MAINZ, Germany — David Hasselhoff is set to make a homecoming of sorts when he performs in front of hundreds of thousands of people at Berlin's iconic Brandenburg Gate on New Year's Eve.
The "Baywatch" and "Knight Rider" star is affectionately remembered by many German fans for his performance of "Looking for Freedom" shortly after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. Hasselhoff "will be one of the top acts on December 31," New Year's Even in Berlin spokeswoman Anja Marx confirmed to NBC News. The actor, singer and director will be flown in from London on a private jet to perform alongside singer Tony Christie, star violinist David Garrett and German rock band Tokio Hotel. Berlin's two-day New Year celebrations regularly draw crowds of up to one million people.
The former "America's Got Talent" judge remains popular in Germany. Last year, "The Hoff" joined protests in Berlin against plans to remove some colorfully painted parts of the Berlin Wall’s longest remaining stretch, the so-called East Side Gallery. “Many of our members from former East Germany say that 'Looking for Freedom' had a big impact on their lives, though it would be ridiculous to say that Hasselhoff brought down the wall,” said Markus Behrens, a 36-year-old member of the Hoff Army fan community.
IN-DEPTH
- Why 'Everything Was Easier' Before Berlin Wall Fell
- Sold, Defaced or Bulldozed: The Berlin Wall Is Vanishing
- How NBC News Secretly Funded Breach of Berlin Wall
