Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers has died at the age of 66 after suffering from cancer

Dave Myers, one of the members of TV cooking duo The Hairy Bikers, has died aged 66, two years after discovering he had cancer.

Myers, from Barrow-in-Furness, found fame alongside Sea King 20 years ago.

The bearded couple were known to travel around the UK and the world on their motorbikes, sampling and cooking food from different regions.

King said he “will miss him every day, and he will miss the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime.”

The Great British Bake Off judge Paul Hollywood said he was “disappointed”.

The Great British Menu host Andy Oliver wrote that she was “very sad to hear” the news, and added: “My heart goes out to you all.”

Strictly Come Dancing's Karen Hauer, who took Myers on the show in 2013, said she was “heartbroken”.

Announcement of the news on Thursday“I'm afraid I have some sad news. Most of you will know that Dave has been battling cancer for the past two years,” King wrote.

King wrote that he “passed away peacefully at home” on Wednesday with his wife, Lily, and his family and close friends by his side.

“Everyone who knew Dave is devastated by his death. His beloved wife brought him joy as did her children, Isa and Sergio, whom Dave loved like his own.

“Personally, I'm not sure I can put into words how I'm feeling right now. My best friend is on a journey that I can't currently follow.

“I will miss him every day, as well as the bond and friendship we shared over half a lifetime. I wish you well, brother; you were and will continue to be a beacon in this world. See you on the other side. I love you.”

King continued that Myers wanted him to thank everyone who sent messages of support during his illness. “We are forever grateful to them.”

He added: “May I ask you all for the extra kindness and allow Lily, his wife, his family, his close friends and I some time and some peace to process our terrible loss. I'm sure I will see you all soon.”

In the first episode, he told viewers that getting back on his motorcycle was a “dream come true” because he “wasn't sure I would ever get back in the saddle again”.

“There was a time when I couldn't balance, I couldn't walk, and I didn't think I would ever ride a bike,” he said.

Myers and King met in the 1990s and became household names while presenting the cookbook The Hairy Bikers on BBC TV together since 2006.

This show saw them ride through countries including Portugal, Romania and Namibia.

Future series included The Hairy Bikers Ride Again, The Hairy Bikers of Britain Food Tour, The Hairy Bikers: Mums Know Best, The Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure, and The Hairy Bikers: The Best of British.

The Hairy Bikers have published more than 30 recipe books, sold over six million copies, and documented their weight loss in the book “Hairy Dieters: How To Love Food And Lose Weight.”

Myers also presented a show called The Hairy Builder about historic buildings.

Charlotte Moore, BBC chief content officer, said: “Everyone at the BBC is very sad to hear this news.

“Dave made cooking a truly fun adventure and shared that joy with millions. The audience loved him and his unique partnership with C.K.

“Together they made every viewer feel like a friend. What's more, he was simply a lovely man. Our thoughts go out to his family and many friends.”

Viewers also paid tribute, with one writing on

Another posted: “Rest in peace my friend, you and Si are directly responsible for much of my love for cooking.”

Myers acquired a love of food at an early age from his mother, who was a crane driver at the local shipyard, as well as a skilled cook. His father, a paper mill foreman, would take him on hunting trips on the back of his motorcycle.

But when his mother developed multiple sclerosis, the responsibility of food shopping and cooking fell to Myers at about age 12.

Besides his father, he took care of his mother. “In those days there wasn't a lot of support for it,” he told BBC Radio 4 in 2019. “It was really very difficult. I have a lot of sympathy for young carers today.”

Around that time, Myers developed alopecia, which doctors attributed to the trauma of his mother's illness.

“There's an irony, as a hairy biker,” he said. “I had no hair, no eyebrows, no eyelashes.”

He remained largely bald until his early 40s, when he underwent surgery to remove a cyst from his brain — which he had suspected all along might be the cause of his alopecia.

“My hair has grown back full of male pattern baldness. This is the hairless biker story.”

After leaving home, Myers studied fine art at Goldsmiths in London, before seeing an advert for training as a make-up artist at the BBC.

He had little experience with makeup and was surprised to get the job. “Much to my surprise, I showed up to work and was the first male makeup artist at the Television Center.”

He stayed for 23 years, working on shows ranging from Doctor Who to drama series, He was said to have once drawn the white line on the face of pop star Adam Ant.

It was while Myers was doing makeup for a television adaptation of Katherine Coxon's The Gambling Man that Myers met King, who was working as a second assistant director.

The couple “got their house on fire,” Myers said, and began taking road trips to taste food in different places. One day, they had the idea of ​​what if they filmed themselves during their food trips.

They pitched a TV show to several producers they had worked with previously. “And we never looked back.”

Myers met his future wife, Liliana Orczak, while filming The Hairy Bikers in Romania, and she was the hotel manager.

“For many years, my greatest regret in life was that I had not had children,” he once said. “But when I married Lil, I had a ready-made family with two children, and she brought me such happiness.”