FOX Bringing Back “Baywatch”
One of the biggest hits of the eighties and nineties was “Baywatch”, a show which followed a team of lifeguards striving hard to control the crowds and keep them safe from the raging seas while also exploring adventures in their personal lives.
The show ran for eleven seasons, and it’s going to be returning. FOX has announced that it will be bringing the iconic show back with a new revival. The revival is a straight-to-series order with 12 episodes in its first season. Sporting signature red swimsuits, an all-new cast of Baywatch lifeguards is set to make waves on FOX’s 2026-27 season schedule with Fremantle and FOX Entertainment co-producing this original take on the massively popular global phenomenon.
First hitting screens in 1989, “Baywatch” became the most-watched show in the world, airing in over 200 countries, and at its peak, reaching more than a billion viewers every week. The unforgettable original series starred heartthrob David Hasselhoff and helped launch the careers of international superstars from Pamela Anderson and Carmen Electra to Jason Momoa and Yasmine Bleeth. The series reboot will celebrate the franchise’s enduring legacy, while re-energizing it for today’s global audience. Fans can expect all the adrenaline-fueled rescues, tangled relationships, complicated chemistry and beachside heroics that defined the original – now with an entirely new cast, contemporary trappings, tensions and challenges, and a renewed mission to protect Southern California’s shoreline.
This new revival will be produced by Fremantle and FOX Entertainment, Baywatch is executive produced by Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Dante Di Loreto, Doug Schwartz and Matt Nix, who also serves as showrunner.
Michael Thorn, President of FOX Television Network said in a statement regarding the revival:
“In its first run, Baywatch defined an entire era of beach life and elevated lifeguards to an iconic status. Now, with our partners at Fremantle, this television juggernaut is set for a modern-day comeback. Together, FOX and Fremantle, along with Matt Nix and original co-creator Greg Bonann, will bring the California dream to a whole new generation of fans with fresh stories, rising stars and all the spectacle that make the Baywatch franchise a global sensation.”
Christian Vesper, CEO Global Drama, Fremantle added:
“Baywatch has always been a treasured asset in Fremantle’s portfolio and remains one of the most iconic series in television history globally. We have found the perfect partners in FOX to help us maintain this legacy. With Matt Nix at the helm, we are in great hands, as he excels at telling engaging and entertaining stories. Our goal is to reconnect with existing fans while also introducing a new generation to the world of these famous lifeguards.”
The new show will be returning in 2026 on FOX, and due to a long-running agreement with Disney, new episodes will be available to stream the day after on Hulu and Hulu On Disney+ in the United States.
Roger’s Take: After FOX’s failed attempt to make a new modern version with “Rescue: Hi-Surf”, it kinda makes sense to actually make a new version of the original, which has instant name recognition. However, I do wonder if this revival will be able to capture the magic of the original.
Are you looking forward to the return of “Baywatch”? Let me know on social media!
