Hairy Bikers
The Hairy Bikers were a pair of English celebrity chefs comprising David Myers and Si King, whose television programmes combined cooking with motorcycling travelogue. Between 2004 and 2024 they hosted over 30 television series and specials for BBC One, BBC Two, Channel 5, and Good Food, and wrote a number of tie-in cookbooks.
The Hairy Bikers
Dave Myers:
8 September 1957[1]
Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire, England
Si King:
20 October 1966[2]
Nettlesworth, County Durham, England
Dave Myers:
28 February 2024 (aged 66)
English
Television presenters, TV chefs
2004–2024
The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook, Hairy Bikers Come Home, The Hairy Bikers Ride Again, The Hairy Bakers, The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain, The Hairy Bikers Mums Know Best, Hairy Bikers' Meals on Wheels, Hairy Bikers' Best of British, The Hairy Bikers' Bakeation, The Hairy Bikers' Mississippi Adventure, Hairy Dieters: How to Love Food and Lose Weight, The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure, The Hairy Bikers' Pubs That Built Britain, The Hairy Bikers' Mediterranean Adventure
Myers and King, who both had backgrounds in television production, had known each other since the 1990s. Their first appearance on UK television as presenters was The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook (2004–2008). Their other series include The Hairy Bikers' Food Tour of Britain (2009), The Hairy Bikers' Asian Adventure (2014), Hairy Bikers: Route 66 (2019), and The Hairy Bikers Go North (2021). They also wrote 27 cookbooks, including eight diet books, and The Hairy Bikers Blood, Sweat and Tyres: The Autobiography (2015).
In May 2022 Myers revealed he had been diagnosed with cancer, and whilst he received treatment they made The Hairy Bikers Go Local and The Hairy Bikers: Coming Home for Christmas (both 2023). Myers died on 28 February 2024, during the airing of their final series, The Hairy Bikers Go West (2024).
Presenters[edit]
Both Myers and King had a background in TV and film production. Myers was a professional make-up artist, specialising in prosthetics, while King served as locations manager on numerous productions including the Harry Potter films and Byker Grove.[3]
They met in 1995 on the set of a TV drama entitled The Gambling Man which was based on a Catherine Cookson novel. King was the second assistant director and Myers was head of prosthetics, hair and make-up on the production.[4] Both got tattoos of Che Guevara on their right arm, in 2006 while filming in Argentina.[5] Simon King is a supporter of Newcastle United.[6] Myers died on 28 February 2024 after being diagnosed with cancer.[7]
American version[edit]
History Channel released an American version of The Hairy Bikers starring Paul Patranella and Bill Allen. The show aired for 10 episodes and was spoofed in the South Park episode "A History Channel Thanksgiving".[62][63]