Nicole Eggert was just 18 years old when she slipped into the iconic red swimsuit and joined the cast of Baywatch as Roberta “Summer” Quinn. But behind the glossy image of sun-soaked beaches and TV stardom, the experience left a lasting impact on her career, self-image, and relationships — one she’s still navigating more than three decades later.
In a recent interview on the Still Here Hollywood podcast, Eggert candidly shared how her role on the hit series, once the most-watched show in the world, unexpectedly derailed her personal life. What was meant to be a spin-off with a 90210-style vibe turned into something very different. “The spin-off never happened,” Eggert said. “They were like, ‘Spin-off nothing. This is what’s working.’”
Eggert stayed with Baywatch for two seasons but ultimately walked away, hoping to distance herself from the show’s growing stigma. “I had some crazy idea in my head that if I left the show, I would be able to detach myself from the stigma that the show had given all of us as actors,” she said. “But that’s not a thing.”
The public perception of Baywatch cast members — often reduced to superficial labels like “bimbos on the beach” — took a toll on her opportunities in Hollywood. “We were being ripped apart in the press,” she recalled. “The casting doors were not opening anymore.”
That reputation didn’t just affect her career — it also followed her into her personal life. “People have an idea of who you are,” she shared. “And I think it’s harder for people to get to know you without this preconceived notion that they have going in.” Eggert emphasized that she is nothing like the characters she portrayed onscreen, which only added to the disconnect in her dating life.
Perhaps most heartbreaking is the way the role affected her self-image. Eggert described how being surrounded by ultra-fit co-stars and spending long days in unflattering one-piece swimsuits made her feel deeply insecure. “Oh my God, we’re going to be in a bathing suit all day every day?” she recalled thinking on her first day. “And the one-piece bathing suits were not flattering. I didn’t want to wear it at all.”
That pressure led her to undergo breast augmentation surgery at just 18 — a decision she now regrets. “It was a stupid 18-year-old decision,” she admitted. “I look at all these younger girls doing it and think, ‘God, leave your bodies alone!’”
Over the years, Eggert has undergone multiple procedures, including a breast reduction on the TV show Botched in 2015. But now, she’s facing an even more serious battle: breast cancer.
In January 2024, Eggert revealed she had been diagnosed with stage 2 cribriform carcinoma, a rare form of breast cancer. The diagnosis came after she experienced pain in her breast and rapid weight gain — symptoms she initially attributed to menopause. “It really was throbbing and hurting,” she said. “But I just couldn’t get an appointment. Everything was booked.”
Both of Eggert’s parents had cancer, making the diagnosis especially painful. But despite the setbacks, Eggert remains courageous and open, reclaiming her story and shining a light on the realities so often hidden behind fame.
