• Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne are reportedly competing to be the breakout star of the upcoming Baywatch reboot
• Nader plays series regular Captain Selene while Dunne appears in just three episodes as junior lifeguard Grace
• A source on set tells TMZ there’s been noticeable “tension” between the two over the Pamela Anderson comparison
• The friction reportedly spilled onto the red carpet at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch event in New York City
• The Fox reboot is set to debut as part of the 2026–2027 season, starring Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon

The Baywatch reboot hasn’t even hit screens yet and the drama is already running hot. Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne — two of the new series’ most buzzed-about cast members — are reportedly locked in a quiet but very real competition over who gets to carry Pamela Anderson’s legacy into the next era of the franchise.

A source on set told TMZ that there’s been “tension” between the two women, with conversations about who fills the “Pamela Anderson lane” becoming a recurring topic behind the scenes. Both stars have apparently been openly discussing the “next Pam Anderson” comparison at different points during production — which, as you might imagine, hasn’t exactly made for a breezy set atmosphere.

On paper, Nader has the clearest claim. She plays Selene, the sharp-tongued Captain of the Zuma beach lifeguards, and appears in virtually every episode of the reboot. Dunne, the gymnast-turned-influencer and LSU legend, plays junior lifeguard Grace — but only appears in three episodes. By screen time alone, it’s not close.

But screen time isn’t the whole story. Dunne’s social media reach is staggering, and sources say that influence hasn’t gone unnoticed during filming. When you have millions of followers hanging on your every post, you carry star power into any room — even one where someone else has top billing.

Red Carpet Tension

The behind-the-scenes rivalry reportedly made its way onto the red carpet at the 2026 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party in New York City, where both women appeared together. According to sources, Nader was keenly aware of how the photographers were framing Dunne — and at one point directed the cameras to capture Dunne’s good side while they posed together. Whether that reads as gracious or calculated probably depends on who you ask.

Dunne, for her part, was celebrating a milestone of her own that night. She’s now been featured in Sports Illustrated Swimsuit for four consecutive years. “The fact that they keep asking me back — I’m just so flattered,” she said at the event, adding that she felt honored to stand alongside the magazine’s other cover girls. Her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, has apparently been her most enthusiastic cheerleader through it all — Dunne told People he always loves seeing her SI Swimsuit photos.

Nader’s connection to that same red swimsuit runs deep too. When she first put on the iconic Baywatch one-piece for the reboot, she told People she was “bawling, crying.” She’d worn a red one-piece on her own Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover, so slipping into it again for the show felt like something bigger than a costume fitting. “It’s such a full-circle moment,” she said. “It’s such a big moment, and I’m so honored to be a part of it.” She even FaceTimed her family in the swimsuit — and they cried too.

What the Reboot Actually Looks Like

The new Baywatch is set to debut on Fox as part of the 2026–2027 season. Stephen Amell leads the cast as Hobie Buchannon, grown up and now carrying on his father Mitch’s lifeguard legacy. The central plot kicks off when a daughter Hobie never knew he had — Charlie, played by Jessica Belkin — shows up at his door and joins the Zuma beach crew. Her arrival also escalates existing tension between Hobie and Nader’s Selene, who runs things her own way and isn’t thrilled about the disruption.

It’s a setup built for drama, both onscreen and apparently off it.

For context on just how massive the shoes being fought over actually are: the original Baywatch reached over one billion weekly viewers at its peak. Pamela Anderson’s C.J. Parker — red swimsuit, slow-motion run, the whole thing — became one of the defining images of 90s pop culture. That kind of legacy doesn’t just sit quietly in the background. It looms.

Anderson herself has had a complicated relationship with the franchise’s revival attempts. When the 2017 Baywatch movie with Dwayne Johnson was in production, she told Variety that producers pressured her to do a cameo for free — framing it as an “homage” — and kept pushing even after she said no. She eventually agreed, but only without dialogue, showing up at the end for a single slow-motion scene. “There was just so much bullying to do it,” she said.

Anderson hasn’t publicly named a successor or weighed in on the reboot’s casting. But with two of the most talked-about women in the country both vying for her crown, it’s safe to say the conversation has already started without her.

The post Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne Are Both Gunning for the Pamela Anderson Spot in Baywatch appeared first on Cream.

• Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne are reportedly competing to become the breakout star of the Baywatch reboot, à la Pamela Anderson
• A source tells TMZ there’s been “tension” between the two, with both women openly discussing the “next Pam Anderson” comparison on set
• Nader appears in virtually every episode as lifeguard captain Selene; Dunne plays junior lifeguard Grace in just three episodes
• The rivalry reportedly spilled onto the red carpet at a Sports Illustrated Swimsuit event, where Nader was seen directing photographers toward Dunne’s angles
• The Baywatch reboot is set to debut as part of Fox’s 2026-2027 season, with a January premiere expected

The Baywatch reboot isn’t even on the air yet, and it’s already delivering drama. Behind the scenes of Fox’s highly anticipated revival, a competition is quietly heating up between two of its most high-profile cast members — Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne — over who gets to inherit the Pamela Anderson lane.

A source on set tells TMZ there’s been “tension” between the two women, with both openly discussing the “next Pam Anderson” comparison at various points during production. Anderson, of course, made her role as C.J. Parker one of the most iconic characters in TV history — the red swimsuit, the slow-motion run, the cultural imprint that lasted decades. At its peak, the original series drew over one billion weekly viewers. The shoes being fought over here are very large ones.

“There’s been some tension between the two,” the source says.

Who Has the Edge?

On paper, Nader has the clearer path. She plays Selene, described as “the sharp-tongued Captain of the Zuma beach lifeguards,” and appears in virtually every episode of the reboot as a season regular. The show follows Hobie Buchannon — played by Stephen Amell — stepping into his father’s legacy, and Selene’s clashing approach to lifeguarding puts her in direct conflict with Hobie from the jump. It’s a meaty, central role, and Nader has made no secret of how much it means to her.

Speaking to People back in March, she described putting on the iconic red one-piece for the first time as a full-on emotional moment. “I was bawling, crying,” she said. “It’s such a full-circle moment” — noting that she’d previously worn a red one-piece on her Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover, which made the whole thing feel like “a long time in the making.” She FaceTimed her family in the swimsuit and they burst into tears too. “It’s such a big moment, and I’m so honored to be a part of it,” she gushed.

Dunne, meanwhile, only appears in three episodes as junior lifeguard Grace. But anyone who’s underestimated Livvy Dunne’s reach before has regretted it. The former LSU gymnast-turned-mega-influencer brings a social media army with her everywhere she goes, and that kind of offscreen star power doesn’t just evaporate when the cameras stop rolling — it amplifies everything she does onscreen. Sources say her following hasn’t gone unnoticed during filming.

The Red Carpet Moment That Said Everything

The simmering competition reportedly made its way off set and onto the red carpet at the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit launch party in New York City, where the two appeared together. According to sources, Nader was noticeably tuned in to how photographers were framing Dunne — and at one point directed them to capture her co-star’s good side while they posed together.

It’s a small detail, but it speaks volumes about the awareness both women have of each other’s positioning in this moment.

Both Nader and Dunne have deep ties to Sports Illustrated Swimsuit — another layer to this story that makes the dynamic even more layered. Dunne celebrated four consecutive years featured in the magazine at the launch event, saying, “The fact that they keep asking me back — I’m just so flattered.” Her boyfriend, Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, is apparently her biggest fan when it comes to the SI spreads.

Nader, for her part, has been leaning hard into her Baywatch identity. In a recent Instagram dump from a cast dinner, she posed alongside co-stars Shay Mitchell, Dunne, Jessica Belkin, and Hassie Harrison — and announced the show’s January premiere with the caption: “January can’t come soon enough, ok back to saving lives!!”

What Pamela Anderson Actually Thinks of the Baywatch Legacy

Anderson herself has had a complicated relationship with the franchise she helped define. When Paramount revived Baywatch as a 2017 film starring Dwayne Johnson, producers pushed her hard to appear in a cameo — for free, framed as “an homage.” She pushed back, asking to be paid. They kept hounding her until she eventually agreed, but on her terms: no dialogue, just a slow-motion walk-on at the end. She told Variety in 2023 it felt like “so much bullying.”

Anderson hasn’t publicly named a protégé to carry her C.J. Parker torch into this new era — but Nader and Dunne have clearly decided the question is worth competing over themselves.

The Baywatch reboot hits Fox in January 2027. By then, the slow-motion running will be the least competitive thing happening on that beach.

The post Brooks Nader and Livvy Dunne Are Both Gunning for the Pamela Anderson Spot in Baywatch appeared first on Cream.

• Livvy Dunne made her Tonight Show debut on May 13, chatting with Jimmy Fallon about Baywatch and Sports Illustrated Swimsuit
• Dunne revealed her first-ever audition was for The White Lotus — she didn’t get it, but landed the Baywatch role via self-tape callback
• She’ll play junior lifeguard Grace in the Fox reboot, alongside Stephen Amell, Hassie Harrison, Shay Mitchell, and Brooks Nader
• The 12-episode series has been pushed to late January 2027
• Fallon closed the segment by donning a long blonde wig and doing the iconic slow-motion Baywatch run with Dunne

Livvy Dunne officially has her late-night moment. The New Jersey-raised gymnast-turned-model-turned-actress made her Tonight Show debut on Wednesday, sitting down with Jimmy Fallon to talk about the upcoming Fox Baywatch reboot, her fourth consecutive Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover shoot, and the audition story that she clearly had been waiting to tell someone.

The Hillsdale, NJ native — who retired from gymnastics after helping LSU win the 2024 national championship — was in New York for a big week: the SI Swimsuit Issue hits newsstands May 14, and Fox held its upfront presentation for the new Baywatch series. She appeared alongside Jim Parsons and Chace Crawford on the episode, which aired at 11:35 p.m. ET on NBC.

The Audition Story She’s Been Sitting On

Before getting into Baywatch, Dunne gave Fallon — and the audience — the full origin story of her acting career. And it starts with a swing and a miss at one of TV’s hottest properties.

“Yeah, so actually my first ever audition was in person. Shout out my acting coach, Caroline. She’s in the audience right now,” Dunne said. “But I was obviously so nervous. And it was different because gymnastics, usually, you just go out there and perform on a four-inch beam. But this I have to talk and perform and play somebody else rather than myself. It was completely different.”

That first audition? The White Lotus. She didn’t book it.

But she kept going — and when the Baywatch opportunity came around, she submitted a self-tape with zero expectations. “I had really no expectation of what was going to happen. I got a callback — I mean, it’s iconic — and that’s the first callback I’ve ever gotten, and I ended up booking it,” she told Fallon.

Year Four of Sports Illustrated — and She’s Got Her Angles Down

Fallon also gave viewers a first look at Dunne’s shoot from the 2026 SI Swimsuit Issue, which she’s now appeared in four years running. She’s clearly made peace with the camera.

“I feel like by year four I’ve perfected my angles, I kind of know what I’m doing at this point,” she said. “But I mean, year one, I was so young and I was a gymnast and it’s so different shooting in a bikini rather than a leotard… it’s just very different.”

The Baywatch Run, Performed Live on NBC

Fallon, being Fallon, wasn’t going to let her leave without a bit. He disappeared backstage and returned in a long blonde wig, ready to attempt the show’s most iconic move. Together, the two did the slow-motion Baywatch run across the studio floor.

He nailed it. Mostly.

In the reboot, Dunne plays Grace, a junior lifeguard, joining a cast that includes Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon (son of David Hasselhoff’s original Mitch Buchannon), Jessica Belkin, Hassie Harrison, Shay Mitchell, Brooks Nader, Noah Beck, and David Chokachi, who reprises his role as Cody Madison from the original series. The 12-episode run on Fox was originally expected this fall but has since been pushed to late January 2027.

Dunne has been open about taking acting lessons throughout the process — her coach Caroline, apparently, has a front-row seat to how it’s all going.

The post Livvy Dunne Makes Her Tonight Show Debut appeared first on Cream.

• Brooks Nader’s red mini dress split open at the back just four minutes before the 2026 Fox Upfronts red carpet
• She documented the whole thing on Instagram Stories — torn dress, white lace underwear and all
• Four people sewed her back into the dress in time for her Baywatch reboot red carpet moment
• Nader plays Selene, captain of the Zuma Beach Lifeguards, in the Fox reboot premiering January 2027
• Carmen Electra has already given Nader her seal of approval, telling People, “I do. Absolutely. Yeah.”

Four minutes before she was due on the red carpet at the 2026 Fox Upfronts, Brooks Nader’s dress gave up on her. The back split clean open, exposing her white lace underwear — and instead of panicking, she grabbed her phone.

The 29-year-old model and Baywatch actress shared the evidence straight to her Instagram Stories: a mirror selfie, back to the camera, showing the full extent of the damage. “When you bust out of your dress 4 minutes before showtime!!! Classssssicc,” she wrote over the photo, with two laughing-crying emojis. Very relatable. Very her.

The next story slide? Nader getting sewn back into the tiny red number by what she called “4 earth angels.” Because when you’re Brooks Nader and you’re about to promote a Baywatch reboot on national television, you don’t switch outfits — you get stitched up and walk out.

And walk out she did. Minutes later, Nader was on the carpet in that same form-fitting red halter mini dress — plunging neckline, short hem, legs for days — posing alongside Baywatch co-stars Shay Mitchell, Livvy Dunne, Jessica Belkin, and Hassie Harrison. She completed the look with matching red strappy heels, diamond earrings, and big bouncy curls parted down the middle. The dress, now fully intact, hugged every curve. Nobody would have known.

A ‘Pinch Me Moment’ — Even Before the Dress Drama

The red was intentional. The entire look was a nod to the iconic Baywatch swimsuit, and Nader leaned into that connection hard on the carpet. She plays Selene, captain of the Zuma Beach Lifeguards, in the Fox reboot — and she told Extra it still doesn’t feel completely real.

“I kinda manifested this role with my Sports Illustrated cover in 2023. I was wearing a red one-piece. I was like, ‘This is so Baywatch!’ And lo and behold, here we are,” she said. “It’s a pinch-me moment, and hopefully we make everyone proud.”

She also opened up about how much of herself she’s pouring into the character. “I feel like she was loosely based on myself sometimes! My sisters were like, ‘That’s pretty fitting that you’re feisty and mean.’ But it’s not too hard to play Selene. She’s a fun character to play.”

As for the legacy she’s stepping into — Pamela Anderson, Carmen Electra, Nicole Eggert — Nader isn’t taking it lightly. “It’s such an honor to pay homage to the original series and to the muses of Baywatch. They’ve been on my mood board for as long as I can remember,” she said. And Carmen Electra has already given her blessing, telling People simply: “I do. Absolutely. Yeah.”

The Reboot — and the Backlash

Not everyone has been as warm. When the cast was announced, critics flooded social media, calling it “influencer casting, not acting” and slamming the project as “a JOKE” with an “awful cast.” Nader, Beck, and Dunne all come from the influencer world rather than traditional Hollywood, and that combination rubbed some fans the wrong way.

Nader has addressed it directly. “I think that the times are different, and everyone is so multi-hyphenate now. And you can be both an actor and an influencer and have influence,” she told the Daily Mail in March. “And that’s the beauty of the culture that social media has created.” She argued that having cast members with massive platforms will “only help” the show — and that the ability to “bring a vibe” is its own kind of value.

The reboot, which also stars Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon (son of David Hasselhoff’s original character Mitch), has a full ensemble that includes Hassie Harrison, Thaddeus LaGrone, Noah Beck, Shay Mitchell, Livvy Dunne, and Jessica Belkin. David Chokachi is among the original cast members set to return. Production started last month, with the cast already stepping into those signature red swimsuits. The official synopsis promises “adrenaline-fueled rescues, tangled relationships, complicated chemistry and beachside heroics” — now updated for 2027, with 12 episodes set to premiere on Fox in late January.

The original series ran 11 seasons, from 1989 to 1999, and became one of the most-watched shows in the world. This is its first official return to network television since.

As for Nader — she showed up Monday in a dress that literally fell apart, got four people to stitch her back together in under four minutes, and still managed to steal the carpet. Whatever the skeptics think about influencer casting, that kind of composure is hard to fake.

The post Brooks Nader Busts Out of Red Dress Before Baywatch Red Carpet appeared first on Cream.

• Fox’s Baywatch reboot will premiere in late January 2027, held back from its originally expected fall 2026 debut
• Stephen Amell stars as Hobie Buchannon, son of David Hasselhoff’s original character Mitch, with original cast members David Chokachi and Erika Eleniak also returning
• The ensemble mixes established TV talent — Shay Mitchell, Hassie Harrison — with social media stars Noah Beck, Livvy Dunne, and Brooks Nader
• Fox is eyeing an NFL playoff post-game slot for the premiere, likely the NFC Championship on January 31
• The network also revealed a Family Guy spinoff called Stewie, set for the 2027-2028 season

The red swimsuits are coming back — just not quite as soon as some fans were hoping. Fox confirmed on Monday that its highly anticipated Baywatch reboot will premiere in late January 2027, sliding the show from a fall 2026 debut into a coveted midseason launch window. And if you’re reading the tea leaves, there’s a strong chance the premiere will land right after the NFC Championship game on January 31 — a move that would put the show in front of tens of millions of football viewers on night one.

Fox Television Network president Michael Thorn didn’t mince words about what the show means to the network. “There’s only one Baywatch,” he told reporters. “It’s one of the most iconic, popular television franchises in TV history.” And on the decision to hold it for midseason: “We have a rich history of launching series midseason. We just did it most recently with Best Medicine and Memory of a Killer, and Doc before that. It goes all the way back to 24 and Empire and the 9-1-1s and The Resident. Obviously, Baywatch is a huge, huge priority for us, and we think we have a great opportunity to set the show up for success there.”

That strategy already paid off handsomely for the network this past season — Best Medicine drew 10.8 million total multiplatform viewers for its first episode, and Memory of a Killer pulled in 16.2 million. Fox is clearly hoping lightning strikes a third time, only bigger.

What the New Baywatch Actually Looks Like

The reboot picks up the Buchannon family line. Stephen Amell — who most recently starred in the short-lived Suits: L.A. on NBC — plays Hobie Buchannon, now a Baywatch Captain who’s grown out of his wild-child reputation. His world gets complicated fast when his biological daughter Charlie Vale, played by Jessica Belkin, shows up on his doorstep wanting to join the team in Venice Beach. It’s a smart enough hook: longtime fans get a direct thread back to the original series, while newer viewers get a family drama they can follow without any nostalgia required.

The ensemble around Amell is a deliberate mix of television credibility and social media reach. Pretty Little Liars alum Shay Mitchell plays Trina, a former lawyer turned lifeguard. Hassie Harrison and Thaddeus LaGrone round out the core cast alongside Noah Beck, Brooks Nader, and Livvy Dunne — who makes her acting debut in the series as a character named Grace. The show is also leaning into its legacy where it counts: David Chokachi is back as Cody Madison, and Erika Eleniak is confirmed to appear, making this a genuine continuation rather than a full reboot from scratch.

Thorn described the show as “pure escapism with a cast that blends top television talent with major social influencers,” and acknowledged the weight of the moment: “We’re feeling great about where we are, but also feeling pressure of already heightened, fanned expectations. It’s an exciting challenge for my teams and I.”

Behind the camera, Burn Notice creator Matt Nix is serving as showrunner and executive producer, with McG — who directed the pilot — also executive producing. The original show’s creators Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, and Doug Schwartz are all attached as executive producers, and the series is co-produced by Fox Entertainment and Fremantle. Production is already underway in Los Angeles, including on location at Venice Beach and at the Fox Studio Lot in Century City. The show is set to run 12 episodes.

At its peak, the original Baywatch was the most-watched show on the planet — airing in more than 200 countries and reaching over a billion viewers weekly during its 11-season run. Fox is clearly banking on that name recognition translating. The reboot has already locked in Toyota as its exclusive automotive partner, with a beer partner announcement expected at the network’s upfront presentation. That’s real advertiser heat before a single episode has aired.

What Else Fox Has Coming

Baywatch isn’t the only new show Fox is building around. The network also announced The Interrogator, a Washington D.C.-set espionage thriller written by and starring Stephen Fry, who plays former MI6 agent Conrad Henry — described by Thorn as “a sexy rebel in his own right” with “razor sharp intellect and deceptively charming” energy. Jenna Elfman co-stars as the handler for his team of brilliant outsiders, with Jessica Sula, Michael Beach, Luke Kleintank, and Maria Zhang also in the cast. It’s co-produced by Lionsgate Television and Fox Entertainment, and will also debut at midseason.

Fox’s fall 2026 schedule itself is lean on scripted fare — Tuesday night holds Best Medicine and Doc, and Sunday’s Animation Domination block gets a live-action addition with Animal Control (starring Joel McHale) moving in after The Simpsons. Bob’s Burgers, meanwhile, is sitting out the fall for the first time in 14 years, held alongside Family Guy and American Dad! for midseason. It’s a notable shift for a block that’s been one of broadcast TV’s most reliable Sunday night institutions.

Fox CEO Rob Wade acknowledged the network’s heavy reliance on existing IP, noting that “90% of our slate is returning shows,” while adding that the new series are designed to be “incredibly complementary.” The network has also paused live-action comedy development while it figures out a sustainable production model for the genre — a candid admission that speaks to the broader challenges facing broadcast comedy right now.

Looking further ahead, Fox already has two series locked in for the 2027-2028 season: a new version of Highway to Heaven from Friday Night Lights creator Jason Katims, and — perhaps most exciting for animation fans — Stewie, a Family Guy spinoff from Seth MacFarlane. The show follows the world’s most beloved talking baby after he gets kicked out of his old preschool and is forced into a new one alongside kids he doesn’t know and, somehow, a 75-year-old class turtle with opinions about everything. MacFarlane voices Stewie and executive produces; Kirker Butler, who co-created the spinoff with MacFarlane, serves as showrunner.

For now, though, all eyes are on Baywatch. Thorn put it plainly: “It’s iconic, it’s global, and it captures the very best of the California dream.” January can’t come fast enough.

The post Fox’s ‘Baywatch’ Reboot Gets January 2027 Premiere Date appeared first on Cream.

• Fox’s Baywatch reboot starring Stephen Amell as Hobie Buchannon will premiere in late January 2027, not this fall as some had hoped.
• The 12-episode series is already in production in Los Angeles, including Venice Beach and the Fox Studio Lot in Century City.
• Original cast members David Chokachi and Erika Eleniak are returning, while social media stars Noah Beck, Livvy Dunne, and Brooks Nader join the ensemble.
• Fox also announced The Interrogator, a new spy thriller written by and starring Stephen Fry, for the same midseason window.
• Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy spinoff Stewie has been ordered for the 2027-2028 season, with MacFarlane voicing the character.

Fox is officially bringing back Baywatch — and the network is making sure it lands with a splash. The highly anticipated reboot starring Stephen Amell has been confirmed for a late January 2027 premiere, part of a midseason strategy that Fox is betting big on heading into its 2026-2027 broadcast year.

Fox Television Network President Michael Thorn didn’t mince words about why the show isn’t hitting the fall schedule. “There’s only one Baywatch,” he told reporters. “It’s one of the most iconic, popular television franchises in TV history.” He pointed to the network’s strong track record with midseason launches — citing hits like 24, Empire, the 9-1-1 franchise, The Resident, and, most recently, Memory of a Killer, which pulled 16.2 million total multiplatform viewers for its first episode. “Obviously, Baywatch is a huge, huge priority for us, and we think we have a great opportunity to set the show up for success there.”

There’s also a strong chance the show gets a marquee launch slot: Fox’s head of scheduling Dan Harrison confirmed the premiere would land in “late” January, and the timing lines up neatly with either the NFL Divisional Round on January 24 or — more likely — the NFC Conference Championship on January 31. A post-game debut in front of millions of football fans would be exactly the kind of rocket fuel Fox used for Best Medicine and Fear Factor: House of Fear, both of which drew 15 million or more viewers when they launched behind NFL games this past season.

Advertisers are already circling. Toyota has signed on as the show’s exclusive automotive partner, and Fox EVP of ad sales Katrina Cukaj said a beer partner is close to being announced — likely revealed at Fox’s upfront presentation in New York.

Who’s in the New Baywatch — and What’s the Story?

Amell plays Hobie Buchannon, once the wild-child son of original Baywatch icon Mitch Buchannon (David Hasselhoff), now grown up and serving as a Baywatch Captain on Venice Beach. The story kicks off when his biological daughter Charlie Vale, played by Jessica Belkin, shows up on his doorstep wanting to carry on the Buchannon family legacy. It’s a smart hook — fans of the original get a direct line back to the mythology, while new viewers get a family-drama entry point that doesn’t require a nostalgia decoder ring.

The ensemble around Amell is a deliberate mix of TV veterans and social media heavyweights. Pretty Little Liars alum Shay Mitchell plays Trina, a former lawyer turned lifeguard. Hassie Harrison plays Nat, Thaddeus LaGrone plays Brad, Noah Beck plays Luke, and Brooks Nader plays Selene. Livvy Dunne makes her acting debut as Grace in a recurring role. Thorn described the cast as blending “top television talent with major social influencers” — and with Beck, Nader, and Dunne all bringing massive online followings, Fox clearly isn’t leaving the digital audience to chance.

On the legacy side, David Chokachi is back as his original character Cody Madison, and Erika Eleniak has also been confirmed to appear. The original Baywatch creators — Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, and Doug Schwartz — are all attached as executive producers, lending the project a genuine sense of continuity rather than a reboot-in-name-only feel.

Behind the camera, Burn Notice creator Matt Nix is showrunning and executive producing alongside McG, who directed the series premiere. Fox Entertainment and Fremantle are co-producing. The show is set for 12 episodes.

“It’s iconic, it’s global, and it captures the very best of the California dream,” Thorn said. “It’s pure escapism… It’s an honor to bring Baywatch back. We’re feeling great about where we are, but also feeling the pressure of already heightened, fanned expectations. It’s an exciting challenge for my teams and I.”

At its peak, the original Baywatch was the most-watched show on the planet — airing in more than 200 countries and reaching over a billion viewers weekly during its 11-season run. That’s the bar Fox is swinging for.

Also Coming: Stephen Fry’s Spy Thriller and a Very Familiar Talking Baby

Baywatch isn’t the only new drama Fox is holding for midseason. The Interrogator, written by and starring Stephen Fry, is also part of the winter rollout. Fry plays Conrad Henry, a former MI6 agent who leads a team of handpicked outsiders in Washington, D.C. — using charm, intellect, and behavioral manipulation when conventional interrogation fails. Jenna Elfman co-stars as his handler, with Jessica Sula, Michael Beach, Luke Kleintank, and Maria Zhang rounding out the cast. The show is co-produced by Lionsgate Television and Fox Entertainment. Of Fry’s character, Thorn said: “We see a strong signature Fox character, razor sharp intellect and deceptively charming. He’s a sexy rebel in his own right.”

Fox also confirmed that a second drama night will be added at midseason to accommodate both Baywatch and The Interrogator — the specific night is still TBD.

And looking even further ahead: Seth MacFarlane’s Family Guy spinoff Stewie is already locked in for the 2027-2028 season. MacFarlane voices the character and executive produces through his Fuzzy Door banner. The premise finds Stewie getting booted from his old preschool and forced into a new, decidedly not-top-of-the-line one — where he eventually starts using his array of devices to take his new classmates on adventures through space and time. Kirker Butler, who co-created the series with MacFarlane, serves as showrunner with Kara Vallow executive producing. It’s produced by 20th Television Animation.

Also already ordered for 2027-2028: a new version of Highway to Heaven from Jason Katims (Friday Night Lights, Parenthood), produced with Amblin Television and Michael Landon Productions.

What Fox’s Fall 2026 Schedule Actually Looks Like

While the marquee new shows wait in the wings, Fox’s fall 2026 lineup is notably lean on scripted fare. Tuesdays carry the only non-animated scripted night, with Best Medicine (Season 2, 14 episodes) and Doc (Season 3, 22 episodes) holding down the 8 and 9 p.m. slots. Sundays get a twist this year: live-action comedy Animal Control, starring Joel McHale and entering its fifth season, moves into the Animation Domination block after The Simpsons, joining Universal Basic Guys and Grimsburg. It’s the first time a live-action comedy has aired on Fox Sundays since 2018.

Notably, Bob’s Burgers — heading into its 17th season — is sitting out fall for the first time in 14 years, joining Family Guy, American Dad!, and Krapopolis in the midseason queue. Fox Entertainment CEO Rob Wade acknowledged the math plainly: “90% of our slate is returning shows.”

The unscripted bench is deep. Renewed series include Hell’s Kitchen (Seasons 25 and 26), The Masked Singer (Season 15), The Floor (Seasons 6 and 7), Next Level Baker (Seasons 2 and 3), Next Level Chef (Season 6), LEGO Masters (Season 6), Beat Shazam (Season 8), Kitchen Nightmares (Season 3), and more. Wade was candid that some of that unscripted stockpile was built as insurance against a potential writers’ strike. “There was a time in March, and before that January and February, where we were on short we could have been looking at another strike action for this year,” he said. “So we do buy surpluses of shows in the eventuality that there is a crisis or we need them.”

One new unscripted addition: Marriage Market, a dating format hosted by Whitney Cummings where singles hand over their love lives entirely to their closest family members. It’s slated for 2027.

Peter Gallagher (The O.C., Grace and Frankie) is also joining Murder in a Small Town for Season 3, playing Rod Finlayson — described as a charismatic and uber-independent arrival whose presence sets off a chain of upheavals for the show’s leads.

Baywatch is filming now. January can’t come soon enough.

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