James Blunt denies being the ‘very famous undressed man’ in Hayden Panettiere’s yacht story

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James Blunt wants to put a stop to the rumors that he’s the “undressed” and “very famous” man Hayden Panettiere found herself in bed with on a yacht when she was just 18 years old.

The singer, 52, posted a link to a Substack article by journalist Dean Piper on X Monday, which debunks the rumors that Blunt is the unnamed man Panettiere was talking about in her memoir, “This Is Me: A Reckoning.”

In Piper’s article titled “Hayden Panettiere and James Blunt – An Internet Lynching,” he noted that he wrote an article about Panttiere and Blunt at the amfAR charity event in Cannes in 2009.

“They’d arrived together, had been flirty throughout and had gone to the afterparty together,” Piper recalled. “They were photographed on a boat the next day, smiling and having fun.”

James Blunt (pictured above in October 2019) addressed rumors Monday that he’s the “undressed” and “very famous” man Hayden Panettiere was placed on a bed with on a yacht when she was 18 years old. Getty Images for BFI
The British singer posted a link on X to a Substack article written by journalist Dean Piper that debunks the rumor. James Blunt/X

Years later, the pics of Blunt and Panettiere together on a boat led to the rumors that the “You’re Beautiful” singer was the man Panettiere was referring to. But Piper points out that the timeline of the two’s interaction doesn’t fit.

“Guys, it only takes the smallest of AI searches to find out that in May 2009, when the pictures of Blunt and Panettiere were taken, she was 19, almost 20. So, if the incident happened when she was 18, Blunt’s not your guy to start with.”

Piper also argues that in Panettiere’s story of the disturbing encounter, she says she fled from the room and hid somewhere else on the boat — which in his opinion, wouldn’t match up with her and Blunt being seen together multiple times.

“It takes nothing to work out that the cabin incident was the first and last time she met the man,” he wrote. “So, pictures of Blunt and Panettiere at the amfAR charity event and together on the boat again the next day mean only one thing – he’s really not your man.”

Rumors that Blunt is the man Panettiere wrote about stemmed from the two being photographed with each other at an AmfAR charity event together in May 2009 and on a boat. They’re seen here with Justin Long and “Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Diana Jenkins. Getty Images For amfAR
Piper wrote that Panettiere was 19 at the time of the AmfAR encounter with Blunt (pictured above in June), so the timeline doesn’t match up given that the actress said she was 18 at the time. jamesblunt/instagram

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In May, Panettiere appeared on the “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” podcast and went into detail about the yacht incident. She recalled that she thought she was having a fun night out on a boat with friends, but was then taken “by surprise” and felt “in danger.”

The “Heroes” star said she was “led by somebody that I had grown to trust and see as a protector and somebody who had my back” down the stairs into a “very small” room.

“She physically put me in the bed next to this undressed man who was very famous,” she remembered.

Panettiere (pictured above in May) recounted the disturbing story on the “On Purpose with Jay Shetty” podcast in May. Janet Mayer/Shutterstock
The “Nashville” alum (pictured here in March 2023) said went into survival mode after a woman she trusted put her in a bed next to an undressed man who was “very famous,” while on a boat. Photo Image Press/Shutterstock
Panettiere tragically died last Sunday of an apparent overdose. haydenpanettiere/Instagram

“There was no jumping off and swimming away,” she added. “And there was nobody who was going to be empathetic to my situation. I realized that this was nothing new to them.”

“Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum Diana Jenkins later shut down rumors that she was the woman Panettiere claimed put her in bed, after fans brought up their formerly close friendship.

“Diana has had to deal with false online rumors before, and sadly this is just another example of that,” Jenkins’ spokesperson told TMZ. “So let me be 100 percent clear about this: It most certainly is not Diana, and anyone who claims it is her will be sued.”

Panettiere died last Sunday of an apparent overdose. She was 36 years old.

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