In News Of Happy Celebrity Couples, Hayden Panettiere Is Engaged To Boyfried Wladimir Klitchko

It seems like just yesterday that Hayden Panettiere was a bushy-haired teenager on Malcolm in the Middle (don’t think we’ve forgotten) and now the starlet has announced her engagement to boxer Wladimir Klitschko. Panettiere broke the news on Live With Kelly & Michael earlier today (October 9.) Panettiere was rather nonchalant about the whole thing, or as nonchalant as one can be while holding a large python. While the actress was handling the snake, Kelly Ripa remarked on the object of interest – a large diamond, sparkling on Panettiere’s ring finger.

Hayden made the announcement in the most casual way possible.

"I'm sort of distracted, not just by the snake, but there's a very large diamond ring on your ring finger. [...] I'm not sure if you want to announce anything. … [I]s that a promise of something? Panettiere answered with the rather vague, "It might be. [...] I mean, I think it speaks for itself."

Finally, after some back-and-forth, Ripa came out with the actual question, "Are you engaged?" and Panettiere said, "I am," and later added that she hadn't picked a date, because of her hectic and constantly changing schedule. Panettiere and Klitschko’s on-again-off-again romance led them to separate for a while, after the beginning of the relationship in 2009. However, the couple were soon back together (in the spring of 2012) and have been going strong since then.

It's been smooth sailing since the pair's reunion.

"It's like the 2.0 version," she told Glamour magazine of their romance this time around. "I've always had great relationships and stayed really good friends with the guys I've dated. It blows my mind sometimes that us getting together has gotten so much attention. It's like, Really? This is breaking news?"

Breaking news or not, the engagement is a pleasant bit of news nonetheless. From all of us here at Contactmusic, congratulations to the happy couple!

The date is yet to be set.