Hairy Biker Si King has revealed he thought about “jumping on my bike and heading off into the sunset” after the death of his best friend Dave Myers.
Si, 57, and Dave worked closely together for two decades, creating a series of much-loved cooking TV shows, as well as books and live appearances.
Dave, best known as the other half of the Hairy Bikers, passed away aged 66 in February, with Si by his side following a long battle with cancer.
Months after his friend’s death, Si spoke about his struggle with grief and how he coped with the loss of his best friend.
he said The times: ‘I’ll be honest with you, the last few months have been a struggle. More than once I came close to hopping on my bike and heading off into the sunset. Don’t tell anyone where you were going. Just leave and never come back.
‘Other times I was furious. Furious against that damn disease, against God and anything else I can think of.
Best friends Si King (right) and Dave Myers (left) worked closely together for two decades creating a series of beloved cooking television shows.
If you have talked about your struggle with grief and how you coped with the loss of your friend’s death. Pictured: The couple on This Morning from April 2023.
Following his cancer diagnosis, Dave was determined to continue working in an attempt to maintain some normality amidst the chaos.
Of filming with Dave during his illness, Si said: “Oh God, that last series was by far the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do in my entire life.” The crew felt it too; some of whom had been with us from the beginning. All of us trying to carry on as normal, trying not to lose control.’
He added: “Some days it seemed quite surreal, like it wasn’t really happening.” I kept thinking: It’s not fair, it’s not fucking fair.
In June, Si announced that the Hairy Bikers brand had ended following Dave’s tragic passing.
He said it wouldn’t be “respectful” of him to continue as Hairy Bikers on his own.
talking to the guardian On the next step in his career, Si said: ‘It can’t be Hairy Bikers 2.0. That’s not going to happen. It wouldn’t be respectful.
The TV chef continued: “It’s definitely a time of change and change has a cost and that cost has been my best friend.”
‘The wonderful thing about my friend Dave was that he absolutely seized the moment. It used to drive me crazy. I would tell him to say something negative for a moment, but he loved being a Hairy Biker.
Dave passed away at age 66 in February, with Si by his side after a long battle with cancer.
Dave passed away at age 66 in February after a long and difficult battle with cancer.
‘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 objected to doing something loudly, then we wouldn’t do it.
‘But Dave was always willing to say yes, much more so than I was. Most of the time you would win by being relentlessly positive.
In early June, Si and Dave’s widow led thousands of cyclists to Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, after riding across the country from London in honor of the TV star.
Thousands of people lined the streets and cheered as Si led the 36-mile procession of grieving cyclists into the city centre, less than eight hours after they left the Ace Café in London.
Dave’s widow Lili previously praised the efforts of her fellow bikers who smashed fundraising targets for cancer and children’s charities.
Jason ‘Woody’ Woodcock, the organizer of Dave Day’s ride from London to Barrow, said there could be up to 30,000 cyclists involved in the final leg.
He said: “Everyone said it couldn’t be done.” We could never move all those people and keep time. However, we did it and not a minute late.
“I’m emotionally exhausted but very happy. I promised to build some bikes for Dave and thanks to the cycling community and the people of Barrow we’ve done it.
‘It’s amazing what can be done when people come together. Politicians should take note.’