David Hasselhoff cancels Christmas lights to fly home to be with sick father
ACTOR David Hasselhoff has pulled out of an engagement to switch on Southend’s Christmas lights to fly home to be with his sick father.
David Hasselhoff with his mother Dolores and father Joe
The Knight Rider and Baywatch star was due to turn on the lights on Saturday, but pulled out to make the mercy dash.
In an online posting on Twitter yesterday, the 62-year-old said: “Sorry I can’t be in Southend this weekend. I had to go back home to be with my father and my hero who is very ill. Thanks for your prayers”.
Happy to say I’m home to hold my father’s hand and thank you all for you warm thoughts and prayers!
He later added, “Happy to say I’m home to hold my father’s hand and thank you all for you warm thoughts and prayers! Love endures all!”
Organisers, Southend Bid, said it was in discussions to find a replacement for “The Hoff.”
“We totally understand his reasons for being unable to do this and wish both him and his family well,” it said.
Hasselhoff’s half-German father Joe, 85, a former security manager, lives in retirement in California.
The US-born star is due to play Captain Hook in Peter Pan alongside Christopher Biggins at the Essex town’s Cliffs Pavilion theatre, from 13 December.
A spokesman for the theatre said he would be back in time for rehearsals at the start of December.