David Hasselhoff

David Hasselhoff was born in Baltimore in 1952, and has become one of the world’s most recognisable actors and performers. Often nicknamed ‘The Hoff’, he’s performed on stage and on screen since the age of seven, first appearing in a production of Peter Pan which inspired him to become a professional actor.

After graduating with a theatre degree from California Institute of the Arts, Hasselhoff’s professional debut came in 1975, taking over the role of Dr. Snapper Foster on the American soap opera The Young and the Restless. Starring in the drama until 1982, he was later cast in Knight Rider as Michael Knight, a law enforcement officer fighting crime with the help of an artificially-intelligent car for four years, later winning a People’s Choice Award for Most Popular Actor.

In 1989, Hasselhoff returned to television to star in Baywatch, initially cancelled after one series. Later becoming an executive producer for the show, he produced and starred in Baywatch as lifeguard Mitch Buchannon to 2001. During this time, he was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

In 2000, Hasselhoff made his Broadway debut in Jekyll & Hyde in the lead role, and has since starred in Grease as Danny Zuko, Jesus Christ Superstar as Judas and a Los Angeles production of The Rocky Horror Show as Dr. Frank N Furter. He made his West End debut in 2004 as Billy Flynn in Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre.

As well as a glittering career across stage and screen, Hasselhoff has released 14 albums, most recently the 2019 album titled ‘Open Your Eyes’. He has also performed his 1989 track ‘Looking for Freedom’ at the Berlin Wall nine months before East and West Germany were unified. He has also been a judge on both America’s Got Talent and Britain’s Got Talent.

Hasselhoff returned to the West End for the first time in 15 years to star as Franklin Hart Jr in 9 to 5 at the Savoy Theatre.