Si King has revealed that frustration over his pay while working on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets inspired the idea for The Hairy Bikers, the television partnership he later formed with the late Dave Myers. The presenter, now 59, was working as a location manager on the second Harry Potter film when he began questioning his future in the film and television industry.
According to King, his salary had remained unchanged for around 15 years despite his working hours becoming longer. The realisation prompted him to consider doing something different. With Myers already a close friend and both men sharing a passion for food and motorbikes, King decided to put an idea for a television show on paper.
Si King's Harry Potter Career
Before becoming one half of The Hairy Bikers, King spent years working behind the scenes in film and television production. His work included roles as an assistant director and locations manager, including on the Harry Potter films.
King had first met Myers while working on The Gambling Man, a television adaptation of a Catherine Cookson novel. At the time, King was working as a second assistant director, while Myers was employed as a makeup artist. The two quickly became friends after discovering their shared interests.
Speaking to The Big Issue, King recalled that Myers was into motorcycles and food, while he had the same interests. He also described the pair as being similarly curious, which helped form the basis of their long-standing friendship. Their professional lives later took them in different directions, but the friendship remained.
The Moment the 'Hairy Bikers' Idea Began
While working on Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, King said he began thinking seriously about his career. He recalled realising that he had not received a pay rise in about 15 years, while the demands of his work had continued to increase.
King said he began wondering what he needed to do next. Rather than simply continuing along the same career path, he started developing an idea for a television programme centred on the interests he shared with Myers. At the time, Myers was working in Canada. King wrote a treatment outlining the concept of what would eventually become The Hairy Bikers and sent it to his friend by email.
Myers approved of the proposal, and the two began developing the idea together. However, the concept did not immediately become a television series. King said it took around three years for them to get The Hairy Bikers off the ground.
How The Hairy Bikers Combined Food and Motorcycles
The eventual format brought together two of the pair's biggest shared interests: cooking and motorcycling. The combination became a defining feature of their television partnership. Rather than presenting conventional cookery programmes, King and Myers travelled by motorbike, explored different locations and prepared food along the way.
The format helped establish The Hairy Bikers as a distinctive presence on British television. The duo went on to front numerous programmes and publish a substantial collection of cookbooks. Their official biography says King and Myers wrote 33 books together and sold more than six million copies.
Their television career also developed into projects covering travel, regional food, healthy eating and British cooking, building a large audience around their relaxed approach to food and friendship.
Dave Myers and Si King's Lasting Partnership
The partnership between King and Myers continued for more than two decades. The pair became known not only for their cooking but also for their close friendship and the easy chemistry they brought to television. Their relationship had begun years before The Hairy Bikers existed, when they first worked together on The Gambling Man.
Their shared background in television production also meant that both understood the demands of working behind and in front of the camera. The Hairy Bikers eventually became one of Britain's best-known food television brands, with their programmes and books reaching audiences in the UK and internationally.
Si King After Dave Myers' Death
Myers died in February 2024 at the age of 66 after being diagnosed with cancer. His death marked the end of a partnership that had become closely associated with British food television. King has since continued working in television, although he has spoken about how difficult it was to return to filming without his longtime friend.
In a previous appearance on BBC Radio 4's Desert Island Discs, King described feeling guilty about working on television without Myers. He said the experience was strange because he was used to having Myers beside him and had to adjust to delivering pieces to camera alone.
Despite the loss, King has continued to work in broadcasting and remains associated with the Hairy Bikers brand. The revelation about the Harry Potter set offers a clearer picture of how that career change began. What started as frustration over stagnant pay and increasingly long hours ultimately led King to approach Myers with an idea that would become one of Britain's best-known food and travel television partnerships.
