Megyn Kelly Questions Whether Hayden Panettiere's Abusive 'Idiot' Boyfriend Brian Hickerson Enabled Star's Drug Addiction Before Her Death

Megyn Kelly criticized the late Hayden Panettiere's on-off boyfriend, Brian Hickerson, following the actress's tragic death at age 36 on the latest episode of her titular podcast.

Kelly raised major questions regarding Hickerson's potential role in enabling Panettiere's substance abuse after reviewing past clips of him.

“You are an idiot. It’s obvious what a dolt you are,” she said, later blasting him as an “absolute fool."

“It’s egregious how dumb this man sounds. That she was spending any portion of her life with him because she was smart,” she said.

She questioned who provided the drugs that led to the suspected fatal overdose at the apartment, pointing out that Narcan was discovered in the home when the Nashville star died on Sunday, August 16.

Kelly focused heavily on the toxic dynamics of the relationship and the legal realities surrounding Hickerson.

Kelly openly questioned whether Hickerson or other acquaintances present at the apartment funneled drugs to Panettiere, who was a known addict struggling with sobriety.

Reacting to a past interview in which Hickerson wore a backward baseball cap and expressed hope of marrying Panettiere one day, Kelly blasted his demeanor, saying he could "barely spit out two sentences" and sounded entirely unintelligent.

The podcast host compared the situation to the criminal charges filed against suppliers in Matthew Perry's death, exploring whether Hickerson could face legal consequences if he provided the lethal substances or failed to administer the Narcan properly found at the scene.

The commentary comes on the heels of Panettiere's long, public battle with domestic abuse and addiction, which she heavily documented in her May memoir, This Is Me: A Reckoning.

Hickerson has a well-documented history of domestic violence.

He was arrested multiple times for assaulting Panettiere — including an incident where he allegedly punched her in the face — and served 45 days in jail after pleading no contest to felony abuse charges.

“As far as I can tell, he spent the last five years beating the s--- out of this woman,” Kelly said. “Absolutely no care whatsoever for her well-being. So what role, if any, did he play?”

Just days before the actress' death, a Los Angeles County judge denied Hickerson's formal legal request to have his felony domestic violence charges reduced or expunged from his record.

Hickerson has not spoken directly to the media, but he broke his silence by issuing a formal statement through his attorney, Sloan Ellis.

The brief statement focused strictly on the status of the police investigation, saying, “Hayden's death remains under investigation, and it is important to allow that investigation to proceed. As has been publicly reported, police confirmed there were no signs of foul play. Out of respect for Hayden's loved ones and the ongoing investigation, there will be no further comment at this time.”