Hayden Panettiere (finally) confirms engagement to Klitschko

Hayden Panettiere has finally, finally confirmed her engagement to Ukranian boxer Wladimir Klitschko.

And it’s about time.

The “Nashville” star stated the obvious during a Wednesday appearance on “Live With Kelly & Michael.” The 24-year-old actress hit the stage wearing a boa constrictor like a “scarf” for a long-running prank with host Michael Strahan. But Panettiere’s snake-handling prompted host Kelly Ripa to inquire about her flashy piece of hand jewelry.

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“I’m sort of distracted, not just by the snake, but there’s a very large diamond ring on your ring finger,” Ripa said. “I’m not sure if you want to announce anything. … Does that signify anything, is that a promise of something?”

“It might be, it might be,” Panettiere said. “I mean, I think it speaks for itself.”

Oh, she’s been playing that game for months! Then Ripa cut to the chase and asked her point blank if she was engaged.

“I am!” Panettiere said with a huge smile.

Now was that so hard?

The “Heroes” alum and the towering Olympic gold medalist, 37, reportedly got engaged last March; at least, that was around the time the petite star began sporting her gargantuan bauble. The two met in 2009 at an acquaintance’s book launch. They dated for two years before breaking up in 2011 and got back together last spring, which is when she described their rekindled relationship “like the 2.0 version.”

“I’ve always had great relationships and stayed really good friends with the guys I’ve dated,” Panettiere said in the May 2013 issue of Glamour. “It blows my mind sometimes that us getting together has gotten so much attention. It’s like, really? This is breaking news?”

Only when you confirm it, Hayden. Especially when you confirm it.

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