David Hasselhoff Interview in Woolacombe

From This is North Devon

As we take our seats in the grand sitting room of the Woolacombe Bay Hotel, my hands tremble with excitement.

I've been chasing Knightrider, Baywatch and America's Got Talent legend David Hasselhoff and his UK compadre and BBC Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills for the past five hours all over North Devon – and now I finally have them all to myself – no entourage, no family members we've never heard of, no publicists or PR gurus reminding David not to put his foot in it – no one.The first thing David did was to order coffee, he even bought me one.I don't even like coffee but right now I wasn't concerned with the contents of my cup, I had an audience with The Hoff.The pair are here to film a documentary for Living TV about the Hoff's experience with all things British. I ask them how they like the North Devon coast.

David said: "This is my first time here in the Westcountry – until recently I hadn't even been out of London."This week Scott's been taking me all over the place. We've been to Leicester, Derby, Scotland and Peterborough as well as all over North Devon."It's awesome here though — the people seem to have a really laid back attitude which is so cool."They've got a very similar attitude to people in L.A."Drive-time BBC DJ Scott Mills said: "This isn't my first time in North Devon. The last time I was here was about five years ago – me and some friends came down to stay at Croyde which was amazing."We had lunch over there today in the Thatch pub – the food was amazing. I think it's now David's favourite pub."We're basically travelling all over the UK to show David as much British stuff as possible which includes the beaches and cream teas – it's all good stuff."It soon becomes clear that the Thatch wasn't the only thing David liked about North Devon.He said: "My daughter's hijacked a Hocking's ice cream van in Woolacombe this afternoon – that stuff is delicious, the best ice cream I've ever tasted."No one was there when we arrived but when the girls started serving, a crowd soon gathered."We also had dinner at the Boardwalk in Woolacombe last night which was great."At this point an elderly couple, presumably guests of the hotel, enter the room.The woman says she recognises David, saying to him: "You look just like David Hasselhoff from Baywatch. It's not you is it?"David politely signs an autograph for her and they retire to the back of the room to listen to the rest of our interview.David said: "Man, I love funny questions like that."This trip has taught me not to expect anything — crazy and fun stuff seems to happen wherever we go."Today we've been hanging out with some volunteer lifeguards at Woolacombe – they do a great job. It's like Venice Beach, very friendly."As David's daughters and entourage enter the room, his attention seems to wane. It struck me that he has the mind of a grasshopper. Throughout the interview he just kept talking and talking about anything that came into his head – I didn't even have to ask him any questions.I am told that my time is up and that David needs some "R&R" before tonight.I leave the building content in the knowledge that my five-hour hunt was not wasted. I had finally hassled the Hoff.