Miley Cyrus has reunited with her father Billy Ray Cyrus for the 20th anniversary special of the Disney Channel series Hannah Montana. The father-daughter duo appear together in the upcoming programme, which includes an exclusive interview with Miley and previously unseen footage. In a clip shared by Billy Ray on Instagram, the pair perform a hip bump handshake, with the caption: “20 years later and @mileycyrus still knows the old handshake trick.”
The reunion comes after reports of a family rift following Billy Ray’s separation from Miley’s mother, Tish, in 2022. At the 2024 Grammys, Miley did not mention her father during her acceptance speech, and later admitted they had faced “challenges”. In a social media post, she wrote: “My dad and I have had our challenges over the years. Now, in my thirties, family is my priority above all else. I'm at peace knowing bridges have been built and time has done a lot of healing.”
The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special will be filmed in front of a live audience and feature an interview with Miley conducted by Alex Cooper, host of the Call Her Daddy podcast. The show originally aired from 2006 to 2011, centring on Miley Stewart, a teenager living a double life as a high school student and pop star Hannah Montana. Billy Ray played a fictionalised version of himself, a retired country musician managing his daughter’s career.
Reflecting on her time on the show, Miley said: “For so long I tried to shake the image, but now I am confident on who I am. I look back with great memories. If it weren’t for Hannah, I wouldn’t be where I am now.” Professionally, she has achieved significant success, including two Grammy wins in 2024 for her hit single Flowers, and critical acclaim for her ninth studio album Something Beautiful. On a personal note, she became engaged to musician Maxx Morando in December after four years together.
