BAYWATCH - COWELL CONVINCED HASSELHOFF TO JUDGE COMPETITION

Former BAYWATCH star DAVID HASSELHOFF insists the only reason he signed on as a judge for new reality show AMERICA'S GOT TALENT is because producer SIMON COWELL was so persuasive. The 53-year-old actor/singer is one of three judges on the programme, alongside singer BRANDY and British journalist and TV personality PIERS MORGAN. The talent competition features a wide variety of acts, from singers to musicians all competing for a $1 million (GBP555,000) prize. Hasselhoff explains, "(Simon) called me up and said, 'Would you do this?' And I said, 'I don't want to be a judge!' "And he said, 'Come on, it's fun! You're funny!' Because it's Simon, I did it." Hasselhoff admits it didn't take long for him to drop his nice persona and start cracking down on the contestants, but claims he hasn't become nasty like AMERICAN IDOL judge Cowell. He adds, "No, I'm just me. I just came on the show and I said I'm going to have fun."