James Blunt has publicly denied speculation that he was the 'famous singer' who, according to the late Hayden Panettiere's memoir, was put into bed with her when she was 18. The 'You're Beautiful' singer, who is set to appear on the upcoming series of The Celebrity Traitors, took to social media to share a blog post refuting the claim.
Blunt Responds to Memoir Allegations
Panettiere, who died from a suspected overdose at the age of 36 last week, wrote in her memoir This Is Me: A Reckoning, released last year, that she was 18 when a friend brought her onto a yacht to meet a British singer-songwriter in his 30s at the time. In a chapter titled 'Trust,' Panettiere described traveling on a super yacht with other celebrities cruising around the South of France, accompanied by a 'trusted' female friend who encouraged her to get into bed with the anonymous singer. She alleged the man was laying naked on a bed inside a cabin on the yacht.
The actress repeated the claims while appearing on Jay Shetty's podcast in May. Former entertainment journalist Dean Piper wrote a Substack article arguing that the timeline of events does not fit Blunt. Piper pointed out that a photo of Blunt and Panettiere from Cannes in 2009 was taken when the 'Heroes' actress was nearly 20, not 18 as she claimed at the time of the alleged incident.
Piper's Article Points to Inconsistencies
Piper's article also cited other factors ruling out Blunt, including a description from a close friend of Panettiere's who described the man as having a 'huge d**k.' Piper referenced an article by Joan Collins in The Spectator last year, titled 'The day James Blunt stripped off in front of me,' which described a speech Blunt gave standing on a table wearing only a pair of speedos. The article concluded: 'And so, if Blunt's not the man in question, the only other question is – who should the internet sleuths lynch next? Hopefully they'll put the kettle on and take a breath before starting on their next victim.'
Blunt shared the piece alongside a shifty eyes emoji. Metro has previously contacted representatives for James Blunt who denied any insinuation that the singer is the one referenced in Panettiere's memoir.
Panettiere's Death and Aftermath
Panettiere, who starred in 'Heroes' and 'Nashville,' died aged 36 at her home in Greenville, South Carolina, last Sunday, with her on-off boyfriend Brian Hickerson and his brother, Zach Hickerson, reportedly at the apartment. Police said Panettiere was found unresponsive and in cardiac arrest, with a post-mortem examination by the Greenville County coroner's office finding 'no signs of foul play or suspicious circumstances.' A statement from Panettiere's representatives said the star will be remembered by her family as an 'incredible light' who brought 'immeasurable love and joy to all who knew her.'
