'So grateful you still love this show': Miley Cyrus leads Hannah Montana reunion

Fans of Hannah Montana were given a strong dose of nostalgia as the original cast came together for the world premiere of the show’s 20th anniversary special on March 24.

Miley Cyrus led the reunion, appearing on the red carpet in a sparkling silver gown featuring an imprint of her Hannah Montana character, a visual nod to the role that defined her early career.

She was joined by former co-stars Jason Earles, Moises Arias, Cody Linley, Anna Maria Perez de Tagle and Shanica Knowles, marking a rare on-screen family gathering years after the series ended.

Emily Osment, who played Miley Stewart’s closest friend Lilly Truscott, was notably absent from the event. In a video shared on Instagram, she said she was unable to attend due to filming commitments for George & Mandy’s First Marriage, but took time to acknowledge the milestone.

“I wanted to say hello and thank you to everybody that has stuck by us for all these years,” she said, adding she was “so grateful that you guys all still love this show” and “so proud to be a part of it”.

Reflecting on her time on the series, Osment described the show as transformative. “Hannah Montana changed my life,” she wrote, noting it instilled “discipline, patience, timing and respect” while working in a professional environment at a young age. She also thanked fans for their continued support, calling the series a “once in a generation goliath of a television show”.

Originally premiering in 2006, Hannah Montana ran for four seasons before concluding in 2011. The Disney Channel hit followed Miley Stewart, a teenager living a double life as a global pop star, and became one of the network’s most successful programmes, earning four Emmy nominations for Outstanding Children’s Programme.

The franchise extended beyond television with the release of Hannah Montana: The Movie in 2009, further cementing its popularity among young audiences at the time.