "left this world too soon".

The former world heavyweight boxing champion, who shares a daughter with Panettiere, said the family is going through "profound shock and grief" following her death at the age of 36.

Panettiere died in Greenville, South Carolina, on Sunday and police said there were not "any signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances".

She had struggled for years with substance abuse and audio from police dispatchers and crews said they were responding to a "cardiac arrest" and detailed their efforts to resuscitate the woman after a possible "overdose".

The Greenville County Coroner's Office said crews treated a woman in "cardiac arrest" and her autopsy showed "no signs of trauma", but that the cause of death has not been confirmed.

Klitschko posted, external that the announcement of Panettiere's "tragic death saddens me deeply".

"She left this world far too soon. Hayden was, although no longer my partner, an important part of my life and the mother of our daughter, Kaya.

"She built an incredible career through immense talent, while also facing the darker sides of a very demanding industry. Nothing will erase the times we shared or the place she had in our lives."

The pair, who met in around 2009, announced their engagement in 2013 and had their daughter together the following year. They never married.

"To our daughter Kaya, I will always speak of her mother with respect and make sure she remembers the person she was," he continued.

"I extend my deepest condolences to Hayden's parents, her friends, and her fans, who are also grieving today. Young and talented people like Hayden should not leave this world so soon.

"I ask everyone to please respect our family's feelings and privacy during this incredibly difficult time. For now, this is all I wish to say.

"Thank you to everyone who is supporting my family and expressing their sincere condolences.

"Rest easy, Hayden. May you find eternal peace."

Panettiere met Klitschko, who was was 13 years older than her, at a party in Los Angeles when she was 19.

After their daughter was born, the actress was hit hard by postpartum depression and was drinking heavily.

Klitschko helped get her treatment but when their daughter was three, he asked her to sign over custody.

Panettiere reluctantly agreed and wrote in her autobiography, which was published earlier this year: "Not being under the same roof with her every day has been the most gut-wrenching experience of my life, and it's hard to describe the layers of emotion, including sadness, resentment, and anger I felt because of it...

"I grieve that I'm not the mother I thought I'd be, and definitely not the mother I want to be. Trust me, no one should ever have to raise a child on FaceTime."

She remained involved in her daughter's life and added that "despite it all, the bond I have with Kaya is incredibly strong".