Billy Ray Cyrus speaks out after explicit voicemail leak

Billy Ray Cyrus has addressed the shocking leaked audio recordings of him yelling at his estranged Australian wife, Firerose.

Billy Ray Cyrus addressed the shocking leaked audio recordings of him yelling at his estranged wife, Firerose, just hours after they made headlines.

Yesterday, Page Six obtained jaw-dropping recordings of the country crooner berating Firerose, 35, and calling her a slew of insults — which his lawyers claim was leaked by the Australian singer herself.

Cyrus’ lawyers, Rose Palermo and Jason Talley of Cheatham Palermo and Garrett, tell Page Six the recording was taken without his knowledge as a “last-ditch effort to squeeze money” out of him before their court-ordered mediation next week.

“Mr. Cyrus previously admitted in a court filing that he had been very vocally frustrated and angry with Ms. Hodges during their 7-month marriage as he began to uncover more and more of Ms. Hodges true motives for marrying him,” they said in the statement.’

Happier times: Billy Ray Cyrus and Johanna Hodges aka Firerose on their wedding day.

“With regards to this recording, Ms. Hodges is the person who made the recording without telling Mr. Cyrus that she was recording him,” they continued. “Of course, she was intentionally on her best behaviour since she knew the recording was being made.”

His lawyers claim Firerose tried to sway the “court of public opinion” by allegedly releasing the “one-sided recording.”

“Unfortunately, Ms. Hodges is attempting to litigate her case in the press for her own personal gain and in an attempt to harm our client’s longstanding career, as she promised she would do if he tried to divorce her, which Mr. Cyrus alleged in a previous court filing,” they added.

“At this point Ms. Hodges has played her last card, while Mr. Cyrus, on the other hand, has much more material to present to the Court to demonstrate the lies that she made public throughout these proceedings.”

Cyrus also spoke out about the recording on his Instagram Story, admitting he was at his “wit’s end” with their marriage at the time.

“Hell yeah I was at my wit’s end,” he wrote. “As every day went by, I started realising something was wrong. And that’s before I knew she was a fraud.”

The couple’s brief marriage has imploded.

Billy Ray with daughter Miley. Picture: Jason Merritt/Getty

He continued, “I just knew something wasn’t right. That was before I knew she was David Hodges ex-wife. That’s before I knew her parents last name. I had no idea she was arrested for felony residential burglary.”

Cyrus, 62, said everything he thought he knew about his then-wife “was a lie.”

“She was trying to take over my career, my life and usurp the Cyrus name for her own gain,” he alleged. “See you in court.”

A rep for Firerose declined Page Six’s request for comment. However, a source close to her claims Cyrus was aware of her July 2016 arrest.

Billy Ray claimed in a recent court filing that he didn’t find out about her jail stint until she talked about it during a June 2024 interview with Page Six. However, according to a text message obtained by Page Six, Firerose discussed hitting “rock bottom in jail” in a text chain with Cyrus and his manager in November 2023.

Billy Ray’s shocking voicemails

The Achy Breaky Heart singer and his reps spoke out just hours after Page Six obtained audio clips of Cyrus repeatedly calling his estranged wife an “idiot” and “dumbass.”

The clip began with the then-couple arguing about being late for a “show” before Cryus told the musician to “get the f**k out of here.”

“If you would’ve just shut the f**k up. … If you would’ve just left it the f**k alone. … Now I’m really f**king pissed,” he said.

While it’s unclear exactly what led to their fight, Cyrus kept pointing out that she would not “f**king listen” to him.

“This ain’t about your surgery. This ain’t about nothing. This is about you being a f – king selfish bitch,” he added. “I don’t think you’re real smart. I’ve changed my damn mind on that s**t.”

Miley with her parents on her wedding day. All three have wed well-known Aussies in recent years.

After calling her “selfish” a few more times, Cyrus accused the singer of “walking all over” him.

When Firerose called him out for “screaming” at her, Cyrus only got more heated, telling her, “This would not be happening if you were to just shut your f**king mouth. … I will not tolerate that s**t. You just f**ked up.”

While it’s unclear exactly when the audio was recorded, a source says the fight took place after Firerose allegedly did not let him perform with Nicki Minaj during the rapper’s Tennessee tour stop.

Billy Ray filed for divorce in June after less than a year of marriage and the pair have been locked in a legal battle ever since.

Firerose publicly accused the “volatile” singer of “extreme verbal, emotional, and psychological abuse” as a result of his alleged “persistent drug use.”

Cyrus denied her accusations and claimed she was the one who abused him.

This story originally appeared on Page Six and is republished here with permission.

Originally published as Billy Ray Cyrus speaks out after explicit voicemail leak