Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers has provided an update on his cancer battle explaining he was left ‘emotional’ while balancing treatment with the filming of a new series.
The 66-year-old presenter’s life was shattered in May last year when he was diagnosed with cancer and began chemotherapy treatment to battle the disease. Dave initially stepped out of the spotlight to focus on his health, but this year has returned to TV sets to get cracking with work - while continuing to fight the illness.
The star presents his cookery show The Hairy Bikers alongside fellow star Si King, 57, and they will be back on TV this festive season with a Christmas Special of their show. Dave has opened up about the filming process for the special - explaining that he and the crew were emotional while cameras rolled - but they didn’t cry.
He also explained how the team working on the BBC series rallied around him to make his filming experience as comfortable as possible. Opening up to the Radio Times, Dave said: “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.” Dave went on to explain that his cancer battle was on his mind, but he didn’t let it get him or the crew down.
Happy Valley's James Norton teases Tommy's 'deep hatred' in final seriesThe motorcycling chef said: “It was emotional, but there were no tears. 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."
Dave disclosed his diagnosis for the first time in May last year - announcing on a podcast that he needed to take time out from work to battle cancer. He said at the time: "Anyway Kingy, I've got to come clean now, I haven't been too well recently. And basically, I've got to have some chemo, you know all this anyway, so this year is going to be a bit quiet for me.”
Even amid the heartbreaking news, Dave showcased his notorious wit and humour as he explained he would not let the disease beat him - and he promised he would be back to make more TV content as soon as possible. He said: "I'm not going to be filming, some of the festivals I'm not going to be able to go to, some may be OK but this year's a bit of a write-off for us."
He also joked about undergoing chemotherapy, saying: "I may be a baldy biker for a while so it's just a warning, I don't want to make a fuss about it, I look all right bald actually.”
Last week, the BBC confirmed that The Hairy Bikers are “back on their bikes after nearly a two year break in The Hairy Bikers: Coming Home For Christmas”. While an announcement from the show added: “reunited with his best mate Si, the boys are back on the road, searching for wonderful seasonal ingredients to create a festive banquet. Their altruistic aim is to thank all those who’ve helped Dave throughout his recent struggles.”
The Hairy Bikers: Coming Home for Christmas will air on BBC Two on Tuesday 19 December 2023 at 9pm.