6 million viewers celebrate 20 Years of Hannah Montana magic
Sweet niblets!
Last updated 5 hours ago
Miley Cyrus might be known as a huge pop icon these days, with hits such as 'Flowers', 'Used To Be Young' and 'Wrecking Ball', but two decades ago she started out as a young actress on the hit TV show Hannah Montana for Disney Channel.
Now, in news that has us screaming “SWEET NIBLETS,” the latest viewing stats for The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special are in - and they’re huge. After debuting on Disney+ and rolling out the purple carpet at its global premiere on 24th March, the special pulled in 6.3 million views across Disney+ and Hulu in just three days! It also sparked nearly a 1,000% surge in catalog streams, with fans logging over half a billion hours worldwide to date.
Fans have now streamed over half a billion hours of Hannah Montana on Disney+ globally, and spent thousands more hours this month revisiting classic music videos and a dedicated non-stop stream of every Hannah Montana title.
The celebration has also exploded across social media, with Disney+ and Disney Channel posts generating almost 440 million impressions and over 30 million engagements in March, while the teaser for the special alone was watched more than 120 million times in 24 hours and Miley’s recreated Disney Channel wand ID racked up over 45 million organic views.
What is The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special?
Disney+ say of the special: 'Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is a love letter to fans, filled with heartfelt nostalgia. Miley Cyrus revisits her most memorable moments in an exclusive, in-depth interview hosted by Alex Cooper. Viewers will also enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at Miley’s archival collection, familiar faces and surprise guests, and a special musical performance by Miley Cyrus'.
Sharing a post on Instagram, the video showed a car arriving outside sound stage 9, with the number plate HM 20, while someone wearing knee-length stiletto boots gets out and walks towards the camera.
Disney+ wrote: 'Going back to where it all began. 🖤 The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special premieres March 24 on Disney+. #MileysMemories'.
Is there a trailer?
Following a number of teaser trailers, the full trailer for The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special was released on 17th March 2026, showing Miley donning THAT Hannah Montana wig as she performs 'Best Of Both Worlds'.
The spine-tingling trailer also shows Miley having emotional chats with her mum Tish and dad Billy Ray, as well as a clip of her performing 'The Climb'.
Ending on a high, Miley tells the crowd: "I loved being Hannah then, and I'm so living for it now."
Check out the trailer below:
When did it come out?
The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is out now on Disney+.
Fans were in for a treat on its release day, as we saw moments from the premiere showing the original cast reuniting on the purple carpet, with Disney+ captioning the post: 'We got the party with us ✨ #HannahMontana20.'
Miley was joined by, Jason Earles aka Jackson Stewart, Cody Linley aka Jake Ryan, Moisés Arias aka Rico Suave, Shanica Knowles aka Amber Addison and Anna Maria Perez de Tagle aka Ashley Dewitt.
In the anniversary special, Miley performs 'This Is the Life', 'The Climb', and 'The Best of Both Worlds' in front of an audience of 215 people. She also debuts a new original song in the show titled 'Younger You'.
In some behind-the-scenes secrets, Miley reveals details about her childhood crushes on Disney stars like Dylan Sprouse and Mitchel Musso. She also finally weights in on the Team Jake vs. Team Jesse' debate.
Fans stormed the comments section with excitement, with one user writing: '8 year old me is screaming ✨😭😭😭😭💜', while another said: 'Just watched it , wow now im an emotional mess 💛💜😢 xx'. (sic)
Another posted: 'IM CRYING! I'VE LOVED HER FOR ALL MY LIFE 😭🎶💜✨️' while a fourth fan added: 'I LOVED seeing everyone again! And Miley, you killed it!!!!!! 👏🏾'. (sic)
Who are the special guests?
Disney alum and former Hannah Montana guest star Selena Gomez appears in the special. Alex Cooper, host of Call Her Daddy, who interviews Miley during the broadcast, helped coordinate Selena's surprise appearance.
Billy Ray Cyrus - her father both in real life and on TV, where he played Robby Ray Stewart - reunites with Miley in a recreated version of the Stewart family living room.
Emily Osment, who played Miley’s best friend Lilly Truscott throughout the show’s run, was absent from filming the special due to scheduling conflicts with Georgie & Mandy's First Marriage.
Posting to Instagram to honour the anniversary, and explain her absence, Emily shared a video featuring her Georgie and Mandy co-star, Montana Jordan, who both celebrate the occasion at a distance.
Emily captioned the video post with a heartfelt message dedicated to Hannah Montana, writing: 'Hannah Montana changed my life, it gave me a lifelong respect for this medium of comedy, it taught me discipline, patience, timing and respect working in an adult space so young. I’ve met thousands of HM fans over the years, fans that now have children watching this show and fans that literally work beside me every day, like Montana. He’s seen every episode, don’t be fooled.'
She continued: 'I can’t tell you what your sweet messages mean to me and how lucky I feel to have been apart of this once in a generation goliath of a television show. Thank you for letting me into your living rooms and I hope to still be there many years from now. Would never be where I am without you guys, working on another beautiful show I love so dearly. With all my heart, THANK YOU! ♥️ Lilly'.
What channel is it on?
The special episode is now available exclusively on Disney+.
The Hannah Montana Collection is also available to watch on Disney+ now, including all four seasons of Hannah Montana, Hannah Montana: The Movie, and Hannah Montana and Miley Cyrus: The Best of Both Worlds Concert.
Sign up for Disney+
You can sign up for Disney+ for a monthly/annual subscription. 18+. Ts & Cs Apply.
What was Hannah Montana about?
Miley played the lead role in the hit series as Miley Stewart - a girl who juggled life as an average teenager - while also being a pop megastar! The show ran for four seasons between 2006 and 2011 and featured huge hits like 'Best of Both Worlds', 'This Is The Life' and 'The Other Side Of Me'.
In between seasons, Hannah Montana: The Movie arrived in 2009, with tracks like 'The Climb', 'Hoedown Throwdown' and 'Don't Walk Away'.
A timeline of Hannah Montana teases
January 2026
Chatting to Entertainment Tonight the singer confirmed she had a "big birthday bash" planned. When asked if she was going to do something for the fans, she told the publication: "Fans deserve it... Absolutely. Hannahs... We got to celebrate. There's like a big birthday party I'm imagining, so I'm on it, yes, I want to honour Hannah as much as anyone.
"I've even been lightening the hair and getting the bangs you know!"
This follows several publications reporting that she has plans for a one-off special concert where she will be performing as Hannah Montana!
December 2025
In December 2025, after she revealed she had 'big plans' five months earlier, the singer updated fans, telling a Good Morning America reporter: "I am definitely... in the works... A lot of my time right now is being spent on how can I honour Hannah.
"It's such a special celebration for us all so, I'm excited to celebrate her also."
July 2025
Miley told an American radio station, as reported by People: "Really without Hannah (Montana) there wouldn't be this kind of... this me. It's still crazy to think too that I started as a character that I thought was going to be impossible to shed."
Continuing: "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."
August 2024
Despite it being many years since she last played the role in Hannah Montana, in August 2024 the actress was honoured as a Disney Legend, becoming the youngest person to be honoured.
Miley credited Hannah Montana, in her emotional speech, saying that she was proud to play the character, who made her life magical.
The Hannah Montana 20th Anniversary Special is streaming now on Disney+.
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