Latest news with #HairyBikers'
Daily Mirror
24-07-2025
- General
- Daily Mirror
Hairy Bikers' creamy gratin recipe has a seasonal twist on classic potatoes
The Hairy Bikers' courgette gratin is a light and fresh alternative to a potato-based dish. As courgette season runs from late spring to early autumn, there's no better time to try it. If there's one method to enhance the flavour of plain vegetables, it's by combining them with cheese and breadcrumbs to achieve a golden, crispy finish. Gratin appears in numerous variations, from those prepared with meat, seafood, a mixture of vegetables, or kept simpler as a potato-centred dish. The Hairy Bikers have added their own spin to the traditional French culinary method, embracing a seasonal vegetable: the courgette. Courgettes, also known as zucchini, are generally very easy to cook and versatile. They don't require peeling, and their mild flavour allows them to be cooked in numerous ways and paired with various ingredients. Across the UK, courgette season typically spans from late spring through to early autumn, with prime time falling between June and September. This savoury green vegetable is at its finest right now, making it perfect for baking into a delicious gratin. Characterised as "creamy and flavoursome without being too rich," the Hairy Bikers observe that courgettes' delicate nature makes them an excellent substitute for starchy potatoes in a lighter evening meal, reports the Express. Courgette gratin recipe Two tbsp olive oil 800g/1lb 12oz courgettes, sliced into 5mm/1⁄4in rounds A few sprigs of thyme A few basil leaves 100ml/31⁄2fl oz crème fraîche 50ml/2fl oz milk One tsp plain flour 75g/21⁄2oz gruyère or similar cheese, grated Salt and freshly ground black pepper Method A scorching oven is crucial to guarantee a crispy, golden topping. Heat the oven to 200C/fan 180C/Gas 6. Using a large, covered frying pan, pour in the olive oil, incorporate the courgettes and herbs, and season liberally with salt and pepper. Place the lid on and cook gently for 10 minutes, stirring from time to time, until the courgettes become slightly soft yet remain al dente - you don't want them becoming mushy. The oil should have developed a deep, vibrant green colour from the courgettes. Move the pan's contents into an oven-safe dish. Using a bowl, combine the crème fraîche, milk, and flour, then add salt to taste for a creamy blend. Pour this over the courgettes—it's fine if it doesn't entirely cover them; it will bubble up during baking. Lastly, sprinkle with the cheese and bake for roughly 25 minutes, or until it turns golden and bubbly. You may notice that gratin is similar to dauphinoise potatoes, but these are traditionally made with raw, thinly sliced potatoes cooked in cream and often infused with garlic, without the addition of cheese. Gratin, on the other hand, typically involves pre-cooked potatoes (or courgettes), layered with a creamy sauce and cheese, then baked until golden brown.
Daily Mirror
21-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Dave Myers' widow shares his struggles with illness and heartache before death
Hairy Bikers star Dave Myers, who was previously a makeup artist, died at the age of 66 back in 2024 after being diagnosed with cancer Hairy Bikers' Dave Myers wife has lifted the lid on his tricky early life before finding fame. Dave died when he was 66-years-old in 2024 after being diagnosed with cancer. Now his widow Lili has discussed how he went through a difficult childhood in her new memoir Dave & Me. The pair tied the knot in 2011 and were together up until his death. Lili has talked about her famous husband's childhood in the book where she mentions that he struggled with alopecia and looking after his mother who had multiple sclerosis. Dave's mum Margaret was diagnosed with the condition when he was just eight-years-old which meant he and his father Jim had to become full-time cares. In the memoir, Lili wrote: "Within a year of Margaret's diagnosis, she was in a wheelchair and, in time, became physically and mentally ravaged by illness and medication. Dave and his dad were her full-time carers which was an immense responsibility for a boy not yet ten. "Social services eventually moved them to a ground-floor flat on a new council estate in Barrow and the family lived hand-to-mouth, surviving on Jim's pension money. There were many other challenges to contend with, but Dave found escape in music and painting, two more lifelong loves alongside bikes and food." Both of Dave's parents had died by the time he was just 24 as Jim died from a stroke and Margaret in a care home four years after. Dave also had to deal with his own health issues as he was bullied in school after being diagnosed with alopecia and he lost his hair. Lili said: "Not many people know that Dave Myers, the Hairy Biker, was bald from childhood until his forties. At a very young age he began to suffer with alopecia which made things extremely difficult for him, especially in school where he was already singled out for being a 'poor kid' thanks to his free meal tokens. "He was a target for the bullies and those days were miserable for Dave, sapping his confidence and spirit." Dave thought that his alopecia could have developed as a side effect of the stress of his mother's illness. Dave's hair started to grow bath in his forties which came after another health issue. Dave was working on a film set in 1998 when he collapsed and got taken to hospital where they found an arachnoid cyst on the left side of his brain. It was thought that it had been there since childhood because his brain had grown around it. Dave went for surgery which was a success and he was discharged just five days later on Christmas Eve. Lili explained: "Not long after his op, Dave's hair started to grow in dark and healthy curls. I'm not medically trained and so this is just a hunch, but perhaps that cyst sitting undetected had been pressing on a certain part of the brain ... and maybe a combination of that and the stress of caring for his mum had triggered the alopecia in the first place? We'll never know for sure, but it makes sense to me."
Daily Mirror
29-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Wife of late Dave Myers issues sad update about life without Hairy Biker
Dave Myers' wife Liliana Myers has shared an update with fans more than a year after the Hairy Biker star's death. She spoke about the "distressing" times she can experience The wife of the beloved Hairy Biker, Dave Myers, who sadly passed away, has given a heartfelt update on how life can be really "distressing". Dave Myers, famed as one half of the much-loved British TV duo Hairy Bikers alongside Si King, and known for his delightful stint on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013, is fondly remembered more than a year after his death. His wife, Liliana Myers, shared an emotional post on Facebook about her ordeal with grief. She admits no day is ever the same after you've lost a loved one. In her candid message, Liliana talked about her personal journey through grief, acknowledging that everyone's experience of loss is unique and full of challenges. She penned: "Everybody goes through loss in their lives, it's in our human path, and dealing with it isn't a linear process. It's messy and distressing on many levels. "When you're facing loss, you have to reach deeper than your mind can go. You have to lean into love, faith, hope, meaning and purpose - and hold on to them like your life depends on it." Liliana continued: "Some days will feel almost unbearable; others a little lighter. Find what is meaningful for you and hold on to it, because that is what carries you forward. "Your responsibility to yourself is to find out who you are in relation to the world, what makes you unique and what gifts you have to give... and use that as a source of your work. "And if you can just keep moving - from one day to the next, and then the next - little by little, a new version of yourself will begin to emerge." The Hairy Bikers' culinary journey first kicked off with their Cookbook series, which was partly filmed in Romania. It was here that the late Dave Myers met his future wife, Liliana, who was working at a hotel he visited. Despite the distance, their connection remained strong and blossomed into romance when Liliana visited the UK. A touching moment from 2021 stood out in Liliana's memory, as she recalled: "I was blown away by one tiny little thing. "He picked me up from the airport. It was about midnight and he opened the fridge and he said 'what do you want me to cook for you?' I'd never ever in my life had a man cook for me. "So that was the very first thing that just hit me. I was visiting as a friend, but from that moment on my heart just melted." Since speaking out about her grief, Liliana has received an outpouring of support on social media. One fan replied: "You are doing well, sending love to you and all the family. I'm sure Dave is so proud of the way you are sharing your journey. It gives hope to so many." Another said: "Beautiful words written by a special, kind lady with a beautiful heart. Sending you love and huge hugs Liliana Myers. I hope you're doing OK." One touched follower responded: "Lovely words Liliana. One day at a time. Life goes on and we all deal with it as best we can. There is no right or wrong way." Meanwhile, another admirer chimed in with: "Thank you, I needed your words of wisdom today. You are a truly remarkable, warm-hearted lady. Bless you Liliana."
Yahoo
14-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Kate Garraway and Si King share grief 'triggers' after deaths of loved ones
Watch: Kate Garraway and Si King share experiences of grief Kate Garraway and Si King have shared their experiences of grief a year on from the deaths of Derek Draper and Dave Myers as they spoke about emotional "triggers". The Good Morning Britain host welcomed King to the ITV show on Friday where he spoke about publishing one final cookbook of recipes created with his late best friend and Hairy Bikers co-star, Myers. Garraway spoke to him about her own experiences of grief and what triggered it after losing her husband Draper in January last year. Myers died in February 2024 and King spoke about the Dave Day ride out where he and thousands of motorcyclists commemorated his friend's life. Garraway and King have been going through a similar timeline of grief after Draper's death in January 2024 and Myers in February 2024. Speaking to TV cook King on Friday's Good Morning Britain, Garraway said: "Grief isn't linear, is it, we talk a lot about the stages of grief and you go backwards and forwards. "I find often one of the triggers, because Dave sadly passed away not long after my husband - you and I have talked about this together — but one of the triggers is actually smells and sights and sounds. Do you find yourself when you're making a recipe that you devised together just having a little moment of thought of him?" Read more: What are the grief stages? Hairy Bikers' Si King talks struggle since Dave Myers' death (Yahoo Lifestyle, 6 min read) Si King says creating new Hairy Bikers book 'tough' while grieving Dave Myers (PA Media, 2 min read) Hairy Bikers star Si King confirms solo work and reveals Dave Myers' heartbreaking wish (Birmingham Live, 2 min read) King agreed that he found the same thing and said: "I've often said that just because Dave's passed doesn't necessarily mean that he stops being my best friend. So of course, any meatball recipe, he had a penchant for meatballs." Talking about putting together The Best of Hairy Bikers cookbook — the last recipe book featuring the food they cooked together — he added: "The whole process was evocative and nostalgic, it was lovely." Garraway asked: "This probably felt like a finale of a chapter of your life." He replied: "It is, Kate, it's the last of the Hairy Bikers publishing run because Dave's no longer with us. I was just saying yesterday it's interesting putting the book together because food is comfort and grief is a very interesting emotion in the sense that it's as individual as the person that feels it. "It was a tough book to put together I have to say, because the team and I have been working together for 20 years. We all had a few tears and we all had huge laughs about what Dave would think of this and it was lovely, a lovely process, very cathartic." King had spoken to The One Show on Thursday about how difficult it was to choose which of their many favourite recipes would make the cut. King paid an emotional tribute to his best friend Myers last June in "Dave Day", which saw thousands of motorcyclists join him on a ride out from London to Myers' hometown of Barrow-in-Furness. Talking about what it had meant to him, he said: "It was absolutely remarkable, it was a tsunami of community, of fellowship. There was 46,000 motorcycles, 176,000 people lining the route. "There isn't a superlative in my vocabulary that I can express. You know when words aren't enough, and it's just about trying to feel that emotion and say it wasn't like anything. It was the most wonderful tsunami of love, affection, care and a sense of belonging and place that was quite remarkable." King also added that the next Dave Day, which will follow the same route, is set to take place on 21 and 22 June this year. Good Morning Britain airs on ITV1 at 6am on weekdays.
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Automotive
- BBC News
Hairy Bikers Dave Myers' last TV motorbike to be sold at auction
The last motorbike ridden by Dave Myers during the making of the Hairy Bikers' TV show is due to be sold at found fame alongside his friend Si King as part of the motorcycle-riding cooking duo and their last show together was broadcast shortly after Myers' death last BSA Goldstar he rode in the BBC's Hairy Bikers Go West is due to be auctioned in March, with all the money going to charity."It's a wonderful opportunity to have such a significant bike - Dave Myers was so well respected," said Mike Davis, a senior motorcycle specialist at H&H Classics which will hold the auction. Although the bike is a new "standard model", Mr Davis said he was hoping the auction would raise more than its ordinary price tag."You can buy them new today and they range from £6,000 to £8,500."I would love it to go for £10,000 plus, but the sky is the limit."He added it would be very difficult to put a value on it and he was expecting both BSA collectors and Dave Myers' fans to bid for it. 'Motorcycling history' Mr Davis said the bike was being sold without fees and all money raised would go to the NSPCC and the Institute for Cancer BSA Goldstar was first produced in 1938, but it wasn't until the 1950s that it became popular."It's what every rocker wanted, you were guaranteed to go over 100mph," said Mr auction is due to be held on 26 March at The National Motorcycle Museum in Bickenhill, Solihull, which currently displays the bike together with Myers' riding Hewing, museum director, said: "Dave was a beloved figure in both motorcycling and entertainment."He added the auction would enable someone to "own a piece of motorcycling history" while celebrating Myers' death from cancer sparked a huge celebration of his life in his Cumbrian hometown of Barrow last Day raised more than £120,000 for charity and a second edition of the event is expected to take place in June.
