Nicole Eggert admits 'Baywatch' wasn't the glamorous job it appeared to be
Nicole Eggert made a surprising revelation about her days starring in the iconic TV series "Baywatch."
For over a decade, fans around the world tuned in to watch the show's team of red swimsuit-clad lifeguards run in slow motion down California's sun-soaked beaches. While the weather on "Baywatch" appeared idyllic, Eggert, 52, told Fox News Digital that in reality, she and her co-stars frequently endured frigid temperatures during filming.
"The cold days you have — the bad always outweighs the good," she said with a laugh when asked what she remembered most about her time on "Baywatch."
Eggert continued, "So, it was like being on the beach is the most amazing job in the world. But the cold days, the freezing days, the days getting rained out and you have to be in the ocean — you're going, ‘What did I sign up for? What did I do?’"
"You know, fighting hypothermia. Like just trying to find a dry towel anywhere," she added. "Those were really hard moments."
The actress — who is currently battling cancer — played lifeguard Summer Quinn on two seasons of "Baywatch" from 1992 to 1994. The beach drama series, which ran from 1989 to 2001, featured an ensemble cast that included David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, Michael Newman, Alexandra Paul, Jeremy Jackson, Gregory Alan Williams, David Chokachi, Parker Stevenson, Geena Lee Nolan, Billy Warlock, Erika Eleniak, David Charvet and Yasmine Bleeth among others.
WATCH: Nicole Eggert admits 'Baywatch' wasn't the glamorous job it appeared to be
"Baywatch" was primarily filmed at Santa Monica's Will Rogers State Beach, though some scenes were shot in Long Beach and Malibu. In season 10, the show was retitled "Baywatch: Hawaii," with the production moving to the islands from 1999 to 2001.
"Baywatch" premiered in 1989, but the show was canceled by NBC after one season due to low ratings and high production costs. However, "Baywatch" found new life through syndication and went on to become a ratings juggernaut and a cultural phenomenon.
At the height of its popularity, the series was the most-watched show in the world, drawing 1.1 billion viewers per week, according to Forbes.
The success of "Baywatch" spawned the spin-off series "Baywatch Nights" as well as three direct-to-video movies, including "Baywatch the Movie: Forbidden Paradise," "Baywatch: White Thunder at Glacier Bay" and "Baywatch: Hawaiian Wedding."
In 2017, "Baywatch" was adapted into a feature film of the same name, starring Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, Zac Efron and Alexandra Daddario with Hasselhoff and Anderson reprising their original roles. The movie was a box office hit, raking in $177.9 million in ticket sales worldwide.
Last March, Fox Entertainment and "Baywatch's" production company Fremantle announced a TV reboot of the show, with Lara Olsen serving as the series' writer and showrunner.
While speaking with the Los Angeles Daily News, Eggert, a former child actor who had recurring roles in the police drama "T.J. Hooker" and the sitcom "Who's the Boss" and starred in the sitcom "Charles in Charge," explained why she had decided to leave "Baywatch" after its fourth season.
"I needed to grow up and kind of work on myself," she said. "At the time, for my own happiness, I just needed to take some downtime."
WATCH: ‘Baywatch’ star Nicole Eggert on how celebrity life in the '90s differs from being famous today
During her interview with Fox News Digital, Eggert shared her thoughts on how celebrity life in the '90s differs from star culture today.
‘BAYWATCH’ STAR NICOLE EGGERT DEBUTS SHAVED HEAD AFTER CANCER DIAGNOSIS
"I think the word ‘celebrity’ is used much more loosely now," she said. "It encompasses so much more, should I say."
"And celebrity has its funny things, because the '90s is now nostalgic again," Eggert continued. "So, it's actually fun, because people are excited to think about '90s actors and actresses and people that they watched."
"So, it's a fun time right now because the 90s are cool again, so it's good for me," she added with a laugh.
Eggert recently produced the Hulu docuseries "Baywatch: Moment in the Sun," which examined how the show became an international sensation and the ups and downs the actors faced after suddenly rising to fame. According to Hulu, the docuseries features never-before-seen home videos and interviews with over 35 cast members and creators.
While producing "Baywatch: Moment in the Sun," Eggert was facing a major health crisis after being diagnosed with Stage 2 cribriform carcinoma breast cancer in December 2023.
In an August interview with People magazine, Eggert said that working on the docuseries and raising her 12-year-old daughter Keegan have motivated her in her cancer battle.
"Having a young daughter and having this project has been a great motivation for me to not just sit and think about my health and my wellbeing," Eggert, who is also mother to daughter Dilyn, 25, told the outlet.
"It’s giving me purpose," she added. "It’s keeping me driven every day. I think the timing of life is always for a reason. It’s been a great distraction, and my daughters kept me on my toes."
After receiving her diagnosis, Eggert underwent a mastectomy. The actress completed chemotherapy earlier this year and recently started her radiation therapy.
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While speaking with Fox News Digital, Eggert shared that her "Baywatch" co-stars had extended their support during her health struggles. She noted that she was "in the middle of shooting "Baywatch: Moment in the Sun" while undergoing treatment, and many of her cast members made appearances in the docuseries.
"So, I was very much in touch with most of the cast," she said. "Almost all of the cast. And, yes, many of them have been extremely supportive and reached out. Alexandra Paul, Brande Roderick, Gina Lee, Erika Eleniak . . . David Chokachi, these are people that really kind of check on me and make sure I'm OK. And it's lovely."
The actress also reflected on the advice that she would give her younger self.
"I would tell my younger self to not be so scared of life — to just really go out and enjoy things more," she said. "You got nothing to lose. Go live life, you know?"
She continued, "I spent so many years just scared and holding things in and covering up for things and pretending like everything was okay. And you don't have to do that. You don't have to do that."
WATCH: ‘Baywatch’ star Nicole Eggert shares the advice she would give her younger self
"It feels so good to face the darkness and bring that darkness into light and just enjoy yourself. It's not that serious," she added.
"We're only here for a short time. I really just wish I had started having this much fun sooner."