The series followed the trials and tribulations of the Los Angeles County Lifeguards, who patrol the crowded beaches of Los Angeles County.

According to the Guinness Book of World Records, Baywatch is the most watched TV show in the world of all time, with over 1.1 billion viewers.

After launching in 1989 the show proved to be a huge successful, especially internationally, and further boosted the career of David Hasselhoff, who was executive producer.

A trademark of the show was its slow motion shots of the lifeguards running.