WWE Hall of Famer Nikki Bella passed on a chance to audition for Fox’s upcoming Baywatch reboot, explaining her discomfort with constant swimsuit exposure.
The 42-year-old wrestler shared her decision on her podcast, The Nikki & Brie Show. “I ended up not doing it because I knew that I would not be comfortable,” she said. “I would not be comfortable wearing a red swimsuit 24/7 because I am not confident yet in a swimsuit. So, I didn’t do it.”
Confidence in the Ring
Bella feels most confident in her signature wrestling gear during matches. She recently brushed off a critical comment about her size, noting, “Someone made a comment about me last week… ‘She got bigger’ or something… The comment didn’t even affect me because I felt so damn good.”
“This is me. This is my beauty,” she added. “And we just really all have to stop saying such bad things about ourselves because God made us exactly how we’re supposed to be.”
Baywatch Reboot Details
The 12-episode series for the 2026-27 season features a new cast including Brooks Nader, Stephen Amell, Hassie Harrison, Jessica Belkin, Thaddeus LaGrone, Noah Beck, Shay Mitchell, and Livvy Dunne. Original stars Erika Eleniak and David Chokachi reprise their roles.
McG directed the pilot episode, with Matt Nix as showrunner. The original Baywatch, starring David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson, ran for 11 syndicated seasons after NBC canceled it following one season, becoming the world’s top-watched TV series despite mixed reviews.
Injury Recovery and WWE Plans
Bella recently underwent surgery for a fractured ankle sustained during a SmackDown match against Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss on March 27. Plates and a screw were inserted, sidelining her from WrestleMania 42’s first night on April 18 in Las Vegas.
Paige stepped in for her twin sister Brie Bella Danielson, and they captured the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Bella aims to recover in six to eight weeks for Night of Champions 2026 on June 27 at Kingdom Arena in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Looking ahead, she expressed interest in becoming Raw’s general manager after in-ring competition. Recent Instagram stories show her in physical therapy with trainer Katie Bopp-Hunt.
Personal Background
Bella co-parents five-year-old son Matteo with ex-husband Artem Chigvintsev, divorced in 2024 after two years. Napa County District Attorney Allison Haley declined domestic violence charges due to insufficient evidence. Chigvintsev reported over $100,000 in lost income from the incident.
