Hoff his head: Baywatch star's drunken rant videotaped by daughter

But in his latest film performance, David Hasselhoff appears as a slobbering drunk trying unsuccessfully to eat a burger off the floor.

And the bad news is, he wasn't acting. The footage is part of a home video shot by his 16-year-old daughter Taylor Ann, desperate to show the effects of drinking on her alcoholic father.

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This footage was reportedly taken by David Hasselhoff's daughter

It shows 54-year-old Hasselhoff rambling about his loneliness and disagreeing with the teenager when she assures him that he has her support.

Taylor Ann - one of the two daughters over whom he is fighting a custody battle with his ex-wife Pamela Bach - can be heard pleading with the actor to give up drinking.

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David Hasselhoff was filmed attempting to eat a hamburger

The extraordinary footage was shot three months ago in Las Vegas, where the actor has been appearing on stage in The Producers.

Taylor Ann is heard pleading with him 11 times to not drink any more, warning him a doctor will be taking a blood alcohol test in the morning - a requirement apparently sought by the producers of The Producers.

But he can barely understand a word she is saying. He lolls around, eyes rolling back in his head, attempting to bite his cheeseburger but managing only to spill food down himself.

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David Hasselhoff's says he's doing much better since this footage was taken

At one point while she is reprimanding him, the only words he can find are "Love these buns", in praise of his burger.

Hasselhoff mumbles, "I'm lonely. I have trouble in my life."

Taylor Ann responds, "You have me."

To which Hasselhoff replied "I don't have you in my life... bull***t... I don't have you... I don't have you."

The video went round the world on the Internet yesterday, causing Hasselhoff to release a lengthy statement.

It read, "I am a recovering alcoholic. Despite that I have been going through a painful divorce and I have recently been separated from my children due to my work, I have been successfully dealing with my issue.

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"Unfortunately, I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse. Because of my honest and positive relationship with my children, who were concerned for my well-being, there was a tape made when I had a relapse to show me what I was like.

"I have seen the tape. I have learned from it, and I am back on my game.

"I hope that others will learn from the tape, as I have. I thank God for the love and concern from my children. I have the respect of my children and my fans, but most importantly I have self respect. I will continue to keep my personal life private for the sake of moving on and living a happy life with my daughters."

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The Baywatch star with his daughter Taylor-Ann

His ex-wife responded by giving a TV interview, with her lawyer by her side. Miss Bach said, "The disease of alcoholism that David has, it's a disease that you can put a halt to I believe.

"And I thought if he just wouldn't drink everything is going to be okay. Life is good. We've got two beautiful girls. You know, amazing. If you just put down the drink every day, everything will be okay."

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Before the split: David Hasselhoff with his estranged wife Pamela Bach

In the increasingly bitter custody dispute between the pair following their divorce last August, Miss Bach claims Hasselhoff's alcoholism has caused him to need three sets of rehab.

She also alleged that Hasselhoff physically abused her when he had been drinking.

"It's embarrassing. You don't deserve it. It's like a Jekyll and Hyde."

Asked, "Were there ever any bruises? Broken bones? Anything that you covered up?", she replied, "That's what I did."

Miss Bach added that she had real concerns about Hasselhoff being alone with her daughters.

Asked if he had abused the girls, her lawyer replied yesterday, "It depends on how you define abuse. We'll just leave it at that. We'll just say we have concerns. There are different levels of abuse and we are exploring all of them in this instance."