A videotape made by David Hasselhoff's daughters shows the recovering alcoholic falling off the wagon, the US actor acknowledged today, but he added he is doing much better since it was made.
The video, which aired today on TV tabloid shows, depicts an apparently inebriated Hasselhoff, clad only in blue jeans, lying on the floor of a room and clumsily eating a hamburger while one of his daughters remonstrates with him about his drinking.
"I am a recovering alcoholic," Hasselhoff said in a statement issued today. "Despite that I have been going through a painful divorce and I have recently been separated from my children due to my work, I have been successfully dealing with my issues. Unfortunately, one evening I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse.
"Because of my honest and positive relationship with my daughters, who were concerned for my wellbeing, there was a tape made that night to show me what I was like. I have seen the tape. I have learned from it and I am back on my game."
The tape's existence was first reported today by TV's The Insider, Entertainment Tonight and Extra, which quickly posted stills and clips from it on their websites.
The TV shows said the tape was made about three months ago by Hasselhoff's 16-year-old daughter, Taylor-Ann, in a hotel room in Las Vegas, where the former Baywatch star has been appearing in a stage version of The Producers.
Hasselhoff's publicist, Judy Katz, said she could not confirm those details.
On the tape, a girl's voice is heard saying: "Dad, you need to promise me you're not gonna get alcohol tonight, OK?"
"If you get alcohol tonight you're fired from your show tomorrow," the girl continues. "And a doctor's coming over here in the morning to check your alcohol level and if there's any alcohol in your system you're gonna be fired from the show. Tomorrow. You hear me? No alcohol."
"Ok," Hasselhoff replies in a slurred voice.
Extra said the tape also includes the girl repeatedly asking Hasselhoff why he continued to do this to himself.
"Cause I'm lonely. I have trouble in my life," he replies.
Hasselhoff, 54, filed for divorce from Pamela Bach last year after 16 years of marriage, citing irreconcilable differences. Bach, 43, filed her own divorce papers, also citing irreconcilable differences.
In addition to Taylor-Ann, they have a 14-year-old daughter, Hayley.
Updating the previous story:
Judge suspends actor Hasselhoff's visiting rights
LOS ANGELES - A Los Angeles judge on Monday suspended former "Baywatch" star David Hasselhoff's visitation rights with his two teenage daughters pending further review of a videotape believed made by one of the girls showing the actor drunk.
The order by Superior Court Judge Mark Juhas will be in effect until at least May 21 when another hearing on the matter is scheduled.
Hasselhoff, who was not in court for Monday's hearing, admitted last week that he had struggled to overcome alcoholism after the videotape emerged showing him drunk.
The videotape, believed to have been taken by his 16-year-old daughter Taylor Ann three months ago, was aired online and on several TV channels. It showed Hasselhoff dressed in blue jeans and no shirt lying on the floor struggling to eat a hamburger.
A young female voice on the video is urging him not to drink, warning him that he could lose his role in a stage show of "The Producers" in Las Vegas if he did not sober up.
In a statement, Hasselhoff acknowledged he was a recovering alcoholic and had a relapse.
"Despite that I have been going through a painful divorce and I have recently been separated from my children due to my work, I have been successfully dealing with my issue," he said.
"Unfortunately, one evening I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse."
Hasselhoff, 54, said his two daughters from his 16-year marriage to actress Pamela Bach were concerned for him and a tape was made one night to show what he was like drunk.
"I have seen the tape. I have learned from it and I am back on my game," he said.
"The tape was never meant to become public but got into the hands of individuals who are not worthy of mentioning, who maliciously released the tape for their own self purpose. I hope that someone else will learn from the tape, as I have."
Hasselhoff filed for divorce from Bach in January last year, citing irreconcilable differences.
Hasselhoff's daughters have huge jugs. If there's ever a Baywatch Revival they can give Pamela and Erika a run for their money in filling out those red swimsuits.
