The London I

‘AS far as we know, no-one has drowned in the West End of London since David Hasselhoff arrived.

Coming to a puddle near you

With the world’s most famous lifeguard in town, paddlers in the Trafalgar Square fountain have been splashing around with a new sense of freedom.

Just knowing Dave is around gives all Londoners a sense of security – although Dave is determined not to make a big show of being a real bona fide hero.

So he’s taken to moving around the capital incognito, dressed in a pair of silver-tipped cowboy boots, a black leather jacket open to the waist (to reveal his white T-shirt and silver cross beneath), a pair of dark sunglasses and a yellow floatation aid tucked under one arm.

He looks just like any other Londoner as he poses for photographs in front of the London Eye.

And when he wanders around Covent Garden with his wife Pamela and daughters Taylor-Ann and Hayley – the family group he calls his “North Star” – no-one notices the Americans in the red shorts and high-cut swimsuits.

But still some fans see through the disguise and call out to him.

“People on the street are so cool,” says Dave. “They’ll say, ‘Hey, Michael’ or ‘Hey, Mitch’, and they want to chat or ask for an autograph.”

No-one, however, says “Hey, Dave”, “Hail The Hoff”, “Nice boots” or even “Give us a song”…although very soon they might be saying “Hey, Billy” thanks to Dave’s latest part playing Billy Flynn in the hit stage show Chicago.

“People don’t expect me to be good,” says Dave. “They come to the show and they go: ‘Well, okay, here’s the Baywatch guy. He’s on TV, we’ll see’.

“They’re surprised that I can sing and dance.”

And dive into a central London fountain with no thought for his own safety…’

Posted: 11th, August 2004 | In: Reviews Comment | TrackBack | Permalink