Hayden Panettiere returns to work on Nashville

Actress Hayden Panettiere has returned to work on the set of Nashville after taking time out to receive treatment for post-partum depression.

The former Heroes star went public with her condition in September (15), revealing she had been struggling with the blues since giving birth to her daughter Kaya in December, 2014, mirroring a storyline involving her Nashville character Juliette Barnes.

Hayden, 26, checked into a treatment center in October (15) to get help for her depression, shortly before production on season four's ninth episode was due to begin, and Nashville executives reworked the storyline for the country music series to allow the actress to take a leave of absence.

"It's not the entire season, it's just for now," executive producer Dee Johnson told Deadline.com at the time. "We've had to make adjustments, but it's not uncommon for shows to have to make such accommodations when real life intervenes."

Hayden returned to the public eye in November (15), when she supported her fiance Wladimir Klitschko at a boxing match in Germany, and on Friday (08Jan16), she headed back to work on the TV drama, reports TVLine.com.

Sources tell the publication Hayden's character will reappear in season four's 14th episode, which is due to air in the in April (16).

A representative for TV network ABC has declined to comment on the report.

The news emerges weeks after Hayden's Nashville co-stars assured fans the actress was doing well.

"We have connected, and I think she's doing really well...," Connie Britton told the Associated Press. "She's right where she needs to be, and that's really good, and we all support her in that."

"I think she seems to be doing really well, and obviously all of us are very excited for her to come back when it's time...," Jonathan Jackson, who plays Hayden's onscreen husband, added to E! Online. "But I'm also really grateful that she's taking the time that she needs, and I think that that's really a wonderful example for people."