SECRET STRUGGLE
Dave Myers learned to cook after heartbreaking diagnosis rocked family before he began working with pop stars
Si King paid tribute to his 'best friend' in a moving statement
HAIRY Biker Si King yesterday bid his TV sidekick Dave Myers an emotional farewell, telling him: “God’s speed, brother.”
The TV presenter posted a moving online tribute to his cooking co-star, who has succumbed to cancer aged 66.
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Si, who was with his pal of almost 30 years when he died at home on Wednesday, wrote: “My best friend is on a journey that, for now, I can’t follow.
“I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime.
“I wish you god’s speed brother. You are and will remain a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. Love ya.”
Dave’s other better half — his wife of 13 years, Liliana — also said her farewell online, alongside pictures of her husband holding a baguette loaf and onions and another in a dinner suit.
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She wrote: “Rest in peace, my love, My wonderful, brave man! Till next time we meet!”
The presenter’s death sparked an outpouring of emotion, with stars of showbiz and the world of cooking weighing in with tributes.
They all spoke of their sadness at the death of a man they remembered for his humour, friendliness and passion for good cooking.
Charlotte Moore, the BBC chief content officer, echoed the thoughts of many by saying: “Dave made cooking a truly joyful adventure and he shared that joy with millions.”
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That adventure with food and motorbikes began when David James Myers was growing up in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria.
His mum Margaret, who worked as a crane driver in the town’s docks, taught Dave to cook.
‘it took our breath away’ says This Morning’s Rochelle Humes as she learns of dave myer’s death and pays tribute live on air
And his dad Jim, a paper mill foreman, took him on fishing trips on the back of his motorbike.
But when Dave was 12, his mum developed multiple sclerosis and, with his dad at work, responsibility for food shopping and cooking for the family fell to him.
He lost his hair because of alopecia, which doctors put down to the shock of his mother’s illness and he was bald well into his 40s.
After leaving school, he worked as a labourer in a steelworks to raise enough money to study fine art in London, where he spotted an advert to train as a make-up artist at the BBC.
He said: “Much to my amazement, I turned up for work and I was the first male make-up artist at Television Centre.”
He became an expert on prosthetics and for 23 years worked on BBC hits such as Doctor Who. He even painted the white stripe on pop dandy Adam Ant’s face.
Dave's start in TV
In 1995, he found himself working on the set of Catherine Cookson period drama, The Gambling Man, on which Si King was an assistant producer.
Dave recalled: “We got on like a house on fire. Motorbikes were really our first shared passion.
“Si sold me a motorbike and it was the worst motorcycle you have ever seen and I wanted my money back!”
Nonetheless, they spent their free time riding around the area on motorbikes, trying out food — and dreamt up the idea of a TV show that combined cooking and travel.
By then, Dave’s hair was beginning to grown back after surgery for a brain abscess. So, almost as a joke, they called their new programme The Hairy Bikers.
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Their first series in 2006 took them to countries including Portugal and Romania, and viewers instantly took to their northern humour and camaraderie.
They went on to travel the world on their bikes four times, seeking out dishes in far-flung countries. Together, they wrote 30 best-selling Hairy Bikers cookbooks.
The pair even lost weight together, shedding six stone between them after both were told they were morbidly obese in 2012.
They turned their health problems into a series on how to cook tasty but healthy meals that would not pile on the calories.
Si King's heartbreaking statement in full on Dave Myers
"I'm afraid I bear some sad news. Most of you will know Dave has been fighting cancer for the past couple of years.
"Last night, on 28th February 2024, with Lili, Dave's wife, his family, close friend David and myself by his side, he passed away peacefully at home.
"All who knew Dave are devastated at his passing. His beloved wife brought him such happiness as did her children, Iza and Sergiu who Dave loved like his own.
"Personally, I am not sure I can put into words on how I feel at the moment. My best friend is on a journey that for now, I can't follow.
"I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime.
"I wish you god's speed brother; you are and will remain a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. Love ya.
As well as a 2013 spin on Strictly, Dave also appeared on his own as a guest on shows such as Sunday Brunch, Countdown, Would I Lie To You? All Star Family Fortunes and The Weakest Link.
But he was happiest working with his pal and, at one point, after the break-up of a relationship, he became part of Si’s family.
He had met future wife Liliana Orzac while filming the first Hairy Bikers series in Romania, where she managed the hotel the crew stayed in. They married in 2011 and Dave became stepfather to her children, Iza and Sergiu.
He said: “For many years, my biggest regret in life was the fact I hadn’t had children. When I married Lil, I had this ready-made family with two stepchildren and it brought me such joy.”
World fell apart
But in March 2022, while driving on his own to the family’s home in France, Dave took a phone call from a doctor who confirmed he had cancer.
Dave drove to the house, had a glass of brandy and called Si. Neither has revealed which type of cancer he was suffering from.
Forty rounds of chemo left Dave struggling to walk, let alone ride a bike. For a man who loved food, he could barely eat a bowl of soup.
Lil sold their house in Kent so they could move to Staffordshire to be closer to family and Dave flogged his three motorbikes.
As he gained weight and strength, physiotherapists sat Dave on a large rubber ball and rocked him from side to side so he could learn to ride a motorbike again.
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In February last year, he and Si each bought a motorbike for what turned out to be their last series together — the Hairy Bikers Go West, travelling the west coast of Britain. It runs until March 19.
In a Christmas TV special, Dave left fans sobbing when he cooked for hospital staff who treated him. He asked them: “Shall we do this again next year? I hope so.”
It was not to be — but the joy he brought to millions was reflected in messages yesterday from the likes of celebrity stylist Gok Wan, Bake Off’s Paul Hollywood and Candice Brown, chef James Martin and his Strictly pro partner Karen Hauer.
Actor Robson Green, who was in The Gambling Man, said: “David’s warm smile, hearty laugh, and genuine love for people were not just the ingredients of his success but a reflection of his zest for life.
I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime
Si King
“His presence brightened our screens and his heart and soul inspired all who knew him and many others to embrace the simple pleasures of sharing a meal with loved ones.”
Celebs Go Dating coach Anna Williamson, who appeared with Dave in panto, said she was “knocked for six” by his death.
She added: “In the world of ‘celeb’ you never know if anybody is going to be as nice as you hoped… in Dave‘s case he was everything and more.”
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Saturday Kitchen host Matt Tebbutt told BBC Radio 4: “He was an absolute joy to work with. He was a genuinely lovely guy. The nation loved him because he was that bloke that you could relate to.
“Whether you saw him out in the shops or down the pub or wherever, he was just a normal, nice guy.”
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