Dave Myers celebrated his return to TV seven months after announcing he had cancer by punching the air and cheering during a BBC cooking show.
The 65-year-old, who found fame as one half of cooking duo the Hairy Bikers alongside friend and fellow chef Simon ‘Si’ King, revealed in May this year that he was undergoing chemotherapy for cancer.
Myers, who was known for his trademark long dark hair, appeared in good spirits on Saturday Kitchen sporting short hair and a statement red flowery waistcoat.
Gathered round the Christmas tree ready to go live on BBC One at 10am!🎄 #SaturdayKitchen @matt_tebbutt @HairyBikers @paul_a_young @TheRealLukevans @hide_restaurant @knackeredmutha @BBCOne pic.twitter.com/tv26vzWbtE
— SaturdayKitchen (@SaturdayKitchen) December 10, 2022
He told host and chef Matt Tebutt: “It’s fantastic to be back and what a way to celebrate Christmas here. We’re going to be doing a coffee and hazelnut cake, it’s a symphony where nuts meet coffee. Honestly, it’s so good for Christmas, the angel Gabriel has wafted across your tonsils.
“I’m over the moon to be back!”
The chef had joked in the preview of the programme on BBC Breakfast that he was “still breathing”.
Myers, who appeared on the programme with King, later added: “It’s lovely to be back. It has been a rough year, I can’t pretend otherwise, and there were some times when I didn’t think I would be here for Christmas.
“I’ve got to give a shout out to the doctors and nurses in Birmingham who put me back together, the surgeon who got me walking again and nurse Marion who, before my chemo, brings me cake in. Best banana bread ever.
“But it is lovely to be back. Si’s been looking after me, filling my freezer with mince and dumplings. Being back on Saturday Kitchen is great, I think the first time we were here was 15 years ago.”
Myers has previously spoken about health struggles, including discovering he had glaucoma – an eye condition that can lead to blindness.
In 2018 Myers revealed he had originally dismissed the condition as a bad hangover.
King has also spoken openly about suffering from a brain aneurysm in 2014, which he later said he was only able to survive due to considerable weight loss.
After meeting in 1995, Myers and King gained popularity as the Hairy Bikers, with Myers appearing on Strictly Come Dancing in 2013.