The Cyrus family drama continues to unfold as Tish Cyrus opens up about the toxic, decades-long marriage she endured with country star Billy Ray Cyrus. In an explosive interview on the Call Her Daddy podcast, Tish holds nothing back, sharing painful details about her marriage, her emotional breakdowns, and the family fallout that led to her divorce in 2022. But perhaps the most shocking part of the interview is how Tish reveals the real reasons behind Miley Cyrus’s public distancing from her father, painting Billy Ray in a very different light than fans might have assumed.

 

 

Tish Cyrus Breaks Silence on Her Toxic Marriage

After nearly 30 years of marriage, Tish filed for divorce from Billy Ray in 2022, and it appears the decision was a long time coming. Tish candidly admitted that she stayed in the marriage far longer than she should have, explaining that fear kept her tied to Billy Ray for years. But as her relationship with him deteriorated, Tish hit rock bottom, revealing the emotional and psychological toll the marriage had on her.

 

“I stayed for so long out of fear,” Tish confessed in the interview. “I literally had a complete psychological breakdown. I had one month of just not being able to eat, sleep, or stop crying… I was alone, I didn’t have my mom, and then I didn’t have my husband of 30 years.”

 

Tish said she even reached out to her doctor, asking for help: “Can you please put me in a mental hospital?” she recalled. It was a heartbreaking moment in which she realized just how much the toxic marriage had affected her mental health. She said, “It was so bad. I couldn’t even believe I was still standing.”

 

 

The Pandemic Separation: A Turning Point for Tish

Billy Ray and Tish’s separation became official in 2022, but their relationship had been unraveling for years. During the pandemic, Billy Ray moved to Tennessee, while Tish stayed in Los Angeles. This physical and emotional distance became a defining moment for Tish, allowing her the space to reflect on her life, her marriage, and her happiness.

 

She shared how the isolation of the pandemic gave her the time and clarity she needed to see the relationship in a new light. “I realized I had stayed for so long out of fear of being alone,” Tish said. “I met him when I was 24, and I grew up with him. It was terrifying to think about being alone.”

 

However, Tish came to realize that the fear of being alone was nothing compared to the fear of staying in a marriage that was no longer healthy. She found strength in the solitude, and she says it was during this period that she began to feel the weight of her decision lift.

 

 

Miley Cyrus and Billy Ray: The Family Rift

As Tish exposed the painful truth about her marriage, she also hinted at the underlying issues that have led to the fractured relationship between Miley and her father. Miley, who has publicly criticized her father for years, has clearly sided with her mother in this family feud.

 

Tish didn’t mince words when it came to her estranged relationship with Billy Ray. She admitted that her marriage was filled with disrespect—something that Miley likely witnessed growing up. “There’s not one second that I don’t feel loved by my new husband,” Tish said. “But with Billy Ray, it was different. I put up with so much disrespect in that marriage, and it was never something I felt from my parents, so it was hard for me to accept.”

 

It’s clear that Miley, who has been vocal about her father’s actions and their effect on her family, shares her mother’s sentiments. Miley’s strained relationship with Billy Ray has been a source of public tension for years, but Tish’s revelations put much of the blame on Billy Ray’s behavior, which Miley herself has openly criticized.

 

 

Miley’s Silence: Turning Her Back on Billy Ray

Miley’s silence toward her father only grew louder after she won two Grammy Awards in 2024. During her acceptance speeches, Miley failed to acknowledge Billy Ray, which many fans saw as a pointed snub. While Miley has been hugely successful in her own right, her omission of Billy Ray during such a major career milestone speaks volumes about their relationship.

 

In the past, Miley and Billy Ray were a dynamic father-daughter duo, famously starring together on the Disney Channel show Hannah Montana. But as the years went on, it became clear that their bond had fractured, with Miley frequently calling out her father’s behavior, particularly in relation to his treatment of Tish.

 

In the podcast, Tish confirmed that Miley’s distaste for Billy Ray stems from the way he treated her mother. “Miley has seen everything that Billy Ray did to me. She’s not going to stand by and support that,” Tish explained. Miley’s silence and her decision to distance herself from her father seem to be rooted in a deep, personal betrayal that Tish and Miley both feel was never properly addressed by Billy Ray.

 

 

The Children Take Sides: A Family Divided

The fallout from Tish and Billy Ray’s divorce has left their children divided. While Miley, Brandy, and Trace appear to support Tish, Noah and Braison have publicly sided with their father. This division has created tension not only between Billy Ray and Tish but also between the siblings.

 

Noah, in particular, has defended her father, calling him a huge inspiration in her music. “My dad is a huge influence on my sound,” Noah said in an interview, adding that Billy Ray has always been supportive of her music. This support seems to have further fueled the divide within the family, with Noah and Braison standing by Billy Ray’s side, while Miley and Brandy stand firmly behind their mother.

 

 

Tish Opens Up About Her Life After Billy Ray

Despite the heartbreak of her divorce, Tish has found happiness in her new marriage to Dominic Peltier, and she’s more open than ever about her personal journey. She describes the emotional release she felt after leaving Billy Ray as a kind of “newfound freedom.” “I never really got to know who I was as an adult,” she admitted. “I was always a wife, a mother, a caretaker, but never just Tish.”

 

Now, with her new partner, Tish feels loved and supported in a way she never did with Billy Ray. She credits Dominic with helping her rediscover herself and heal from years of emotional pain. “He makes me feel loved in a way I never experienced with Billy Ray,” Tish revealed.

 

 

Billy Ray’s Past Comments on Hannah Montana and the Family’s Struggles

Billy Ray has made controversial statements over the years about the impact of Hannah Montana on his family, famously saying that the show “destroyed” his family. He went so far as to say that if he could go back, he would erase the entire show from their lives. “I hate to say it, but yes, I would erase it all in a second if I could,” Billy Ray admitted in a 2011 interview.

 

However, Tish and her children strongly disagree with this assessment. They argue that Hannah Montana actually brought them closer together as a family and allowed them to spend more time together. Tish clarified that it wasn’t the show that broke them—it was the issues that were already present within the marriage.

 

 

Moving Forward: Tish and Miley’s Healing

As Tish continues to rebuild her life, she and Miley are closer than ever. Miley, who has found success and healing in her music and personal life, seems to be on a path of her own, separate from her father. It’s clear that Miley’s loyalty to her mother and her disillusionment with Billy Ray has only strengthened over time.

 

Tish, for her part, seems to have finally found peace and a sense of self that was lost during her tumultuous marriage. As she heals, Tish’s focus is on herself, her family, and her newfound freedom.

 

 

Conclusion: The Family Drama Continues

The Cyrus family’s saga is far from over. With Tish exposing the true depth of her toxic marriage to Billy Ray, and Miley continuing to publicly distance herself from her father, it’s clear that this family is deeply fractured. But as Tish moves forward with her new life and Miley continues to thrive in her career, it seems that they are both finally healing from the wounds that Billy Ray left behind.

 

The question now is: Will Billy Ray ever come to terms with the damage he caused, or is the divide between him and his family irreversible? Only time will tell, but for now, it’s clear that Tish and Miley are standing strong and sticking together.