CUMBRIAN chef Dave Myers has spoken about the ‘brutal’ nature of chemotherapy after having a ‘crappy year’.

Dave, who makes up one half of cooking duo the Hairy Bikers, received a shock cancer diagnosis in March last year.

Appearing on the Seasoned podcast, hosted by Michelin starred chef Tommy Banks, the Barrow born biker spoke about the upcoming release of The Hairy Biker’s new book and how his experience with chemotherapy has shaped it.

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“We've got a new book out next month, and it's healthy eating,” said Dave. “It's not a diet book because Si and I are both… we've kinda lost the weight we need.

“But I've had a pretty crappy year really with chemotherapy and stuff, so it's eat well for life, really.

“And I think it's about eating for the immunity, your heart, for fibre. And as you get older, well, young as well, it's important to eat well, but still have that knack of making food tasty so you don't feel as though it's a penance.

“So that's going out. And then, all being well, I'm going to go back to filming in May!”

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Tommy asked Dave how the last year changed Dave’s diet.

Dave said: “Well, it's funny, when you first start chemotherapy, it was quite hard.

“I’m still having it. It really was brutal, I lost so much weight and then it's a battle to get your calories in.

“So, at first I thought, right, this is great, I can eat all those pies I haven't been eating for years, except the appetite was dreadful!”

Dave described losing his appetite as an ‘awful’ experience.

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He said: “And for me, who's a glutton, losing my appetite was awful. A can of soup was about as far as I could go, but then slowly it comes back.

“And now I've got to the point where I'm at the weight I want to be, and I want to maintain it. I am starting to think very carefully about what I put in.

“I have to cut down on not so much butter, because I've got the calories in now, eating a lot more pulses, and an awful lot more beans, and well, it's your ethos Tommy, it’s fresh food and thinking about where food comes from.”

Seasoned is available on all major podcast platforms.