Baywatch Reboot Lands Italian Home as Rai Takes Second Run
Italy's Rai has bought the Baywatch reboot for Rai 2, giving the lifeguard drama a free-to-air home in Italy. The 12-part series stars Stephen Amell, Brooks Nader and Noah Beck. Deadline reported the deal on 12 October.
The Rai agreement is a second-window deal, meaning Rai 2 airs the show after its first run elsewhere. That first run in Italy sits with Prime Video Italy, which holds first-window rights, meaning first play. The split lets a streaming service launch the series before it moves to linear television.
Fremantle revealed the Rai sale on day one of MIPCOM, the international television market in Cannes. Fremantle is the international distributor for the reboot, which it co-produces with Fox Entertainment. Fox Entertainment Global keeps domestic distribution, while Fremantle handles all sales outside the United States.
Prime Video already holds Baywatch rights across a long list of territories. The list covers Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Portugal, Benelux, Switzerland, Austria, Turkey, Canada, Latin America and India. Variety had earlier described that agreement as a major multi-territory first-window deal, with the reboot pre-selling strongly before transmission.
Two more buyers are set. Sky has taken the show for the United Kingdom and Ireland. Stan has taken it for Australia.
In the United States, the reboot is scheduled to debut on Fox in January 2027. Twelve episodes. That order gives the production a full first season to establish its new beach patrol.
Amell leads as Hobie Buchannon. He is joined by Jessica Belkin as Charlie Vale, Shay Mitchell as Trina, Hassie Harrison as Nat, Thaddeus LaGrone as Brad, Beck as Luke and Nader as Selene. The ensemble centres on a new team of lifeguards with a direct link to the original series.
David Chokachi returns as Cody Madison, the role he played in the 1990s original. Livvy Dunne appears in a recurring role as Grace. Erika Eleniak, Michael Bergin and Kelly Packard guest star as Shauni McClain, Jack J.D. Darius and April Giminski.
Matt Nix is showrunner and executive producer. Executive producers also include McG, Michael Berk, Greg Bonann, Doug Schwartz, Dante Di Loreto and Mike Horowitz. McG directs the premiere episode.
The sale arrives as Baywatch is positioned as one of the market's talking points. MIPCOM Cannes 2026 organised a session titled "Baywatch: The World's Most-Watched Series Returns" for Tuesday 13 October at the MIP Creative Hub in the Palais des Festivals MIPCOM. Yahoo Entertainment had already included the reboot in its Mipcom Buzz Titles roundup on 9 October Yahoo Entertainment.
For viewers in Italy, this means two chances to catch the patrol. Stream it first. Then find it on Rai 2.
