Hayden Panettiere - Hayden Panettiere and Scotty McKnight split

Hayden Panettiere and Scotty McKnight split

Hayden Panettiere and Scotty McKnight have split up.

The 'Nashville' actress and the football player called time on their relationship a few weeks ago but are determined to remain friends.

According to gossip website TMZ: ''Hayden Panettiere and her football player boyfriend Scotty McKnight are officially broken up.

''The two broke up a couple of weeks ago ... but it wasn't a nasty breakup. They are still really good friends.

''They will probably be back together sometime down the road.''

Hayden started dating Scotty after splitting from heavyweight boxing champion Wladmir Klitschko in May 2011 after a year and a half together because they couldn't cope with having a long-distance relationship.

Hayden lived in the US, while Wladimir - who was raised in the Ukraine - is based in Hamburg, Germany.

Hayden said at the time: ''While we decided to split, we feel great sympathy and respect for each other and will surely stay close friends.''

Wladimir added: ''We had a great time together. But more and more we saw how difficult it is to maintain a relationship when living on two continents. I cherish Hayden as a person and woman.''