Hayden Panettiere's mom slams Gayle King for 'lack of professionalism'

Ayeesha WalshSun, August 23, 2026 at 12:42 PM UTC

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Lesley has hit out at her critics -Credit:Reach Publishing Services Limited

Hayden Panettiere's estranged mother has fired back at Gayle King after the broadcaster slammed her initial public statement following her daughter's tragic passing.

Lesley Vogel, 70, revealed she felt "very, very hurt and deeply disappointed" by the wave of criticism she faced after discussing her loss. Panettiere passed away aged 36 on August 16 after being discovered unresponsive at a South Carolina residence.

Her death is still being investigated, with authorities yet to officially confirm the cause. Vogel, who previously lost her 28 year old son Jansen to an undiagnosed heart condition three years earlier, explained that the backlash from King, 71, former Fox News host Megyn Kelly and others had compounded an already unbearable time.

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In a new interview, she openly acknowledged, "There is infinite sadness." This comes as reports emerge that Hayden's boyfriend Brian Hickerson was accused of ongoing drug use by prosecutors just three days prior to her death."

Speaking to the Daily Mail, she went on, "But this is not the time for me to be weak," the mother of two stated. "I don't have the luxury right now of being weak. I have too much to do for Hayden.

Hayden Panettiere detailed her strained relationship with her mother in her memoir -Credit:FilmMagic

"When I'm done with that, then I will give myself the luxury to mourn - deeply mourn. I'm not saying I'm not grieving now. I am, and I do have my moments. But the bigger picture right now is I have to stay strong. I don't have an option."

She continued, "I was very, very hurt and deeply disappointed in the lack of professionalism, the lack of compassion in slamming someone who's lost two children, without even a modicum of consideration. No one reached out to me before. It's shameful. It's unconscionable to me."

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Vogel, who had previously represented Hayden during her childhood acting career, initially addressed her daughter's passing publicly on Tuesday, August 18. During that time, she characterized Hayden as someone who had found it challenging to stay authentic to who she was.

Hayden with her mom and her late brother -Credit:Getty Images

"I think it becomes very difficult to be true to yourself and I think Hayden sadly lost her way and I wish it were different," Vogel told NBC News in part via a statement. "I wish she had stayed true to herself because she had many incredible attributes."

She added of her daughter, "I just feel that she's with her brother and they're at peace." The remarks triggered a significant response from King during the August 19 broadcast of CBS Mornings.

"You know, guys, you read this and all I think is, 'Thanks, Mom, for nothing," King said while appearing alongside fellow CBS personalities Kelly O'Grady and Vladimir Duthiers. Duthiers, 56, also condemned Vogel's choice to address her daughter's difficulties so shortly after her passing.

"I mean, Hayden Panettiere spent years publicly acknowledging her own failures, her own struggles," Duthiers observed. "She cannot respond now, and for her mother to use these days after Hayden's death to just remind the world just how much trauma she caused, it's unseemly."

Hayden previously admitted she was trying to repair her relationship with her mom

King also weighed in on the fraught dynamic between Hayden and her mother, which the actress had openly discussed in the past. Hayden had characterized their relationship as a "work in progress" back in May.

"You hear stuff like that and you realize it was still very much in progress," King remarked. "It makes me so sad that, of the opportunity that you have after your daughter's death, that's what you choose to leave us with."

Ex-Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly also delivered a blistering critique of Vogel in response to her statements. "You failed at your job... You got an F as a parent. You made a bunch of money off of your daughter," the reporter-turned-podcaster declared.

"You probably have a super nice car and a big house. You failed. You raised someone to the age of majority who doesn't feel safe, loved, or cherished. You're a loser."

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”