HAIRY Bikers’ Si King has spoken out about making one final show after close friend and TV co-star Dave Myers’ tragic death earlier this year.
Dave died in February at the age of 66 following a two-year battle with cancer.
It has since been revealed Dave’s legacy will be honoured in a moving documentary set to be released this Christmas, titled The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Ride Alone.
Biking and cooking partner Si will feature for one final time as a Hairy Biker and will be joined by thousands as they take part in the Dave Day motorcycle from Central London to Dave’s hometown of Barrow-in-Furness.
Si exclusively spoke to The Sun Online about his grief and the reason why he chose to make one final show.
Speaking about the importance of honouring his best pal’s legacy, Si said: “It was important to celebrate the man and what he’d achieved and it was also important to give our audience a goodbye as well.
“Dave Day was a perfect example of that. Woody and Lil organised that and it was perfection.”
He added: “We’re all so sorry that we’re here in these circumstances but it was a celebration of that show.
“There’s lots of joy in that show but that was Dave. He was a joyous man. He embraced and loved the life that he led and that was enormously important to him.”
Si also revealed that he’s only watched the programme himself once while doing the voiceover, so rewatching it will be “emotional”.
Explaining the pair’s special relationship, Si added: “I think we were very different men and with very different personalities but we loved each other and it was as simple as that.
“There was a connection of brotherhood and kindness and understanding because we’d both grown up in different ways.
“But we, as working class lads, you just hustle and you just hope…for something better and hope for opportunity and actually chipping out opportunity for yourselves.”
The celebrity chef duo first met over 20 years ago and found fame together thanks to their cooking skills, and went on to travel the world on their motorbikes sampling and cooking food.
Admitting that he and Dave were never fazed by the fame, Si said they always wanted to give back and connect with their audience as a way of thanks.
“We never let anybody change us,” Si said. “We had great families and good people around us and a great crew.
“For that reason we just did what we did and the fame came and yeah it’s a privilege.
“Our audience are the people that pay our wages and they deserve their moment with this show.
“You know they deserve respect and Dave and I always had that at the core as well because we are our audience and it’s very very important to remember that.”
Dave’s death in February left Si and the pair’s fans devastated, with a huge outpouring of support from fans of the Hairy Bikers.
Fans organised a charity motorcycle ride in August from London to Barrow-in-Furness, Dave’s hometown, to celebrate Dave’s life.
The fundraising totalled £127,000 for the NSPCC and the Institute of Cancer Research.
The show will air during this Christmas period.
The Hairy Bikers – Looking back on their career
Dave Myers and Si King, collectively known as the Hairy Bikers, were a popular presenting and cooking duo for 20 years. Sadly, Dave lost his battle with cancer in February 2024. Let’s take a look back at the pair’s TV journey.
- The Hairy Bikers Cookbook (2004-2008, BBC Two)
- The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour of Britain (2009, BBC Two)
- Strictly Come Dancing (Dave took part in 2013, BBC One)
- The Hairy Bikers’ Asian Adventure (2014, BBC Two)
- The Hairy Bikers: Route 66 (2019, BBC Two)
- The Hairy Go North (2021, BBC Two)
In June, King announced that the Hairy Bikers brand would no longer exist, adding that it wouldn’t be “respectful” for him to continue solo.
Si told The Sun: “Dave’s passed but it doesn’t stop him being my best mate. It’s not how that works. You know, you’re mates for life and death.”
The Hairy Bikers: You’ll Never Ride Alone will air on BBC Two on December 23, 2024.
