David Hasselhoff has been an American staple since the days of the 1980s television classic Knight Rider, but now the actor is set to star in a German series to play a pretty perfect role. He is set to come back to television as a series regular to play himself.
According to Deadline, David Hasselhoff will play a fictional version of himself in a German television series titled Ze Network. The series is part of a first-look deal between CBS Studios and the German-based production company Syrreal Entertainment. The Hasselhoff-centric series was created by Syrreal CEO Christian Alvart, who will also direct the series.
Like many projects with David Hasselhoff at the center, the series has a quirky premise with hints of conspiracy. The series sees Hasselhoff becoming the lead actor in a German stage show. The show takes a turn as he becomes involved in a Cold War conspiracy centered around former assassins.
Ze Network is set to premiere on German channel RTL’s streaming platform TV Now. David Hasselhoff will be joined by Henry Hübchen, who also plays himself in the series. No other casting news or premiere date has been announced.
David Hasselhoff will serve as executive producer on Ze Network with Alvart Sigi Kamml and Timm Oberwelland acting as series producers. CBS currently holds the rights to the series, including the potential for remakes. Those rights include ViacomCBS Global Distribution Group handling all sales outside of German-speaking territories.
As part of the announcement, David Hasselhoff spoke about the German series being a full-circle moment for him and his excitement at working with RTL again:
Knight Rider was incredibly successful for both me and RTL. Returning now 30 years later to do a cutting-edge series and working with RTL again is a dream come true. The series is funny, deadly, creative and informative…..simply exciting. Fact or fiction, you decide.
As David Hasselhoff alluded to, his return to RTL is a terrific way for him to make his return to television. The vagueness in his statement is pure Hasselhoff. It makes the series sound more outrageous than the public could even imagine. There’s no telling what kind of hijinks are in store once the series premieres.
To put things in perspective, David Hasselhoff’s German fanbase has stayed loyal to him since his Knight Rider days. That love affair led to a successful music career, culminating in a big moment at the Berlin Wall. He has continued to be prosperous in Germany even during the downtimes in his post-Baywatch career. While some territories may have turned the actor into a joke, Germany still treats him like a superstar.
But this isn’t the first time David Hasselhoff has played David Hasselhoff. He starred as a fictional version of himself in the 2014 British sitcom Hoff the Record. Plus, his recent guest appearance on CBS' Young Sheldon. If the Hoff’s television appearances are anything to go by, then, this series is about to be a wild ride.
