Mike Locke, known as Pancho, has died aged 47. The former stuntman and skateboarder rose to prominence on the cult MTV programme Dirty Sanchez alongside Matthew Pritchard, Lee Dainton and Dan Joyce.
Pancho and Pritchard also starred as the Pain Men in Channel 4's Balls of Steel. Over the past decade, he had achieved success supporting the San Portablo clothing label, working with his friend and founder, Nigel Hunt.
Tributes from San Portablo
The news of his death was announced through San Portablo's Instagram on Friday morning, 6 November, where they honoured "an absolute Welsh treasure" and "all-round Goodfella" who "lit up the world with his charm."
WalesOnline interviewed Mike earlier in 2026, together with San Portablo founder and close friend Nigel, who established the fashion brand after being made redundant from the nearby steelworks.
Community pride and cultural impact
Mike spoke enthusiastically about their community and why he took pride in San Portablo and its significance to their hometown. He said at the time: "It's the key to celebrating us, and the town and not being seen as this pass-through town that's hiding in the shadow of the steelworks."
"It's really tragic what's happened to the steelworks. My heart goes out to all the people who lost their jobs there, but at this moment in time the town is shining bright, and it's moving through a cultural phenomenon really."
He added: "It's become like Cymru Cool, like Port Talbot Cool, you know, it's got that vibe about it. Luckily with the shop, we live and breathe it every day. The way that we've embraced the culture and the street art culture which was prevalent here, we made a real scene out of it. It's something that we are very proud of."
San Portablo's growth
Beginning with a market stall in the heart of Aberavon Shopping Centre, San Portablo now operates a permanent outlet within the centre alongside another at Cardiff Airport. Their admirers include Fontaines DC and Michael Sheen, with 2026 marking a decade since the business launched.
