Si King admits Hairy Bikers is over following death of his co-star Dave Myers as he says ‘it can’t go on’
SI King has confirmed that the Hairy Bikers brand is over following the passing of Dave Myers.
The pair worked closely together as a TV cooking duo for two decades on screen.
Dave passed away aged 66 following a lengthy battle with cancer in February earlier this year leaving Si heartbroken.
Now he has admitted it would not be “respectful” if her were to continue as the Hairy Bikers on his own following Dave’s untimely passing.
Speaking to The Guardian, Si, 57, said of his next career move: “It can’t be the Hairy Bikers 2.0.
“That’s not going to happen. It wouldn’t be respectful.”
Si opened up on detail for the first time on losing his friend with the publication as he reflected on their success together as well as there more personal moments.
The TV chef said: “It’s definitely a time of change and change comes at a cost and that cost has been my best friend.
“What was wonderful about my mate Dave was that he absolutely embraced the moment.
“He used to drive me mad. I’d tell him to say something negative for a bit, but he just loved being a Hairy Biker.”
He continued: “Dave and I were two very different people with different agendas and priorities, but we adored each other. The only strategy we had was that if one was vociferously against doing something, then we wouldn’t do it.
“But Dave was always ready to say yes, much more than me. More times than not he’d win by being relentlessly positive.”
He also reflected on how being part of the TV partnership could at times be “exhausting”, especially when they were plagued with health problems which began with Dave facing heart difficulties before Si suffered an aneurysm in 2014.
Si said: “Being the Hairy Bikers was exhausting. We didn’t really want to admit it, but it had its own momentum.
“It just became our normal, until there was a point when our bodies were saying, hang on a minute.”
In another rare personal moment, Si also told the publication of the “disbelief” he felt when he first learned of Dave’s shock cancer diagnosis in May 2022.
He recalled: “Dave called me. I had to pull over. I just couldn’t compute it. I must have sounded terrible.
“There was just a level of disbelief. And to be perfectly honest I couldn’t get my head around it all the way through his fight. Is this really happening? My best mate?
“I was suspicious it was going to be complicated from the very start but thought that if anyone could get through this, it would be Dave, with the love and support of his wife, Lili.”
Amid his heartbreak, Si made his first solo cooking appearance earlier this month where he was heavily supported by his fans and well-wishers.
Four months after Dave’s passing, Si cooked a feast for a large crowd at Birmingham’s NEC during the Good Food Show Summer event.
He was joined on stage by Italian chef Gennaro Contaldo, TV presenter Chris Bavin and recipe book author Chris Baber as he signed copies of the new Hairy Bikers book.
Referencing the book, The Hairy Bikers’ Ultimate Comfort Food, the star posted on Instagram: “Great to see all ages enjoying the book! #fastandfresh.”