The Hairy Bikers

Dave Myers and Si King are the Hairy Bikers: two-wheeled, globe-trotting, beer-loving chefs from North East England. Jeff Pickthall spoke to them

The BBC has come a long way. For decades, British regional accents were frowned upon by the broadcasting powers-that-be who preferred the supercilious tones of Received Pronunciation.

Fortunately, strong and characterful accents now bless the airwaves and nowhere are they more evident than BBC television’s The Hairy Bikers’ Cookbook – two motorcyclists, habitual dodgers of scissors and razors, visit exotic locations and investigate and recreate local dishes with an accompaniment of liberal drizzles of extra-virgin wit, daftness and banter.

Biker one is Dave Myers, 49, a native of Barrow-in- Furness (a ‘Barrovian’), the town at the southern tip of Cumbria, England’s most north-westerly county. His deadpan accent is flatter than a ruined soufflé. Biker two is Si King, 40, from Newcastle-upon-Tyne; his animated Geordie chatter adds spice the proceedings.

The theme of their two TV series and books is simple – ride motorbikes, cook and eat local food and drink the local drink, especially beer: “We asked the BBC – can we take on the countries’ beer and drinking cultures, they said yes, which is great because you can put the research against expenses.” Although destinations aren’t necessarily chosen for beer, it often gets a look-in. Namibia is a case in point, Dave explains: “Swakopmund was a German colony, and a brewery is the biggest employer in town. It makes superb beer, thirst quenching too, it needs to be, it’s the hottest country in the world.” Si takes over with a big fo.....

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By Jeff Pickthall

Section : Beer and Food

Page number : 38