Miley Cyrus returns as Hannah Montana for 20th anniversary special, shares throwback posts and iconic Disney moments

Miley Cyrus has announced a new television event titled the Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special, marking nearly two decades since the debut of Hannah Montana. The special will premiere on March 24, the same date the original series debuted in 2006.

Cyrus shared the announcement on her social media handles, writing, “Going back to where it all began.” She also posted a teaser video showing her arriving at Stage 9 on the studio lot in a car with the license plate “HM 20.” As she stepped out wearing gold and black boots, the show’s theme song, “The Best of Both Worlds,” played in the background.

The special will feature an in-depth interview hosted by Alex Cooper of the Call Her Daddy podcast. Filmed in front of a live studio audience, the conversation will see Cyrus discuss her time portraying Hannah, her years with Disney Channel and other aspects of her career.

Miley Cyrus throwback posts from Hannah Montana

The announcement follows recent throwback posts shared by Cyrus from her time on the series. “Going through the archives… so many memories xoMC,” she wrote alongside old photographs from the show.

About Hannah Montana show

Hannah Montana aired on Disney Channel from March 2006 to January 2011 and followed a teenager living a double life as an ordinary girl and a chart-topping pop star. The series played a key role in launching Cyrus’ career.

The show also starred her father, Billy Ray Cyrus, along with Emily Osment, Jason Earles and Mitchel Musso.

In a press release, Cyrus reflected on the show’s legacy. “‘Hannah Montana’ will always be a part of who I am. What started as a TV show became a shared experience that shaped my life and the lives of so many fans, and I’ll always be thankful for that connection,” she said. “The fact that it still means so much to people all these years later is something I’m very proud of. This ‘Hannahversary’ is my way of celebrating and thanking the fans who’ve stood by me for 20 years.”

Past reflections and music rights

Cyrus had earlier spoken about planning a tribute during an appearance on SiriusXM’s TikTok Radio. “I want to design something really, really special for it because it really was the beginning of all of this that now sits here today. Without Hannah, there really wouldn’t be this kind of… this me,” she said. “It’s so crazy to think, too, that I started as a character that I thought was going to be impossible to shed.”

She added, “And now that’s something that when I walk into a space, it’s looked at as this sense of nostalgia or something that you have from your childhood, but I’ve now been as kind of integrated into everyone’s life as the character itself. So that’s exciting to get to celebrate that.”

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A post shared by Miley Cyrus (@mileycyrus)

Miley was barred from singing Hannah Montana songs

In a separate appearance on The Ringer podcast, Cyrus spoke about not being allowed to perform songs from the series after leaving Disney. “After I left Disney, I wasn’t allowed to perform any of the ‘Hannah Montana’ music. It’s not like I wanted to, I mean, performing ‘The Best Of Both Worlds’ between ‘We Can’t Stop’ and ‘Wrecking Ball,’ wouldn’t have really made sense. It was still sad knowing those songs have my voice, my face, and I wasn’t allowed to sing them,” she said.

Miley Cyrus received Disney Legend recognition

In 2024, Cyrus was named a Disney Legend at D23, after which she was permitted to perform songs from the series again. Reflecting on the honour, she said, “It was pretty cool.”

During her acceptance speech, she said, “A little bit of everything has changed, ... but at the same time, nothing has changed at all, I stand here still proud to have been Hannah Montana. In so many ways, this award is dedicated to Hannah and all of her amazing loyal fans, and to everyone who has made my dream a reality. To quote the legend herself, 'This is the life.'”