Baywatch co-creator Michael Berk says that Pamela Anderson stripped off during her audition – and they didn’t know if she had anything on underneath!
He also reveals co-star David Hasselhoff initially didn’t want Pammy to play lifeguard CJ Parker as she had posed naked for Playboy.
This week it was announced a new immersive 4D theme park experience based on the show will hit the UK next year – meaning Brits can emulate Pammy in the legendary red swimsuit.
And Michael, 71, says: “We’re casting new lifeguards internationally, looking for the next Pam Anderson and David Hasselhoff.
He adds: “David didn’t want anybody that had been on Playboy in the show but he finally agreed Pamela was the right person.
“We were ready to cast Kathy Ireland then, after missed appointments, Pam turned up.
“She was cute, charming and sexy. We asked her to put on a bathing suit.
“She took off her clothes and we didn’t know what was going on – but she had a bathing suit underneath!”
After the first series was cancelled when the studio that made it closed, David, 69 – who played Mitch Buchannon – invested his own money to help Michael and co-creators Douglas Schwartz and Gregory J Bonann buy the rights.
The second series onwards became part of pop culture history, with around a billion viewers tuning in at one stage.
The Hoff became fiercely protective of Pammy, 54 – whose sex tape with ex-husband Tommy Lee is the subject of an upcoming TV show – and the pair became pals off screen. Michael says: “David was the father figure of the cast and very protective of Pamela – he was like a big brother to her.
“Paparazzi used to hide all over the place and he would have ideas so they couldn’t find her.
“I hope in this new series about Pamela and Tommy Lee they reflect that.”
Things nearly got steamy on screen between the friends too.
Michael reveals: “Pam and David had such great chemistry, for a while we considered creating a love affair between them, but we had so much fun with Pam falling for different guys on the show.
“When we cast David Charvet, we didn’t know they were a real couple, then unfortunately they broke up.
“And Pam and Kelly Slater had relations, so it was David and Kelly fighting over Pam.”
Now the Baywatch Immersive Experience will be located in some of the biggest cities in the world including London, Las Vegas and Shanghai.
“It’s going to be like you walk into Baywatch HQ,” says Michael. “You get into the ride and motion capture seat and they’re computerised to match what you see on screen.
“The seat can spray water on you, or you can step on to a boat on fire and the seat feels hot like you’re actually a lifeguard.
“You’ll smell the saltwater of the ocean and at the end you’re awarded a medal. It’s going from a passive experience to living it.
“Cast members will make appearances – we’re hoping David and Pamela will be involved in some way.
“I’m also working with Pamela on an animated show, Oceanus, about saving the environment and animals.”
Plans are also afoot for a second film based on the show plus a beauty and skincare range.
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Michael adds: “We’re hoping to do a sequel to the Baywatch movie using some of the cast from the original and continue the story where it left off as the first was fun.
“Baywatch invented self-tanning so imagine a skincare line.
“We had a make-up artist called Joanne who would put body make-up on the cast, but it took so long she came up with the idea of a tank that sprayed it on.
“Had we known, maybe we could’ve patented it.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk