Hairy Bikers star Si King has opened up about the overwhelming sense of guilt he felt while filming a television programme without his late co-presenter and close friend Dave Myers. King, aged 59, whose on-screen partnership with Myers spanned an impressive two decades, admitted he could not even consider returning to work in the year following Myers' tragic death from cancer in 2024.
The Emotional Struggle of Returning to Television
The father of three found it incredibly challenging when he eventually stepped back in front of the cameras for a new series focusing on Britain's railway stations. In a heartfelt interview on Sunday's edition of Desert Island Discs, King revealed: 'The first year I didn't want to do anything at all. I just didn't have it in me. When I was shooting the show, I felt a sense of guilt that I was doing something when he wasn't there.'
He described the experience as profoundly strange, explaining: 'It was a very odd experience because I was having to remember and deliver pieces to camera [where previously I might have said] "you can do it, mate". It was just odd that he wasn't there.'
A Partnership Forged in Television and Food
King and Myers, who both began their careers in television production, first met in 1992 while working on a Catherine Cookson adaptation. Their shared passion for food led them to create the beloved Hairy Bikers cooking show, which enjoyed a successful run from 2006 onwards for two decades.
The iconic duo travelled more than 650,000 miles on their motorbikes, introducing audiences worldwide to diverse culinary wonders. King emphasised that Myers remains his best friend even two years after his passing at age 66, stating: 'It never leaves you. There is always that sense of loss.'
Myers' Courageous Battle with Cancer
King recalled his friend's remarkable determination to fight the cancer diagnosis he received in 2022. The pair continued filming because Myers wanted to maintain a semblance of normality, with King explaining he had no choice but to respect his friend's wishes.
He said: 'It's not for me to say anything different. It's for me to fall into line and kind of go, "OK, this is what we are doing". That is what we did. It was all about the fight and keeping it going, keeping the wheels on as far as we could because clearly, they had come off.'
The Personal Toll of Television Success
King revealed that the demanding schedule of the Hairy Bikers, which involved extensive periods away from home, caused him to feel increasingly distanced from family and friends. This separation ultimately contributed to the collapse of his marriage to his first wife, Jane.
The presenter confessed that for a significant period he 'completely lost' himself, explaining: 'I am not there so I didn't know the day-to-day of everybody's lives.'
Desert Island Discs airs on BBC Radio 4 today at 10am and is available on BBC Sounds for those who wish to hear the full, emotional interview.
