Peter Pan has some sizzling opposition this year, as a dastardly Dave Myers hits the Redhill stage. Jane McGowan is hooked
It’s panto time once more in Redhill (‘Oh no it isn’t,’ etc…), and this year sees Dave Myers swap the open road for the Harlequin Theatre as moustachioed rogue Captain Hook. The Dave Myers? One half of the amiable cooking-and-travelling duo known to TV viewers as The Hairy Bikers? Yes, indeed. In panto season, villainy wears some curious masks.
When I meet him, he is decked out in the garb of Peter Pan’s pirate nemesis for the press launch. Doing dastardly, however, does not instantly strike one as his natural pitch.
“Ooh, watch me hook,” he laughs, as I go to shake his hand. “I hope they give me a plastic one for the show… I could do some serious damage with this metal one.”
No kidding. Even so, the concept of a malevolent Myers is a hard sell: he is so warm and welcoming that one struggles to imagine audiences booing such a cuddly crook.
“I’m going to work hard on being bad,” he chuckles. “I might have to go to growling lessons. But Captain Hook is just brilliant. To me he’s the hero of the story and Peter Pan is one of the best. I love pantomimes, me – I’m the sort of person who goes to watch them.”
It’s a busy time for the TV cook who – with his partner in dine, Si King – will appear on our pre-festive screens in BBC1 show The Hairy Bikers’ Christmas Cracker, a countdown to the big event that promises celebrity guests, great food and plenty of seasonal cheer. The pair will also be out and about publicising their new book, The Hairy Bikers’ Mediterranean Adventure, which accompanies a BBC2 series due to be broadcast in February.
“Yes, this year has been full on,” says Dave. “The Mediterranean thing was our idea – we fancied getting out again. So we’ve been round southern Italy, the South of France, Corsica, Majorca. Some gorgeous places. It’s a long time to spend together, so it’s a good job we get on. The thing is, we are doing what we want to do, and we’ve never had to pretend.”
Born in 1957 at Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria, Dave was a bit of a surprise for parents Margaret (42) and 55-year-old Jim.
“Mum thought she had a cyst, so she went to the doctor – and it was me!”
No cyst, but Dave’s briefly idyllic childhood came to an abrupt end when his mother was later diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. He was just eight years old. In helping to care for her, Dave would make the daily family meal, and from this necessity his love of cooking gradually emerged. Yet it was to be another 25 years before the prospect of making a career out of his culinary skills appeared. He was working as a make-up artist on a Catherine Cookson drama for ITV, when he got chatting to the second assistant director – a certain Si King.
IAN STRATTON Photo: Ian Stratton
“We hit it off at once and then he sold me a really crappy motorbike,” laughs Dave. “We became great pals and used to cook together for friends at each other’s houses. People would say: ‘You two should be on the telly.’ And we’d go: ‘Yeah, right.’ But then we thought about it and decided to pursue the idea.”
Accordingly, the boys determined to exploit their shared passion for motorbikes and food.
“We could also both sit there talking twaddle for hours. The idea was no more complicated than that. But the whole thing has been the most marvellous adventure and we’re still on it. And by gum, do we enjoy it!”
The Christmas shows will be their 24th venture together, yet Dave – with his best mate’s blessing – has also been known to go solo, notably in 2013 when he hit the dance floor for series 11 of Strictly Come Dancing. Partnered by Karen Clifton, he got to week seven and loved every minute of it.
“Karen is brilliant and has become a good friend,” he reveals. “I know a lot of people still don’t want to believe it, but Strictly is a fabulous experience. I got the brunt of Craig and Bruno’s remarks and that was fair enough – I was on a wing and a prayer mostly, so I expected the criticism. It’s all a bit of fun. Those two are like the pantomime dames of the piece, while Len was the kindly father and Darcey the fairy godmother. As soon as the show’s off air everyone heads to the bar for a laugh.
“I feel privileged to have been in it with Sir Bruce [Forsyth]. It was his last full series, which makes it even more special. Each year Deborah Meaden organises a ‘class of 2013’ reunion and we all go and reminisce and talk about the current series.”
But don’t expect to see Dave’s culinary partner shaking a leg any time soon. While projects like Strictly get Dave cooking, the reality show heat is enough to drive Si from the kitchen.
“He’s the first one up dancing at a party, but he would never do it on the telly. We were actually offered a pantomime together in Newcastle a few years back. But would he do it? Not on your nelly. He’ll be down to watch me in this though.”
So, with Dave buckling his swash two shows a day for four weeks, might this year’s Myers Christmas be a little subdued?
“Oh, not at all,” he assures me. “My wife is Romanian, so she always celebrates on Christmas Eve. I will be rushing home after the show to see her and my stepkids. But for me it’s all about the Christmas dinner. I might have to busk it this year, as I may be a bit tired, but I can’t imagine not doing it. I love cooking – funnily enough! Still, we might think about keeping guest numbers down.”
Somehow I doubt it.
- The Pantomime Adventures of Peter Pan runs from Dec 8-31 at the Harlequin Theatre, Redhill. For details visit: harlequintheatre.co.uk
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