Si King, one half of the beloved Hairy Bikers duo, has opened up about the final wish of his late friend and co-star Dave Myers.
In a poignant interview with The Sunday Times, King revealed that Myers wanted him to “move forward” and not “dwell on the past” following his death. He also opened up on Myers’ final request when he was first diagnosed with cancer.
Myers passed away in February at the age of 66 after a battle with cancer, with King by his side.
The pair, who first met in 1992, had become household names through their popular cooking shows and travel programmes.
King admitted that he has struggled in the wake of his friend’s passing, at times feeling like he wanted to “hop on my bike and head into the sunset”.
However, he knows this isn’t what Myers would have wanted for him.
“The answer is I am going to take some time to reflect on the life I had with my best mate, and think about moving forwards,” King told The Sunday Times.
“Which is exactly what Dave would have wanted. Move forward, don’t dwell on the past,” he added.
King also spoke about the emotional challenge of filming their final series together, The Hairy Bikers Go West, after Myers’ cancer diagnosis.
Si King reflected on his late best friend’s wish in a heartbreaking confession
BBC
“[Dave] wanted to travel up and down the west coast of the UK – an area he loved and where he’d been born,” King explained.
“Oh God, that last series was by the far the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to do in my entire life,” he admitted.
The TV chef described the struggle felt by the entire crew, many of whom had been with the duo since the beginning of their career.
“All of us trying to carry on as normal, trying not to lose it,” King said.
He added that this paled in comparison to what Myers must have been going through during filming.
King recalled the moment he learned of his friend’s illness in May 2022, describing it as a “real body blow”.
Si King admitted he has been struggling since the loss of Dave Myers
BBC
Despite the devastating news, Myers remained characteristically positive.
“Almost immediately, he said ‘I want to get back to work. I don’t want to just be someone with cancer. I’m still me’,” King shared.
This optimistic outlook was typical of Myers, according to his long-time friend.
“He didn’t want people feeling sorry for him. He wanted to roll up his sleeves and get stuck in,” King said.
“It was all about the fight. He was a naturally optimistic character and always looking for the positives,” he added.
In June, King announced that the Hairy Bikers brand would not continue without Myers.
Speaking to The Guardian, he explained: “It can’t be the Hairy Bikers 2.0. That’s not going to happen. It wouldn’t be respectful.”
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Dave Myers died in February following a battle with cancer
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King acknowledged the significant change this represents in his life and career.
“It’s definitely a time of change and change comes at a cost and that cost has been my best friend,” he said.
The final episode of The Hairy Bikers Go West aired in March, marking the end of an era for the popular cooking duo.
Their partnership had spanned over three decades, during which they presented more than 30 series and specials across BBC, Channel 5, and Good Food.
As King navigates this new chapter without his best friend and co-star, he remains committed to honouring Myers’ final wish by moving forward while cherishing the memories of their time together.