Soap star 'is new Knight Rider'

Hasselhoff played crime-fighter Michael Knight in the original show

US soap actor Justin Bruening will fill David Hasselhoff's shoes in a TV update of Knight Rider, according to reports.

Bruening will play the son of Michael Knight, Hasselhoff's character in the original 1980s series, in the two-hour TV movie, the Hollywood Reporter said.

The 28-year-old, who has appeared on soap opera All My Children since 2003, is married to co-star Alexa Havins.

Knight Rider, which ran from 1982 to 1986, saw Hasselhoff's character team up with a talking car to fight crime.

The show spawned two follow-up TV movies and a teen spin-off, Team Knight Rider.

Ratings hit

Hasselhoff, now 55, went on to appear in Baywatch and can currently be seen as a judge on US show America's Got Talent.

Bourne Identity director Doug Liman will executive produce and possibly direct the NBC pilot, which will lead to a TV series if successful.

Plans to revive the show were reportedly given a boost by this summer's sci-fi blockbuster Transformers.

If made, the Knight Rider series will aim to repeat the success of Bionic Woman - another resuscitated title that has proved a ratings hit.