Si King has firmly stated that he will not continue as the Hairy Bikers without his late partner, Dave Myers. Dave, who was one half of the motorcycle-riding cooking duo, tragically died at the age of 66 in February this year following a cancer diagnosis. His best friend Si, 57, heartbreakingly announced the news earlier this year, stating: “My best friend is on a journey that for now, I can’t follow.”
Si was left heartbroken when his presenting partner succumbed to cancer in February, and while he’s currently contemplating his own future, he insisted he won’t be carrying on with the name that brought them fame.
“It can’t be the Hairy Bikers 2.0. That’s not going to happen. It wouldn’t be respectful,” he declared in a recent interview. “There’s obviously the sense of losing your best mate. But there’s also a sense of loss in that the experiences we had together can’t go on. There is no Hairy Bikers without Dave. Because it’s plural.”
Si confessed that figuring out his own future is “very difficult”, especially because he “needs” to have someone else to work with. The TV star opened up to the Observer magazine about his future plans after losing his long-time colleague.
He stated: “It’s only in the past couple of weeks that I’ve started to think about what I want to do. I’ve spent all my life from very young thinking about what other people want and what their needs and aspirations are.
“So to be presented at my age with the question of what you really want to do is very difficult. We were a partnership, a double act. I need someone to play off. I’m good at unpacking people. I’m genuinely interested in people’s stories.”
While he pondered the possibility of a travelogue with another celebrity, he admitted: “It’s virtually impossible to think about that sort of thing at the minute.”
Nonetheless, Si expressed his eagerness to keep working and to maintain the loyalty of the Hairy Bikers’ fanbase.
Earlier in the month, Si and Dave’s wife Liliana Orzac celebrated the life of the beloved Hairy Biker with a ‘Dave Day’ motorbike ride from London to Cumbria. Si has since announced his return to work after mourning his friend’s passing.
In an upbeat social media update, he declared: “I just want to let you know that the Good Food Summer Show is here and guess what I’m on. On Sunday 16 June, I’m gonna be cooking live in the big kitchen.
“It’s a brilliant day out with plenty of producers so you can go shopping and loads to choose from. Loads of summer cooking information which is why I’m here.
“Oh and plus you get entry to the BBC Gardeners’ World Live show as well so there’s literally something for everybody. I’ll see you there. I’m really looking forward to it. Come and see us we’ll have a laugh.”