Hairy Bikers star Si King has opened up about the emotional moment he still turns around expecting to see Dave Myers while cycling, nearly two years after his co-star’s death
Matt Jackson Trendswatch Content Editor
08:53, 15 Dec 2025
Si King recently had a heartbreaking realisation about close friend Dave Myers(Image: BBC/South Shore Productions/Jon Boast)
Hairy Bikers star Si King experienced a heartbreaking moment of realisation nearly two years following the passing of his dear friend Dave Myers. The duo first crossed paths in 1995 whilst both were working on the production of The Gambling Man.
Their bond developed into a strong friendship before they became household names as television chefs through their shows that merged their passion for cuisine and motorbikes. Devastation hit in 2022 when Dave received a cancer diagnosis.
He then went through chemotherapy treatment. Sadly, in February 2024, Dave passed away at the age of 66, reports the Mirror.
Last June, thousands of motorcyclists made the journey from London to his home town of Barrow-in-Furness to honour Dave’s memory.
Speaking to The Times magazine, Si confesses he continues to feel the absence of his dear friend. He revealed: “When I was riding a bike the other day, I automatically looked behind me to see if Dave was there.”
Si and Dave toured the world as the Hairy Bikers(Image: Getty)
“I thought, ‘Where the bloody hell is he? Has he gone around that bend?’ Then I realised, ‘Oh no, of course he hasn’t.'”.
Si acknowledges that grief feels “very odd” to him and describes experiencing a “huge mix of emotions” following Dave’s death. He explained: “It’s anger, frustration, sadness, disappointment. They come when you least expect them.”
The 59-year-old describes them as “great friends” and disclosed he remained “so close” throughout both Dave’s diagnosis and treatment that followed. He feels they shared a “fruitful and fulfilling time together” and chooses to focus on the positive aspects of their friendship “rather than the loss”.
The television personality has also confronted his own health challenges throughout his life. In 2014, he experienced a brain aneurysm which he claims left him requiring to “lie down after making a cup of tea”.
Si King(Image: PA)
Si confesses he would find himself feeling “exhausted” after brewing up and would remain “sedentary” for the remainder of the day. Nevertheless, he determined he needed to “crack on” despite recognising that he faced an “uphill struggle” throughout his recovery.
The celebrity openly acknowledges that his demanding filming commitments, which he states consume 200 days annually, have affected his family during his career. Si separated from former wife Jane in 2016, following 27 years together.
He maintains there is “no blueprint” for sudden fame and confesses that schoolchildren “took the mickey” out of his sons when he achieved celebrity status. He remembers one instance where his sons were startled after he leapt into an African pool whilst completely naked.
Whilst he warmly reflects on the Hairy Bikers, Si also encountered some “scary” moments alongside Dave.
He recounted one incident in Thailand when they were caught in a monsoon whilst aboard a small fishing vessel and the “numerous times” the duo were fired upon during their journeys.
