Contrary to all his denials since the release of the February 2008 2-hr TV movie reboot of “Knight Rider,” starring Justin Bruening (“All My Children”), David Hasselhoff, star of the original 1980’s version of the show, is reportedly in final negotiations to return to the new series as Michael Knight. This could be the start of a recurring role for Hasselhoff, if it happens at all.

“He may make an appearance later this season,” executive producer Gary Scott Thompson said in an interview “He is talking to NBC next week, and we are working out everyone’s schedule … I don’t want to put him in just for the sake of having him drop by; I want there to be a good reason for him being there and have it be part of the story. I talked to David about a way of doing that, and so far he likes it. It’s a cool idea.”

Rumor has it that when Hasselhoff makes his appearance he may be sporting his own special vehicle.

Thompson also said that one episode he would really love to do would be somekind of alternate reality episode in which Michael Knight with his original Trans AM and the new Knight Rider (named Mike Tracer) team up with their respective K.I.T.T.s and take on the bad guys. Thompson would love to get William Daniels back for that. He did the original voice of K.I.T.T., while Val Kilmer provides the vocal chords for the new K.I.T.T., a Ford Mustang GT500KR.

“I don’t know if it will happen,” Thompson said. “It’s all about timing.”

When the new “Knight Rider” returns on Wednesday, September 24 at 8PM ET it will pick up where the TV movie left off in February of this year. The show has an impressive support crew that includes Bruce Davison (“X-Men,” “The Triangle”) Deanna Russo (“”The Young and the Restless”), Paul Campbell (“Battlestar Galactica”) Yancey Arias (“Live Free or Die Hard”), Sydney Tamiia Poitier (“Grindhouse – Death Proof”) and Smith Cho (“Meet Dave”).