Justin Bruening takes over as the 'Knight Rider" -- with some advice from David Hasselhoff.

JUSTIN BRUENING got a chance to meet THE HOFF on the first day of shooting for the new "Knight Rider" TV movie, airing Sunday, Feb. 17 at 9 p.m., on NBC, because the original Michael Knight (DAVID HASSELHOFF) has a role in the movie.

"I was nervous about continuing this franchise. It is pretty big shoes to fill," says Bruening, who plays Mike Tracer, the new "Knight Rider." "He started giving me advice. He was one of the first people to mention that the key to the show is the relationship between a man and his car and how they become best friends."

As for Hasselhoff's contributions to the 2008 TV movie, executive producer DAVID BARTIS tells ET that there was never any question that the original "Knight Rider" would be a part of it.

"He had this inherent understanding of what made it work and what the fans responded to. For us that was a tremendous asset to tap into. He definitely had a role in helping us conceive what [the series] might be, as well as being in it. I think everyone will be excited to see how we work him into the show as Michael Knight," Bartis says.

Interestingly, there are several parallels between Hasselhoff and Bruening. Both were about the same age when they landed the "Knight Rider" role, both were former soap stars -- Hasselhoff was from "The Young and the Restless;" Bruening from "All My Children" -- and they both met their wives [for Hasselhoff it was his first wife] on their soaps.

"His ex-wife remarried a man whose name is Michael Knight, who played my father on 'All My Children,'" Bruening says, adding to the quirks of fate.

But that is where the coincidences stop. There is no "Baywatch" in Bruening's future.

"I am not too fond of Speedos," he admits.