Dave Myers has left viewers in tears as he shared an emotional health update during The Hairy Bikers’ Christmas Special.
The chef, 66, offered an update on his recent diagnosis while sharing the reason he hasn’t publicly shared the type of cancer he’s been diagnosed with.
While much of The Hairy Bikers’ Christmas Special focused on the pair’s love of food, Dave did also share insight into his recent cancer battle, including unseen clips of his hospital treatment.
Talking about the moment he found out he had cancer, Dave remembered the precise time he had been driving on the motorway at night in France when the doctor rung to tell him.
‘I can’t remember the rest of the drive home, it was like everything collapsed around us,’ his wife Liliana added.
Dave Myers has left viewers in tears as he shared an emotional health update during The Hairy Bikers ‘ Christmas Special
‘It’s like, ”Where do we go from here?” Dave continued. ‘When I first got the call, what went through my mind was disbelief, and a refusal to believe it in a way.
‘It’s the word, isn’t it, the word that everybody fears.’
He added that the moment it ‘got real’ was when Dave went to chemo for the first time, before it ‘got really real’ when he lost all his hair.
‘The first lot of chemo was very, very destructive,’ Dave shared, recalling how he was told by an oncologist that he would be ‘taken to the edge’.
‘You don’t realise what an impact it can have, the debilitating effects kick in quite quickly.
‘My sense of taste and appetite went, I was poorly, you see your weight drop and you’ve got to eat, but it’s finding something you want to eat. I had sores in my mouth. I would fall over quite a lot.’
‘It was hard, and it is hard to see him physically struggling with the effects of the treatment,’ Liliana adds.
‘By the second lot of chemo, my hair came out. It really is quite radical, it’s not a gradual moulting, your hair, eyebrows, eyelashes, beard, everything just goes,’ Dave went on.
The chef, 66, offered an update on his recent diagnosis while sharing the reason he hasn’t publicly shared the type of cancer he’s been diagnosed with
Later in the special, Dave shared an update on his health by revealing he was going to be able to get back on his bike for another road trip with his pal Si King
Dave’s emotional update left many viewers in tears, with some praising the presenter for speaking so candidly about his cancer battle
‘It was all about survival, getting through from one week to the next.’
Later in the special, Dave shared an update on his health by revealing he was going to be able to get back on his bike for another road trip with his pal Si King.
He said: ‘My legs are going, the grin, I feel like a hysterical teenager again. I’m going to phone Kingy. It means we can get back on the road together again.’
Dave’s emotional update left many viewers in tears, with some praising the presenter for speaking so candidly about his cancer battle.
One posted: ‘Dave Myers – back on the bike. What a moment,’ while a second added: ‘I watched #thehairybikers Coming Home For Christmas. An od to food, friendship and overcoming cancer. Cooking for all the people who helped Dave Myers in his cancer journey at a Christmas meal.’
‘The food was his love to those people. Well worth a watch on iPlayer,’ a third penned.
One viewer gushed: ‘I enjoyed The Hairy Bikers and their Christmas show. There is no doubt that Dave Myers had a very tough time.
‘A small part of me wonders if a mere mortal had cancer at the same time would they have had the same treatment from the NHS?’
‘Actually welling up a bit at the Hairy Bikers Christmas Special. Cancer sucks, delighted Dave Myers is doing well,’ one fan posted.
Another tweeted: ‘A fabulous and emotional watch. The Hairy Bikers covering Dave Myers journey from chemo to a celebration meal. Wish him well.’
‘Watching @HairyBikers right now and seeing the wonderful Dave Myers looking similar, but better than me, and going through a similar journey is very uplifting but also heartbreaking. I get his pain, LITERALLY. Wish I could eat like him and I really do need to do that… soon!’ one fan added.
‘Crying here – in a bit of shame tbh. I enjoy watching the Hairy Bikers but never really liked Dave Myers. Watching his bravery now? Incredible guy,’ another shared.
One also posted: ‘Just incredible. How the hell he has coped I’ve no idea. I would not have,’ with one user going onto say: ‘Great to see Dave Myers back on our screens.’
‘Grown up with The Hairy Bikers, so it is emotional seeing Dave Myers’ recent struggle and cancer battle, but I am enjoying them hanging out, being themselves and cooking together again!’ one fan added.
Dave previously praised his co-star Si King for helping him through his battle with cancer, for which he is still going through treatment.
He confessed that he saw their festive special as a way of showing his gratitude, as he explained: ‘This time we shared that food with people I owe my life too. There’s the nurses, the consultants, the physiotherapists who taught me to walk again.’
His co-star and best pal touchingly added: ‘It was the return for Dave and for me to normal a little bit and that was very precious when things haven’t been for Dave particularly so by default haven’t been for me either…
‘It was lush to see Dave riding saying ”are you sure we’re not turning left here”.
Dave announced that he had been diagnosed with cancer in May 2022 and he is currently still undergoing treatment for the disease.
Last month, he revealed he was ‘stable’ and back at work, adding he was ‘really enjoying life at the moment’, saying: ‘: ‘I’m doing all right. I’m still having treatment but everything seems stable…
‘I’ve been back with my best mate on the bike, filming and doing the books and back to work. So it’s all pretty good, actually. I’m really enjoying life at the moment.’
Speaking about their Christmas special, Dave said: ‘The importance of this Christmas special has been huge for me. I really wanted to, as did Si, show our gratitude. We’ve opened ourselves up enough without oversharing too much…
‘The programme is really honest and from the heart…
‘The whole thing worked from start to finish. It’s been amazing getting back on the bikes together, we set off down the road and Si was leading so I didn’t have to think about where I was going…
‘That feeling of again doing what we’ve done for 30 years was magical. Si’s got shoulders like a bison and following that silhouette into the landscape was joyous. It was like getting my wings back’.
Dave, who has been married to Liliana Orzac since 2011, spoke about the importance of support from nearest and dearest, saying: ‘Knowing Si has been there is fantastic…
‘A lot of the credit has to also go to my wife, she’s been there through it all with me from the start. It’s absolutely vital and I feel really sad for those people who have to go through it on their own.’
Dave recently detailed the tearful moment he was able to get back on his motorbike again for the first time since his cancer diagnosis
Speaking about food during treatment, Dave explained: ‘Food is vital when you’re recovering from cancer, one is appetite and one is getting the calories in….
‘Sometimes I have to give myself a good talking to because if you’re feeling rough, you don’t feel like eating but you have to do it.
‘There are moments when you get back into food that you look forward to it again. It’s important to find things that you like as well during that journey. It’s the stuff of life.
‘It doesn’t matter if you’re a prince or pauper, everyone has something that they like to eat. Pancit noodles now have legendary status for me.’
Dave and Si have been taking to their motorbikes once again in recent months, to film for a new Hairy Bikers series out next year.
The BBC Two travel series, Hairy Bikers Go West, will see the duo travel from Scotland to Devon across eight episodes.
Dave said although show bosses tried to reduce the length of his work days, he still managed to keep at it sometimes for up to ten hours to record the episodes.
The Hairy Bikers rose to fame with their popular cooking programmes but have slowed down their busy schedule due to Dave’s health.
Dave, who has not revealed what type of cancer he has, said he had endured ’30 lots’ of chemotherapy over the past year.
He recently detailed the tearful moment he was able to get back on his motorbike again for the first time since his cancer diagnosis.
He has previously told how at times he was too ill to walk and unable to ride his motorcycle due to his health struggles.
Dave recalled the emotional moment as he gave a health update, saying he and Si were left in tears when he was able to ride again.
He told the Yorkshire Post: ‘It’s been hard but I’m not the only one and I’m getting through it and I’m back at work.
‘I’ve had to learn to walk again and ride my bike again, and to get on my bike again with Kingy in the sunshine brought tears to both our eyes.’
Si added: ‘He’s a proper scrapper and he’s on good form. It’s been an emotional rollercoaster for everybody who loves and cares about Dave.’
Last month, Dave revealed that he was ‘stable’ and back at work, adding he was ‘really enjoying life at the moment,’ while still having treatment for cancer.
Appearing with Si on BBC Breakfast, Dave said: ‘I’m doing all right. I’m still having treatment but everything seems stable.
‘I’ve been back with my best mate on the bike, filming and doing the books and back to work. So it’s all pretty good, actually. I’m really enjoying life at the moment.’
Dave also opened up about Si’s support during his cancer treatment, revealing that his best friend came round to cook for him.
He recalled: ‘There was one day when I was poorly and he came round to our house and made me mince and dumplings, but he does it properly.
‘You know, when the bottom of the dumplings are just soft, the top of the dumplings are crusty, and I really… I remember that with mashed potato.’
He reminisced: ‘That was lovely. There was a freezer full and that was great.’
Reflecting on their long-lasting friendship that has survived over three decades, Si said: ‘It just comes naturally to us. We’re good mates, we’re part of each other’s families.
‘It’s just the way we are and we don’t really have to try very hard, because we like each other.
‘We’re very different people but that’s what friendship is about because constantly you bring something new to the table when we see each other.’
It comes after Dave revealed his first day back at work ended in a ‘man hug and a bit of a kiss’ with Si.
During an appearance on the Heart Breakfast show, host Jamie Theakston asked: ‘How important has it been having your best mate by your side over the last 12 months?’
Purchase: Dave has finally been able to get back on his motorbike after buying himself a brand new vehicle earlier this year – a £4,699 RE Bullet Trials 500 (pictured with the bike and Si)
Dave replied: ‘Oh, it’s crucial, my best mate and my family, that’s what sees you through, I say it’s work in progress.’
Jamie quipped: ‘Well you look good…’
Co-host Zoe Hardman added: ‘I was about to say, how do you feel day-to-day because you’ve got a real sparkle in your eye today?
Dave responded: ‘Yeah I’m alright, we’ve been filming. We’ve got Christmas special, we filmed a series for next year, it was hard going but then to get back on the bikes, it was just epic.
‘I remember we were just off the Isle of Bute, and we’re on the bikes the first time and I’m following down the road and the familiar shape that I’ve seen for the past 20 years.’
Simon said: ‘It was quite emotional wasn’t it?’
Dave added: ‘Yeah, we got on the ferry and we had a man-hug and a bit of a tear.’