16 Shocking Revelations from the New Docuseries

The stars of Baywatch delve into the behind-the-scenes drama of the ‘90s series, its legacy, and their thoughts on those iconic swimsuits.

The ABC News docuseries After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun, premiering today, sheds light on TV’s most famous lifeguards. Show star Nicole Eggert opens the 4-part series by calling out previous documentaries for lacking authenticity and demands it’s time for the real stories to come out.

This new docuseries reveals the truth about the show, discussing topics like hookups, racism, addiction, body image, sexuality, and Pamela Anderson’s tumultuous relationship with Tommy Lee.

The series starts with the cast’s on-set romances. Billy Warlock and Erika Eleniak had noticeable chemistry and eventually developed a relationship once their previous ones ended. Erika Eleniak and Alexandra Paul confirm that more hookups occurred, while David Chokachi hints at the beach being a hotbed for romantic developments.

Another revelation was NBC’s initial hesitation to cast Erika Eleniak due to her Playboy history. Despite this, she joined the show, with Playboy creator Hugh Hefner inviting them to mansion parties. Many Baywatch stars, like Carmen Electra, also posed for Playboy.

The show almost cast Leonardo DiCaprio as David Hasselhoff’s on-screen son, Hobie. However, Jeremy Jackson won the part due to his genuine performance and backstory.

Surfing legend Kelly Slater, who appeared in seven episodes, regrets his participation due to the show’s often nonsensical writing, exemplified by an episode about a giant octopus stealing surfboards.

Despite Baywatch’s popularity, the show had tight budgets. Alexandra Paul mentions the budget constraints, and Billy Warlock recalls paycuts after the show’s revival. Nicole Eggert shared that they earned $3,500 an episode, which seemed insufficient after taxes.

The show also faced criticism for its strict body image standards. Cast members couldn’t gain or lose more than five pounds during filming. This led to some stars, like Nicole Eggert, making physical modifications, and others, like Alexandra Paul, feeling pressured to conform to unrealistic beauty ideals.

Billy Warlock noticed an increase in the show’s sexual content over time. Kelly Packard commented on how increasingly revealing the swimsuits became, making them less functional.

Pamela Anderson joined the show after being introduced by Hugh Hefner. Despite David Hasselhoff’s initial objections, she was cast, leading to heightened paparazzi interest and complications due to her relationship with Tommy Lee.

The show faced accusations of racism due to its predominantly white cast. Traci Bingham joined in season seven as the first woman of color, challenging the show’s beauty standards. Gregory Allan Williams felt his casting as the comic relief highlighted the show’s racial undertones.

When Jaason Simmons joined as Logan Fowler, he privately identified as gay. The show’s popularity made his personal life a target for tabloids. Simmons’ friend and co-star Alexandra Paul often acted as his beard to protect his privacy.

Jeremy Jackson admitted to pervy behavior involving cast members’ swimsuits. His struggle with substance abuse led to his departure from the show and later confrontations with the law, though he eventually found support from his former cast mates.

Tough medical battles also featured in the docuseries. Nicole Eggert discussed her breast cancer diagnosis, and Michael Newman opened up about living with Parkinson’s Disease since 2006.