Paul Nichols dead as Baywatch hero who saved show dies just weeks after wife
Paul Nicols rescued Baywatch from the brink—and turned it into the most-watched show on Earth.
The influential publicist credited with rescuing Baywatch from cancellation and turning it into a global TV phenomenon, has passed away.
Paul Nichols, died at his home in Weatherford, Texas, on March 14, though his family only recently made the news public. No cause of death has been released, reports the Mirror.
Tragically, his death came just 12 days after that of his wife of 31 years, Linda. She passed on March 2 at age 77.
Nichols played a pivotal role in Baywatch's survival. In 1991, while working for The Lippen Group, he helped shift the show into first-run syndication with All American Television after NBC had canceled it following its debut season. The move proved decisive, turning Baywatch into one of the most iconic shows of the '90s.
Thanks to Nichols' behind-the-scenes maneuvering, Baywatch flourished for another decade, running until 2001. Its success transformed it into a pop culture juggernaut, making global stars out of David Hasselhoff, Pamela Anderson, and others.
Fellow publicist Les Eisner told The Hollywood Reporter that Nichols "was largely responsible for branding [Baywatch] as the world's most-watched TV series. Whether that was true or not, who knows? But it stuck.'
By 1996, the series was reportedly attracting an astounding 1.1 billion viewers weekly, and it still holds the Guinness World Record as the most-watched TV show in history. Broadcast in 44 languages and across 142 countries, Baywatch even spawned the spin-off Baywatch Nights and a feature film in 2017.
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Born on March 22, 1948, in Delaware, Nichols earned a degree in broadcast journalism from Penn State University in 1970. He began his career as a DJ before joining The Mike Douglas Show in Philadelphia. In 1980, he moved to California to work with John Davidson, Douglas's successor.
Nichols also held influential positions at Group W, All American Television, and Sony Pictures Television. His wife Linda was a respected figure in the television marketing industry, serving in a senior role at Promax. The couple later retired to Texas to be closer to her family.
Nichols is survived by his brother Robert, sister-in-law Denise, nephews Steve and James, and niece Caitlin.
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