Hayden Panettiere defends relationship with Brian Hickerson

Hayden Panettiere is defending her reunion with boyfriend Brian Hickerson, after a domestic violence case against him was dropped, insisting the pair's much-publicised confrontations were never physical.

The real estate agent was arrested by Los Angeles police officers on 2 May (19) after an argument between the two at Panettiere's home allegedly turned physical. He pleaded not guilty to an abuse charge, and in September, the count was dropped due to a lack of witnesses, while a restraining order forcing him to stay away from Panettiere was also lifted.

Now the 30 year old is maintaining all is well in her relationship, and that her spats with Hickerson never turned violent.

"Everything was totally OK," she told TMZ.

It was initially reported that the pair's relationship, which began in August, 2018, came to an end following the dispute, but earlier this month (Nov19), the couple was photographed together at a U.S. airport.

When asked how her family feels about the reconciliation, Panettiere revealed she has their support.

"My family knows that I'm smart enough to make my own decisions," she added. "There was never a problem."

Her folks previously urged the judge overseeing Hickerson's assault case to hand him the maximum sentence for his alleged actions.

The former Nashville star was previously engaged to former boxing champ Wladimir Klitschko, the father of her four-year-old daughter, Kaya.