With a ‘Broken Heart,’ Young & Restless Vet Mourns the Legend Who Once Replaced Him
Sometimes, it’s the friendships that we never expected that become the most meaningful to us. That’s just as true on soap operas as it is in real life. And sometimes, it’s true when life and the daytime world seem to blend together. That’s how it was with The Young & the Restless‘ onetime Snapper, David Hasselhoff, and Jerry Springer. Yes, that Jerry Springer, whose talk show was like a real-life soap opera hopped up on steroids.
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The two worked together, of course, back when Springer hosted America’s Got Talent and Hasselhoff served as one of the judges. And that, Springer noted in an interview before the Comedy Central Roast of David Hasselhoff, was where the two met, way back in 2007. “He’s a good guy,” Springer shared at the time of Hasselhoff. “I don’t have any stories. I’ve never seen him, in person, do anything bad.”
And the feeling, it seems, was mutual. When Springer — who made his own soapy appearances on both Days of Our Lives and Sunset Beach — passed away at the age of 79, Hasselhoff took to social media to mourn the man he’d come to call friend.
“Jerry Springer was a great friend,” Hasselhoff wrote. “Great. I never thought I would lose a special friend who actually subbed for me as Captain Hook in the Wimbledon pantomime. He was a terrific, terrific person and I am saddened by his passing. What becomes of a broken heart?”
Jerry Springer was a great friend, GREAT. I never thought I would lose a special friend who actually subbed for me as Captain Hook in the Wimbledon pantomime. He was a terrific, terrific person and I am saddened by his passing. What becomes of a broken heart 💔 #jerryspringer pic.twitter.com/bpQvt4RUYj
— David Hasselhoff (@DavidHasselhoff) April 27, 2023
While Springer’s show was controversial, clearly Hasselhoff had a lot of affection for the man at the helm. Plus, there’s no denying that millions of people were always eager to tune in to find out about the latest paternity crisis. And if that doesn’t scream daytime, we don’t know what does.
It’s something Hasselhoff amusingly embraced when he made a special video for his pal celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Jerry Springer show — and discovering long lost “family” in the process.
Love Springer’s show or not, our thoughts are with Hasselhoff and all of Springer’s friends and family after losing the man that they loved.
Take a look through our photo gallery of all of daytime’s stars who we’ve lost so far in 2023.
