Stephen Amell to Headline New ‘Baywatch’ Series

Amell is aboard to play the grown son of David Hasselhoff’s character, himself now one of the leaders saving swimmers and others from sea danger.

Stephen Amell as Ted Black in 'Suits LA'. Photo: David Astorga/NBC.

Preview:

Stephen Amell will lead the new ‘Baywatch’ series.
It’ll follow the adventures of a grown Hobie Buchannon.
Fox has handed the show a 12-episode initial order.

The effort to take classic TV shows and rework them for modern audiences continues with word that the new Fox ‘Baywatch’ series from ‘Burn Notice’ creator Matt Nix has found its star.

Stephen Amell, formerly of ‘Arrow’, is aboard to play Hobie Buchannon, the son of David Hasselhoff’s iconic Mitch Buchannon and the role played for most of the original show’s run by Jeremy Jackson.

This could be what Amell’s post-DC TV career could use, particularly after the solid but little-seen ‘Heels’ jumped out of the wrestling ring after two seasons and ‘Suits LA’ could only manage one poorly-rated run.

What’s the story of ‘Baywatch’?

The cast of the original 'Baywatch.' Photo: NBC.

Following its 1989 debut and a swift cancellation by NBC after one season, the original series became the most-watched show airing in over 200 countries, and at its peak, reached more than a billion viewers every week. Hasselhoff led the series as lifeguard Mitch Buchannon and helped launch the careers of actors including Pamela Anderson.

In the new series, the wild child Hobie Buchannon is now a Baywatch Captain, following in the footsteps of his legendary father, Mitch. Hobie’s world is turned upside down when Charlie, the daughter he never knew, shows up on his doorstep, eager to carry on the Buchannon family legacy and become a Baywatch lifeguard alongside her dad.

Showrunner Matt Nix on Amell

Stephen Amell as Ted Black 'Suits LA'. Photo: David Astorga/NBC.

Nix seems to think the casting will work:

“From the first conversation, Stephen Amell brought exactly what this new chapter of Baywatch demands: heart, intensity, and that undeniable hero energy. He’s the kind of lead who can sprint into danger, carry the emotional weight, and still make it feel fun. We’re so excited to get started.”

Per Deadline, the show will film on Venice Beach and at the Fox lot in Los Angeles.