Hairy Biker Faces Challenges Following Dave Myers’ Passing

TV chef Si King has opened up about the challenges he’s faced in recent months following the death of his Hairy Bikers co-star, Dave Myers. Myers, who passed away in February at the age of 66, had built a successful career alongside King, who has been his friend for over 30 years.

In 2022, Myers revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer and was undergoing chemotherapy, a battle that ultimately ended in his death. Writing for The Sunday Times, King, 57, shared his emotional journey, stating that he often felt like “jumping on my bike and heading into the sunset,” but ultimately chose to honor his friend’s legacy by moving forward.

“I’ll be honest with you, the past few months have been a struggle,” King admitted. “There were moments when I considered disappearing without a trace, but I knew that’s not what Dave would have wanted. He always encouraged moving forward instead of dwelling on the past.”

In June, a memorial motorcycle ride called Dave Day saw thousands of bikers journey from London to Myers’ hometown of Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, celebrating the life of the beloved TV chef.

King has been working on a new anthology featuring classic Hairy Bikers recipes and hinted at “a few new projects on the horizon.” However, he also expressed that he would be content with a simpler life, stating, “Even if I end up doing nothing more than making bacon sarnies and playing a few gigs with my band, that’s fine by me. Happy days.”

Reflecting on the last series the duo filmed together—following Myers’ diagnosis—King described it as “by far the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do in my life.” Despite his illness being visibly apparent, King admired how Myers remained spirited when the cameras were rolling, always ready to fight through the challenges.

King reminisced about a particularly memorable camping trip in Namibia, where the pair had a “spiritual experience” gazing at the African night sky and seeing their galaxy for the first time. Their friendship began over a shared meal of tandoori chicken masala, poppadoms, and pints of lager after meeting on the set of the TV drama The Gambling Man in 1992.

The duo first appeared together on The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook in 2004, a show that combined cooking with travel, starting with a ride through Portugal.

When asked about the legacy of the Hairy Bikers, King responded, “Yeah, I’d like to think we made a little bit of difference here and there. Just two regular blokes, having a go at beef rendang or apple pie. Hopefully, we caught the attention of people who don’t normally watch swanky cooking shows.”

He added, “Overweight, scruffy, working-class northerners don’t often get presented with opportunities like the Hairy Bikers. It was a beautiful, magical thing, and I’ll miss it. I’ll miss him. But there is a future for me, and I’m excited for what’s coming next.”