Donna D’Errico has hit back at trolls who branded her "too old to wear a bikini".
The 54-year-old star - who is best known for portraying Donna Marco in cult lifeguard series 'Baywatch' - has insisted she can do "whatever I want" as she responded to spiteful comments after she shared a video of herself wearing an American flag bikini on July 4th to celebrate Independence Day.
Donna wrote: "Quite a few women complained about the 4th of July video I posted in a red white blue bikini because they thought I was “classier than that” and “too old to wear a bikini” and, my favorite, “desperate”. Let me tell you something that might surprise you. I can actually wear and do literally whatever I want. On that note, here is me in a bikini squatting on a coffee table (sic)"
Several stars shot to Donna's defence, including producer Tracey Bregman.
She commented: "Gorgeous and F anyone who tries to tear you down. You look incredible period"
'90 Day Fiance' star David Tobrowsky wrote: "Be you. You are an amazing person no matter what [red heart emoji] Annie and I just adore you"
Last year, Donna told how she can't swim and only got the part as a lifeguard because her co-star David Hasselhoff (Mitch Buchannon) intervened when she failed the swim test.
She said: "To this day, I still can’t swim. I’m terrified of water. I can’t even tread water. You get to be part of the most-watched show in the world. And there I am, knowing full well that I cannot swim."
But the former Playboy model seemed to know the role was too good to pass up on so she took swimming lessons in an effort to improve her skills - but to no avail.
Donna claims Hasselhoff threatened to tell the producers she couldn't swim and how she even had lessons at 5am "five days a week".
She said: "It was supposed to be basic, not at all technical. But all I kept thinking was, ‘What on earth am I supposed to do?’ I was told, ‘Get in the pool and do a couple of laps to warm up’.
"I'm holding on to the edge like a terrified child. And finally, David’s like, ‘Donna, get out of the pool. You can’t swim’. My initial reaction was, ‘Are you going to tell the producers?
"And he’s like, ‘Well, yeah, of course. This is a show about lifeguards!'
"I was so upset because I didn’t want to miss out. So I took swimming lessons with their main guy five times a week at five o’clock in the morning in that pool."
