Hairy Bikers Dave Myers dies at the age of 66 with co-star Si King by his side
Hairy Bikers legend Dave Myers has died at the age of 66, his heartbroken co-star Si King announced on Thursday morning.
Si told fans his "best friend is on a journey that for now, I can’t follow" as he shared the gut-wrenching news on social media. "I will miss him every day and the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime," the grieving star wrote as he paid tribute to his late friend.
Dave's beloved wife Liliana Orzac shared a heartbreaking tribute on Facebook alongside a collection of pictures of her late husband, penning: "Rest in peace, my love. My wonderful, brave man! Till next time we meet!"
Paul Hollywood, a fellow chef and star of The Great British Bake Off, was one of the first to pay tribute to Dave following Si's announcement, with Robson Green and the BBC's chief content officer Charlotte Moore also sending their love to Si in the wake of his beloved friend's passing.
Dave first announced he was receiving treatment for cancer in May 2022. He purposefully did not specify what type of cancer he had been diagnosed with due to a fear people would become amateur doctors, google the disease and offer him advice. He did however, update fans on his treatment from his chemotherapy treatment to return to the limelight in December.
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His devastating death comes midway through the run of a new series of The Hairy Bikers Go West airing on BBC Two, following a tear-jerking Christmas special from the culinary duo.
Si's announcement came as a huge shock to fans, with many believing Dave had turned a corner with his health following his recent comeback. In what is now one of his last TV appearances ever, Dave appeared on top form in the new series as he larked about with pal Si and declared 'it's good to be alive' in one moving scene.
'My best friend is on a journey that for now, I can’t follow,' Si King said as he announced Dave Myers' death (BBC/South Shore Productions/Jon Boast)Breaking the news of Dave's death via The Hairy Bikers' official social media channels, Si shared a collection of snaps of Dave taken over the years and told fans: "Hi everyone, I’m afraid I bear some sad news. Most of you will know Dave has been fighting cancer for the past couple of years.
Si continued: "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. I know Dave and his family would want me to thank all of you who sent messages of support in recent times. It meant the world to him, his family and all The Hairy Bikers team."
Dave documented his cancer treatment while filming his TV shows (BBC)Si finished the announcement with: "I am sending you all much love and gratitude for those simple acts of kindness, generosity and spirit. We are eternally grateful for them. May I ask you all for one further kindness and allow Lili, his wife, his family, close friends and I some time and some peace to process our huge loss. I am sure I will see you all soon. Love Si x."
Stunned fans quickly flooded Si with messages of condolences as they replied to the devastated star's tweet, with one telling Si: "My thoughts are with you, his family and friends, as well as fans at this sad time. I hope St. Peter has motorcycle parking bays outside his gates, and I am certain the food in heaven will be cooked beautifully now Dave is in charge of it."
Following Si's announcement, BBC chief content officer Charlotte Moore said: "Everyone at the BBC is incredibly sad to hear this news. Dave made cooking a truly joyful adventure and he shared that joy with millions. The public loved him and his unique partnership with Si. Together they made every viewer feel like a friend. More than that he was simply a lovely man. Our thoughts go out to his family and many friends."
Actor Robson Green commented on Si's post before writing a tribute of his own on social media. "Sending all my love to you brother at this incredibly challenging time," Robson told Si. "The spirit of David will always continue to live on in the hearts of all who had the privilege of knowing him."
Dave, pictured here with wife Liliana in 2013, worked as a make-up artist before switching careers (Getty Images)
The late cook was the man behind Adam Ant's iconic white stripe (Getty Images)The Grantchester actor, 59, then shared a picture of Dave with his Instagram followers and penned: "Rest in peace dear Friend. 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. 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. May his spirit continue to live on in the hearts of all who had the privilege and honour of being in his presence. RIP David Myers. All my love to you @hairybikers Simon at this incredibly challenging time."
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A Place in the Sun presenter Jasmine Harman told Si: "Heartbreaking news. Sending much love to all of his loved ones. We are thinking of you and sending strength. He will be so much missed. He shone so brightly in life and his spirit will continue to do so in the afterlife xxx."
Celebs Go Dating star Anna Williamson described Dave as one "of the kindest, most enthusiastic, generous people" as she remembered him online. Captioning a picture of herself and the late star, the relationship coach said: "Him and his beautiful wife Lil took me and my husband under their wing with love, support & kindness when my father in law suddenly died literally the day we all started a 3 month job working together.
"In the world of ‘celeb’ you never know if anybody is going to be as nice as you hoped their persona suggests… In dave‘s case he was everything and more, and we took great pride (and amusement) in playing opposite each other as father & daughter in Cinderella & the tomfoolery that ensued on & off stage. And ever since he’s been ‘Daddy Dave’ and me ‘darling daughter’. I'm gutted he’s been taken too soon. We’ve lost a gem. Rest up DD. Thanks for looking out for me."
Dave started his working life as a make-up artist and was even the person who created singer Adam Ant's famous white stripe in the 80s. Adam Ant, real name Stuart Leslie Goddard, is a singer best known for his hit Stand and Deliver and Prince Charming. In addition to his work on the pop singer, Dave, who worked in a steelworks as a student to pay for his fine arts studies at Goldsmith's, University of London, worked on shows ranging from Doctor Who to period dramas before switching careers to become one of the nation's favourite TV cooks.
Si and Dave first met in in 1995 while working on a TV drama called The Gambling Man. Their first TV appearance together was The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook in 2004, which was part cooking show and part travel programme and in the first episode the duo rode the length of Portugal.
Subsequent shows included The Hairy Bikers Ride Again, The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour Of Britain, The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know Best, The Hairy Bikers’ Cook Off and Hairy Bikers: Best of British. They have published more than 25 cookery books. The Hairy Bikers’ publishers Orion Books remembered Dave as "brilliantly inspiring and kind" in their tribute to the late star today.
A statement said: "We are devastated to hear of Dave Myers’ passing and send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends. We are immensely proud to have published the Hairy Bikers for over 14 years and will truly miss Dave’s infectious energy and passion for food and travel. There was never a dull moment working with Dave, and all who were lucky enough to do so will attest to what a brilliantly inspiring and kind and hardworking man he was. This is a huge loss, and all our love goes out to Si, Lil and Dave’s wider family at this time."
Dave was honoured in his hometown of Barrow, with the flag at the Town Hall lowered to half mast in tribute on Thursday. Sam Plum, the chief executive of Westmorland and Furness Council, said: "Everyone at Westmorland and Furness Council has been saddened to learn of the death of Dave Myers. He was a tireless advocate for Barrow, Furness and the wider area and did immense good showcasing the many fantastic aspects of our area nationally and internationally.
"His easy embodiment of the strength of community of his home town was evident in everything he did and his support of events, groups and charities locally was much appreciated by many. The world is a less brighter place after his passing and we would like to extend our sympathies to Dave’s family and friends. The flag at Barrow Town Hall has been lowered to half mast today as a mark of our respect and we will be discussing in the days and weeks to come how we can more permanently commemorate Dave’s legacy."
Dave and Si documented their weight loss in Hairy Dieters: How To Love Food And Lose Weight, when they embarked on a campaign to lose two-and-a-half stone in three months, and comfortably passed their targets. In January 2014, they launched The Hairy Bikers Diet Club, which includes recipes and tips to help people to live a healthier life, while not starving themselves. Si and his late friend are currently appearing on TV in the BBC Two series The Hairy Bikers Go West, which started earlier this month. In the show they travel down the west coast from Scotland to Devon.
The late TV chef, born in Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, found fame alongside Si, his friend of 30 years, as part of the motorcycle-riding cooking duo The Hairy Bikers. Dave reached new fans in 2013 when he took part in Strictly Come Dancing, partnered with Karen Hauer and reaching week seven of the BBC competition. Karen replied to the Hairy Bikers’ Instagram post announcing Dave's death today, commenting: "Heartbroken" with a broken heart emoji.
Dave provided some entertainment for Strictly fans back in 2013 (Guy Levy/BBC/PA Wire)
His professional dance partner Karen todaysaid she was 'heartbroken' at the news of his death (Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)While competing on the BBC dance show with Karen in 2013, Dave did a cha cha routine to Maroon 5 song Moves Like Jagger. Doing exaggerated moves in a flamboyant silver shirt, he took professional Karen by the leg and pulled her along the dancefloor. His energetic dances were memorable for their exuberance and then-judge Bruno Tonioli praised him for being "entertaining" but he ended up being booted off while doing a tango to I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles) by The Proclaimers half way through the series.
Dave spoke openly about his past health struggles prior to sharing his cancer diagnosis in 2022. In 1998 he suffered from migraines and memory loss and, following a scan, doctors discovered a benign arachnoid cyst - not a malignant tumour - and was successfully drained via emergency surgery.
In 2014, he suffered from a brain aneurysm, which he later said he was only able to survive due to considerable weight loss. He discovered that he had glaucoma, an eye condition that can lead to blindness, and in 2018 explained that he had originally dismissed the condition as a bad hangover.
The TV chef first told us he was fighting cancer in 2022, but he didn't say what kind. He told the Guardian that year he kept it quiet "because everybody then goes Googling, everybody becomes an amateur doctor ... And I don't want to be judged yet". Dave went on to have 30 rounds of chemotherapy over the year.
In April 2023, he had a touching moment on This Morning with Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield, the ITV show's presenting duo at the time. Before cooking, Schofield asked how Dave was doing, to which Dave replied: "I'm doing very well, it's so nice to be back. It's work in progress but I've got my hair back and it's great. It's the healthy eating [making me look well]."
In June 2023, he told The Times: "I'm doing all right. It's a work in progress. We've had some hard years but this one's been... I've had 30 lots of chemo, spread over three weeks and then a week off. It's going the right way." He seemed hopeful, saying his doctors think they can zap the last bit of cancer with radiotherapy. "So that's five sessions every other week and then I go film in Scotland for two weeks, then go back on chemo, but that'll be twice a month."
Dave and Si often said they were more like brothers rather than friends (BBC/South Shore Productions/Jon Boast)Dave and Si then went on to film a travel series, The Hairy Bikers Go West, which took them on a journey from Scotland to Devon across eight episodes. These episodes are now being shown on BBC Two. Si expressed his distress about his friend's condition at the time, saying it was "very difficult to verbalise". He said: "There's a sense of loss, but there's also that sense of hope, you know, knowing my mate as I do. He's a scrapper. He's a fighter," he said. "But there were certain points that I thought, 'Where's it going to go? What is happening to my friend? '".
Dave had shared that his treatment made him too sick to walk and unable to ride his motorbike, and his hair and eyelashes fell out. However, Dave revealed that while filming, his hair had grown back and was "better than it was before chemo". In August 2023, Dave and Si announced they were taking a "well-earned break" after a "busy year" of filming and recording their Agony Uncles podcast.
Si and Dave's incredible friendship was the key to their success on screen, with the pair often describing themselves more like siblings than pals. "We’re brothers to each other, really," Si explained in October 2022. "It transcends friendship." Speaking to the Guardian, Dave clarified: "Like siblings in the way that you accept each other’s faults and move on, rather than bitch."
Despite their love for one another, Si and Dave did occasionally have disagreements. One such disagreement occurred when Dave's wife Liliana was away and Si came to take Dave to the hospital for his chemotherapy appointment. "I was really nervous, like you are," Dave recalled. "And he made me porridge. And he saw in the cupboard these seeds. Superseeds that my wife tries to get down my throat. So what does he do? He puts a handful in my porridge. Oh! I was like a parrot! " pecking at them." "It's all right! I'll make you another! " Si admitted. (He ate the seeded one.)
In November last year, Si told BBC Breakfast that their more than 30-year friendship came "naturally" to them as they were "good mates" and "part each other’s families". Dave also recalled during the interview that Si had cooked him his favourite comfort food of mince and dumplings while he was being treated for cancer. At the time, the TV chef said he had been "really enjoying life" as he had got back to riding his bike and filming with his "best mate".
Dave was married to Liliana Orzac, whom he met while filming Hairy Bikers in Romania, and was a stepfather to her two children, Iza and Sergiu, from a previous relationship.
*The Macmillan Support Line offers confidential support to people living with cancer and their loved ones. If you need to talk, call us on 0808 808 0000.
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