Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers has paid tribute to the dedicated NHS staff, family and friends who helped him through his cancer battle in the upcoming Christmas special of his BBC show. Dave, 66, and his co-host Si King, 57, have just finished filming their latest series, and the former has credited their crew for making it possible for him.
The TV chef announced that he was being treated for cancer in May last year. He revealed the news when he appeared on his podcast Agony Uncles, which he co-presents with Si.
Speaking to Radio Times about filming new episodes of the Hairy Bikers, Dave explained: “I’ve been having cancer treatment and we’ve just finished filming a series. The crew made so many compromises to suit me; they’d give me a chair if I’d been standing.
“I was terribly grateful. Without them, I couldn’t have done it,” he added. The star went on to admit that it had been “emotional” to film their Christmas special, where he cooked for the NHS staff, family and friends who supported him through his illness.
“It was emotional, but there were no tears,” he said. “We wanted it to be a celebration that 18 months since my diagnosis I’m still here.
“I’ve done a series with my best mate, we’re back on the bikes, we’ve written a new book… We’ve had a bloody good time.
The book Dave referred to, Ultimate Comfort Food, contains a few recipes that have been inspired by the NHS.
Speaking about how chemotherapy affected his appetite, Dave said: “The Irish coffee cake was a stretch to get down while having chemo, but it stayed there. So, it worked!”
Dave and Si first met on the set of TV drama back in 1992, with the former as head of make-up and the latter as the second assistant director.
The pair certainly hit it off, going on to present numerous TV shows together for the BBC, including The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook, The Hairy Bikers’ Food Tour of Britain and The Hairy Bikers’ Meals on Wheels.
Addressing whether they believed becoming famous had changed the way they behaved on set, the pair confirmed that they are still mindful of treating their colleagues with respect.
Dave said: “One thing that irritated me was when ‘talent’ referred to people by their job titles. It’s easy to learn someone’s name if you’re on the road for three months, don’t just call them ‘Soundie’!”
While Si revealed: “There’s several who do. If you forget common decency, politeness and kindness because you’re egocentric and off your chump with success, it’s not on.”
Read Dave and Si’s full interview at www.radiotimes.com.
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