Billy Ray Cyrus is "happy to be out of [his] marriage" to Firerose.
Billy Ray Cyrus 'happy to be out of marriage'
The 62-year-old star filed for divorce from the 37-year-old musician in May, just seven months after their wedding, and while he cited irreconcilable differences and inappropriate marital conduct as the reasons for the split, friends say Billy Ray just wants to "to put all the drama in the past".
A source told PEOPLE: "He has a good support system. He's happy in Nashville and doing well. He's with close friends and he has great contact with [his daughter] Noah. He's happy to be out of the marriage.
"[He feels like the relationship was] all a scam and he feels lucky that he figured it all out."
Meanwhile, Firerose has alleged that Billy Ray continually screamed at her and made her feel like a prisoner at their remote farm just outside Nashville.
She told the New York Post's Page Six: “Billy had very strict rules. I didn’t have a car. I was only allowed to go to the local chiropractor and allowed once a month to get my nails done… it was systematic isolation and I couldn’t find the courage to leave.
“If I had to send a text, I had to read it out to him for permission. It was the same for email.”
Firerose added the stress became so bad she passed out two days before their wedding last October and was taken to the hospital.
She also claimed Billy Ray would give her the silent treatment for hours and sometimes days, adding: “I withdrew… I was afraid to talk.”
Despite her claims, court documents filed in Tennessee earlier this month showed Billy Ray claims he was the one “physically”, verbally and emotionally abused by his ex – who was born Johanna Rose Hodges.
He also used the filing to deny “mind boggling” allegations it was him who was abusive to Firerose.
The papers state: “While the Plaintiff would acknowledge that he was certainly vocal, frustrated and angry with the Defendant in May 2024, it is the plaintiff who, in fact, has been abused.
“Not only verbally and emotionally by the Defendant, but PHYSICALLY abused by Defendant.”
In an affidavit, Billy Ray’s manager Scott Adkins claimed he witnessed the abuse toward the singer.
Firerose filed legal papers on 14 July saying Billy Ray filed for divorce in May one day before she was set to undergo a preventative double mastectomy.
The Australian says in her complaint she was diagnosed as a carrier of the BRCA1 gene mutation in early 2020 and her doctors “highly recommended” she undergo the procedure and a breast reconstruction, with the singer scheduling her first surgery for 24 May.
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