Dave Myers Holiday of My Lifetime with Len Goodman

'Childhood holidays? Ho-ho, the anticipation seemed endless.

'The holiday itself? Well, it was over too quickly.

'So in this series, I'm going to be reliving those wonderful times

'with some much-loved famous faces.'

THEY SCREAM

'Every day, I'll be arranging a few surprises

-'to transport them back in time.'

-Oh, look!

It's just as I remember!

'We'll relive the fun...'

THEY LAUGH

'..the games...'

-Yay!

-Yes!

We got 'em!

'..and the food of years gone by...'

Yum-my!

Welcome to 1959.

-Total happiness.

-Yes. Perfect.

'..to find out how those holidays around the UK

'helped shaped the people we know so well today.'

Bruce Forsyth.

-IN BRUCIE VOICE:

-Marvellous, Len. You're still my favourite.

'So buckle up for Holiday Of My Lifetime.'

You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on my holidays with you!

On today's trip down Memory Lane, I'm coming to the Isle of Man

and I'm picking up our mystery holidaymaker

in an original Leyland bus.

BELL RINGS

The star I'm meeting today is known for getting about a bit,

but normally on two wheels, not four.

Here he is as a nipper.

He was born in Barrow-in-Furness in 1957.

Look at him here! What a lovely lad!

After getting his degree in fine arts,

his first job was putting slap onto people like me.

Yeah, he was a make-up artist for the BBC!

But these days he's better known for being in front of the camera.

He's part of a double act

and I tell you what - they're cooking up a recipe for success.

You've got it!

It's the Evel Knievel of cooking,

it's the fantastic Hairy Biker,

good old Dave Myers!

Yeah!

Come on, let's go and meet him.

BELL RINGS

Dave's a working-class lad who hails from Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria.

An only child, he was born in 1957 to mum Margaret and dad Jim,

who worked all his life in a paper mill.

After a career working in television behind the scenes,

his life changed in 1995 when he met Simon King.

In 2004, they set off motorcycling together

and became known as the Hairy Bikers,

the fabulous TV cooks who travelled the world

seeking out culinary delights.

I wonder if he's going to cook up something special for me today.

Come on, Richard, drive on!

-Hello, Len!

-David!

-Dave, it's good to see you!

-You too, welcome to the Isle of Man!

Lovely Isle of Man.

Now, got to do this properly - where are we heading?

We're going to Douglas.

Douglas. I'll have to write it on here, "Douglas."

Here's your ticket. Now, what's the year?

1967, and it's my one and only holiday I had as a kid,

and I loved it.

Let's get on board. This is a 1967 bus, so it's perfect!

Oh, it smells the same!

Just 30 miles off the coast of north-west England

and slap-bang in the middle of the Irish Sea,

the Isle of Man is a 45-minute flight away

from Manchester or Liverpool.

The island is British,

but rules itself under its government called the Tynwald.

The capital is Douglas on the east coast,

a thriving harbour town of 30,000 people

that a third of Manx residents call home.

The island is famous for many things,

not least its symbolic coat of arms

featuring the three legs of Man,

and, of course, Manx cats,

easily recognisable from their stubby tails.

And the Isle of Man is home to one of sport's most thrilling events,

the annual TT motorbike races,

which have been running for over a century!

Today, I'm taking Dave back to relive those wonderful days

when he first came here as an impressionable ten-year-old boy,

enjoying the sights, tastes and smells

of his first childhood holiday.

Split my kipper and call me Dave!

And we'll see just how important those days

spent on the Isle Of Man really were.

To infinity and beyond!

Before any holiday truly begins,

first you must set out on the journey.

We all remember that eager anticipation of the golden moments

that lie in wait at any magical destination.

For Dave in 1967, his journey to the Isle Of Man began

with a wonderful 40 minutes that he'll never forget.

How did you get to the Isle of Man?

We flew, which is my first flight ever, from Blackpool Airport,

and I can remember taking off and seeing above Blackpool Tower,

which to a kid from Lancashire, as it was then, it's Cumbria now,

it was spectacular.

Then, very much like this, we arrived and were taken in a bus.

And it got better, Len,

because it was the practice week for the TT.

-My dad was always a biker, so he was crafty, you know.

-Yeah!

-He picked the week?

-He picked the week, picked the weather...

-Nice weather?

-It was like this, Len.

You're on the bus, you're thrilled, you're excited,

-you've just got off a plane...

-Yeah!

Did you play any games or were you running up and down

or were you a very well behaved, good little boy?

I was very well behaved. I think I used to sit by the window

with my face pressed against the glass.

I can remember being desperately thirsty and wanting some pop.

You know, "You'll be all right." "Are we nearly there yet?"

It was the usual, but that sense of anticipation,

cos I hadn't slept the night before.

-Of course not, it's too exciting.

-It's holidays, yes!

The more I think about it, the more I remember.

It's things like this bus. This is quite an extraordinary treat, really.

Richard Davis has been driving this bus for 28 years.

It's nearly 50 years old and was in service back in 1967.

It could be the very same one Dave took with his mum and dad

all those years ago.

We're coming up towards the Fairy Bridge

Yes.

I can remember being on the bus - the driver said,

"Everybody, you've got to salute the fairies, the little people.

"Say hello to the fairies."

So the entire busload of passengers...

You've got to do it, Len.

There it is.

-Hey!

-Let's stand up and wave to the fairies!

-Hey-hey-hey!

-Hello, fairies!

Dave's journey from the airport to Douglas took 30 minutes,

but, ho-ho, it was worth the wait.

We've arrived in Douglas!

Yeah, and that's Douglas Harbour.

They used to have a dance competition on the Isle of Man

-in the Villa Marina.

-I saw Alice Cooper there.

-Really, Alice Cooper?!

-Alice Cooper.

Well, you didn't see Len Goodman,

but you saw Alice Cooper! I know who I'd prefer to see!

In 1967, the world was a very different place.

It was the golden era of commercial aviation.

The first Boeing 737 took its maiden flight.

It went on to become the most popular airliner of all time,

and they still make them today!

Elvis Presley, the king of rock'n'roll,

married his queen Priscilla,

breaking the hearts of millions of fans in the process.

The pair had their only child, Lisa Marie, later the same year.

Pop stars were a bit different back then.

The UK charts were dominated by none other than Engelbert Humperdinck.

He had two number ones in '67,

but this is my favourite...

# I had the last waltz with you... #

And the nation had its first ever cash machine,

at Barclays Bank in London's Enfield High Street.

Nowadays, there's nearly 70,000 of them!

'To start Dave's Holiday Of His Lifetime,

'I've brought him here to where it all began...'

We're here, ho-ho!

'..the delightful Douglas Bay.

'For Dave on his first big trip away from home in Cumbria,

'this two-mile stretch of sand must have felt a world away!'

-Here we are.

-Not so bad, is it, Len?

Oh, Douglas Bay, eh?

Has it changed?

First impressions, no.

I mean, these white-frontage Victorian hotels,

to me, when I was little, they were like palaces.

Barrow is a red-brick town,

-but these, they looked like a wedding cake.

-Yeah.

It's always such a tidy place, the Isle of Man.

It's a very well-kept place.

So did you come and play here?

I did do. We used to get some deckchairs and sit on the beach

and I'd be there in the sea,

always wondering what I was going to do next.

Yeah. Did you get a bit of pocket money?

Ooh, yes. I can't remember what it was.

I remember the whole holiday I think cost over £100.

Going back to 1967,

-that was two or three months' wages.

-Yeah!

-More, probably, more!

I think when Dad retired, his lump sum was £240

and I know he spent nearly half of it in that one week's holiday.

Just blew it on a fabulous week?

Yeah. I think I had £5.

I think I had my first note.

-Really?

-My first blue one, Len.

-£5 to spend?

-Yeah.

-Oh-ho-ho!

This is the perfect holiday bay.

It's a quintessentially English seaside resort.

It's a great place for a family.

'It's clear just how important the Isle of Man is to Dave.

'We've only just arrived and he's already got a spring in his step.'

-I'm out of step even now, things don't change.

-No matter!

When Dave first came here,

Douglas was a thriving town of 20,000 people.

The port and docks had long provided the main source of wealth,

but tourism was a vital part of the fabric of the town.

One thing unique to Douglas were the horse-drawn trams that

carried locals and tourists up and down the promenade.

They first started operating in 1876,

and they're still running today.

Oh, Dave!

Hey! This is it. Lovely!

Now this is exactly how it was.

Oh-h! Cor. Can you smell the sea?

Oh, yeah.

I can smell the ozone.

Oh, yes. The old ozone up the nose-zone - lovely!

Cor! Do you remember coming on one of these?

Yeah, I think it's unique to Douglas.

I've never seen horse-drawn trams anywhere else.

It's amazing. The horses are well looked after, they're healthy.

This, you know, it's an alternative to a donkey ride.

Yeah. As a young boy coming on this, sitting up the front,

must have been fantastic.

It was magic, absolutely magic.

It's a good way to get up and down the prom.

Yeah!

Dave first sat on a tram like this with his mum and dad in 1967

on his first childhood holiday.

Sadly, the experience would not be repeated.

Although he didn't know it at the time, Dave's mum Margaret was

battling multiple sclerosis.

Her health deteriorated until she passed away in 1980,

so this trip to the Isle of Man was the first

and last of its kind for the Myers family.

Did your mum and dad enjoy it on the tram?

Yeah, they loved it.

I think I made their pleasure all that much more, cos I was so obviously in absolute ecstasy.

They wanted me to be happy.

It was a big sacrifice for them. Me dad loved every minute.

My mum just loved being out. She was still well then.

All right, lads?

Oh, look at that - that's a beauty!

Look at that - Triumph.

I tell you what, if I had a choice between riding a motorbike or tram,

I'm going to go for this, but I bet you're not.

No, I'd never give my bikes up, Len.

I will convert you. I will convert you.

Dave's passion for motorcycling is legendary,

as fans of The Hairy Bikers will know.

He's ridden across the world seeking out the best food known to man.

But it's been an eventful journey for this lovable lad,

and I want to know how he got started.

So, Dave, there you are living in Barrow-in-Furness,

you leave school - what happened?

Erm...I went to art school. I did a foundation course at Preston Poly,

then I got into Goldsmiths.

Got a degree, stayed on and did a postgraduate in art history,

I thought life as a perpetual student wasn't a bad 'un.

-Then I applied and joined the BBC as a trainee.

-Right.

That was as a make-up artist.

Doing prosthetics, special effects. I was 23 years doing that.

23 years?

-A plasterer.

-A plasterer?!

-Yep, a posh plasterer!

So what faces or shows did you work on?

I did all sorts from standard BBC, you know,

Top Of The Pops, with George Michael, Elton John,

and, you know...

latterly on TV, I was in charge of Spooks and Prime Suspect.

For over 150 years,

the tourist trade has been vital to Douglas and the Isle Of Man.

Last year, visitor spending injected over £100 million

into the local economy.

Terry Cringle has lived here all his life,

and knows just how important tourism is to the jewel of the Irish Sea.

My parents had a boarding house on Queens Promenade,

which is over the far end of the bay.

I used to see visitors living in my house every summer.

They came from mostly the north of England,

particularly Lancashire, they were working-class people,

who would live in back-to-back houses in middle of a smoky city,

and came to the Isle of Man for the fresh air more than anything else,

and with a bit of luck, some sunshine.

My father had a good idea of what people needed.

They want good, home-cooked food,

and they want good, comfortable beds.

And they would come every year,

so we knew we had a steady source of income.

It was probably a bit better than they had back home,

so they had no complaints.

The Isle Of Man has changed since the '50s, but unique attractions

keep visitors coming back - and I've got ten of the best.

Around the world, the island is most famous for the TT Races,

which have been running for over a century.

Motorised trikes take thrill-seekers

around the 38-mile public road course,

reaching speeds of up to 60mph, although

that's a little slower than the race speeds of 200mph!

With nearly 150,000 acres of agricultural land,

and 100 miles of coastline,

the Isle Of Man is a large exporter of food.

Local produce is celebrated every year at the island's

Food and Drink Festival.

Suppliers from the island display their finest delicacies

in a fun feast of food at the Villa Marina.

The Isle Of Man is nearly 20 miles from the nearest mainland,

and has some of the clearest night skies in the British Isles.

In the north of the island, the Point Of Ayre is a fabulous place

to take in the universe in all its glory.

On a clear night, you can see stars

over 1,500 light years away, even without a telescope.

If you're really lucky,

you could even witness the magical northern lights.

Part of the magic of any childhood holiday is

the excitement of staying somewhere different, the sights,

the smells and the thrill of having a new bed to lie in.

In 1967, the Isle Of Man was attracting 400,000 visitors,

and Douglas itself had around 500 hotels.

When the Myers family came, no expense was spared,

so they checked in to the £5 a night Metropole Hotel.

Completed in 1898, it boasted 50 bedrooms and three lounges -

making it the chic choice of the discerning holiday-maker.

Sadly, the grand old Metropole is no longer standing,

but just 20 metres away sits the Regency Hotel.

Lead on!

They were both spectacular Victorian seafront hotels

and will have had striking similarities,

so I'm confident this is going to stir up some memories for Dave.

So, Dave is this like the hotel you came to?

It is, Len, it's a proper, grand seaside hotel.

It was so different to what I was used to at home.

We were in a two-up/two-down terrace,

and all of a sudden, transported to this,

with all the fine woodwork.

It's got a lovely feel of a grandiose seaside hotel.

It's lovely. It was like a palace to me.

Yeah, it's perfect. Talking of perfect,

I think that's the dining room.

-Yes.

-Just pop in and have a little cup of tea.

-A soupcon!

-Come on.

Ha-ha! Oh, yes!

'I hope to discover if his experiences

'in the Metropole dining room helped form his lifelong passion for food.'

This is lovely.

When you arrived at the hotel,

and went down for your first meal, was you expecting this?

I didn't know what to expect, Len.

Given the path my life took,

it was a bit of a leader, really.

You know, fine dining and food.

Because really the tablecloth came out twice a year,

birthday and Christmas.

And as for napkins, never seen one.

-And more than one knife and fork.

-Yeah.

-So my mother said, "Whatever happens start outside in!"

-Yeah.

I remember one meal - it was braised steak, done in gravy

with chips on the side. On the top was a bay leaf.

I looked at it. I said, "Mother, there's some privet on my steak!"

She said it wasn't privet but a bay leaf, so I ate it!

Nobody told me not to eat the bay leaf!

-Why wouldn't you?

-Yeah.

That was my first understanding of herbs, really.

I've made a living out of it ever since!

-Totally different to what you'd been used to.

-Yeah.

I remember I enjoyed it very much, though.

The formality of it. It was a formal dining room,

like this, it wasn't somewhere that had a menu for kids,

and it was the waitresses...

They all had the black dresses, white pinnies and black stockings.

The fine dining experience was complemented by the attention

from the immaculately turned out hostesses.

Always on hand to fulfil the diners every culinary desire - it was

silver service with a smile.

And it made a big impression on young Dave.

I had my first crush at the Metropole.

She was about 18,19, a waitress called Beryl.

Oh! I was in love.

She was very kind to me,

and before I left I bought her a brooch, a Manx cat.

-I wonder what Beryl's doing now.

-Yeah.

Ooh, eh? Dear old Beryl.

I'm spoken for now, Beryl.

THEY LAUGH

In '67, Dave had top-quality silver service on hand.

Beryl's not here today, though, so James will have to do.

Oh!

Now that...

Thank you.

Dave... Before you go, sir, I'm got to ask Dave,

see if you know what that is just by looking at it.

This is a test.

I know what I think it is.

I think it's tomato soup with a dead fish and, erm, a scone.

I think it's maybe a lobster bisque.

It's tomato and basil

with a tempura basil leaf and yellow pepper foam.

LEN LAUGHS

Nearly right!

-Between us we nearly bloody got it.

-You got it, Len.

Are you going to try the tempura? No, you're not, are you?

-Aye.

-What is it? Is it a fish?

It's a basil leaf.

-That whole thing there is a leaf?

-Mm.

It's a battered leaf.

A battered leaf.

Now, my nan...

If I said to my nan, "I'm just going to steam into a battered leaf, Nan,"

well, she'd pickle her walnuts, I'm telling you.

DAVE LAUGHS

No.

Dave is best known as one of the Hairy Bikers,

those fabulous foodies who travel the world on their motorbikes.

Viewers love the mixture of food and the open road.

They've made over ten different television series

and written 13 books.

And Dave first met his trusty companion, Simon King,

when they both worked behind the camera instead of in front of it,

and together they made the transition to the small screen.

He was a location manager,

and we wanted to make our own programmes,

and it was dead honest, The Hairy Bikers.

We sat in a pub one night and we were both cooks

since we were boys, really good cooks,

we both rode motorbikes, we both loved travelling,

and we both liked talking twaddle.

It's amazing how successful it's been.

Well, again, I think the key to it is there's a lot of honesty to it.

-Yeah.

-You know, we've been allowed to grow in television,

our knowledge of food's been allowed to grow.

We always say our recipes are a bit like an Airfix kit -

follow the instruction, you will end up with a Spitfire.

The Isle of Man is world-famous for its motorsport.

The TT races have been running since 1907,

making heroes of multiple winners,

like Joey Dunlop, Dave Molyneux and Mike Hailwood.

But it's notoriously dangerous.

The riders reach speeds over 200mph

over 200 lives have been lost on the circuit.

Local historian Peter Kelly first came to the TT

when he was knee-high to a Ducati and has seen the race transform

into the celebration of speed we know today.

It all goes back to 1904, and, in actual fact, started as car racing

promoted by Gordon Bennett, the American publicist,

well-known for doing silly things like throwing rolls of money

on the fire, hence the expression, "Gordon Bennett!"

The reason why he came here - we had our own government

and we were able to very quickly put an act through Parliament

to close the roads.

And that, in 1907, became the motorbike race, the TT.

It started on a small course near to Peel,

but then moved here with Douglas as its headquarters,

the start and finish, 37-and-three-quarter miles

of road, normal road racing.

And that's what it still does today.

The thrills and spills of those fearless riders

will have left a big impression on Dave in 1967,

as he watched his heroes flying around at breakneck speeds.

It's bonkers, Len, isn't it,

to think that motorbikes come down this very road at nearly 200mph?

It's unbelievable. They're only country lanes.

-Oh, aye, but six laps is probably 200 mile.

-Yeah.

-Now, your dad was mad about bikes.

-Oh, aye, it's in me blood.

-You're mad about bikes.

-Oh, aye.

Well, I'm going to show you something now that I think

will really impress you and please you.

You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on my holidays with you.

'Dave's 50 year love affair with motorbikes is legendary,

'so today I'm bringing our very own cycle connoisseur

'to a very special collection.

'Here in Kirkmichael on the West Coast,

'Tony East has restored over 100 classic bikes

'to their former glories.'

-Look at this.

-Hesketh - I used to have one of those!

-It was like sitting on a Spitfire, Len.

-Really?

It went like the clappers, though.

-Laverda Jota. That's about 135mph of Italian nonsense.

-Yes.

That was a bike I lusted after.

But this one's quite unique, because on the petrol tank

-is Piero Laverda's signature.

-Wow!

We had him over last year and he signed the petrol tank.

That sounds unbelievable.

What is it about bikes? What is the fascination for you?

It all comes from my dad.

He had a Norton Dominator, we always had bikes in the family.

He never had a car, he never thought to pass his driving test,

so I just had bikes all my life.

It's like the freedom, the smell, the camaraderie,

and I came in 1967 to the TT, the practices,

and the Japanese bikes were just starting then.

And they sounded different to the British bikes.

They were howling and screaming, the Yamahas,

and Yamaha was such an exotic name.

I used to go to the local bike shop at home in Barrow,

my face pressed against the window, you know, the Triumph and the BSA,

then the Suzukis started to come through.

But it's that whole thing, it's so emotive.

I'm so lucky to make motorcycles part of my living.

And, erm, I just get a lot of pleasure out of it.

And you're not only mad about the bikes,

you're mad about the TT, as well.

The TT's unique, isn't it?

It's completely unique in terms of its spirit, its adventure.

It is dangerous, it's part of it, but the riders...

The riders are accessible to the public.

I say, I've got the autograph book that I had in 1967,

signed by Mark Hailwood, Phil Read, and the riders these days

are as accessible as those guys were all those years ago.

Dave, I'm going to ask you something now...

-David?

-Yes, sorry, Len.

-Hold my gaze.

I know you're in bikers' paradise here.

-Have you got a car?

-Yes, Len.

Oh, you... You've disappointed me a bit.

DAVE LAUGHS

So you have got a car, but you're mad on bikes?

Yeah, I've got four bikes at the moment. But they come and go.

-I had seven, but I've had to cull due to marital pressures.

-Right.

If Tony was to say to you, "Dave, pick a bike, it's yours,"

which one would it be?

-Ooh, now you've got me going.

-Well, I want to know.

See, you need more than one bike, Len, different purposes.

Well, you've got your other bikes, he's not saying you're taking...

This is to add to your collection, a new bike.

Would it be the Vincent? Would it be the, erm, Sunbeam?

It would have to be the Vincent, I think.

-Yeah?

-Yeah, the Vincent.

Cos it broke the world speed record but was also a motorcycle

that a fella could go to work on. And I think it's British, as well.

We Brits built the best motorcycles in the world.

We dominated the industry.

Which one would you have, Len?

I would probably have the Vincent Firefly.

Up there, it's like a bicycle with a small engine. That would suit me.

Light and agile, like yourself.

A bit like myself, a little bit nippy,

nice, comfortable seat, nice handlebars.

I could see myself driving up and down the prom

in the Vincent Firefly. 1955.

Oh! Fabulous! I was 11.

Tony, you know what I would like to do?

I would love to try on a helmet.

Yes, you can try a helmet.

And if I had to pick a helmet, it would be that one.

Pudding basin, they call it.

I've got an enormous head, if I'm honest.

Oh, yes. Oh, yes.

Oh, yes indeed.

Ah, yes. Suddenly...

I've got the feeling for it now.

Come on, Dave, let's have a selfie.

Len, do you know what? You remind me of Lawrence of Arabia.

-Do I really?

-Just before he crashed.

People think I'm a softie.

Yeah, you know, ballroom dancers, we're not tough.

I'm going to show you now what tough is.

First, I'm going to don my helmet.

Now I'm going to take a motorbike out.

Right, Dave, here we are, our chariot awaits.

-Ho-ho!

-Look at this!

This is the Ariel Square Four. My dad had one of these, Len.

This was 1000cc, so it always had quite a big cachet,

you know, it was a big bike.

It's one thing getting in, but I may never get out.

-Len...

-Oh! Oh!

-..you won't want to get out.

Do you know what?

It's like going back to being eight months old sitting in my pram.

But your pram never sounded like this.

Come on!

-ENGINE ROARS

-Wahey!

To infinity and beyond!

Hey!

Oh-ho!

I don't want any skidding!

'The Ariel Square Four

'was first designed by engineer Edward Turner in 1928.'

Tally-ho!

'They only made 15,000 of them,

'but they had a worldwide reputation, and I can see why!

'It's a British classic.'

LEN LAUGHS

Oh!

Love it! Hey!

Dave, you're getting a ten from Len! Fantastic!

Yes! That's the first one I've ever had!

'And, Dave, if your dancing is still as bad as I remember,

'it'll be your last!'

The Isle Of Man caters for hundreds of thousands of tourists every year.

And while it has all the modern attractions associated

with a 21st-century holiday destination,

it still retains some of that old-world charm.

The island's east coast

is home to the unique 17-mile-long Manx Electric Railway.

It's been running on overhead power lines

since the 19th century,

and some of those original Victorian carriages

are still in service - the oldest in the world.

The island is home to 3,500 pigs,

30,000 cows and 140,000 sheep,

so there's always plenty of good fresh food on offer!

Like this feast on a shovel, which can be found in Douglas.

They call it the Fireman's Breakfast.

Holiday-makers will never struggle to find a hearty way

to kick-start the day.

The largest working water wheel in the world can be found

in the town of Laxey, on the island's east coast.

It's 160 years old and is known as Lady Isabella.

It still delivers over 1,000 litres of water a minute -

a truly magnificent engineering achievement.

No holiday is complete without sampling the local food -

those new tastes and textures transform our palate for ever.

On the Isle of Man in 1967,

the traditional breakfast of choice was smoked kippers,

my all-time favourites!

Dave, are you a fan of kippers?

I am, certainly, of a Manx kipper.

So am I. And I've got a treat for you now,

because here we are. This is where they smoke 'em.

-Smoking!

-Smoking!

Oh, smell that!

You can't beat a good kipper.

In the '60s, the Isle Of Man had a large fishing industry,

with herring in abundance in the nearby waters of the Irish Sea.

Once caught, the herring would be split in two, soaked in brine,

and then hung above open fires

to create the unique flavour of smoked kippers.

-This is the kipper man.

-Hi, Dave.

-Nice to see you.

-Good to see you.

'Traditional smokers have been doing it like this

'for over 100 years,

'like Paul Desmond, here in Peel on the island's west coast.

'I just hope Dave picks up a tip,

'so he can rustle me a few later!'

And what is that that is firing away there?

-We use pine for the heat.

-Oh!

On the back two-thirds of that we put oak and sawdust,

which you mix together with water,

and that gives you the smoke.

So the flame's coming from the white,

and the smoke's coming from the oak and sawdust.

Yeah. Where are the kippers, then? Are they...?

The kippers are hanging up about 20 to 40 feet up in the air.

-Right up there?

-Right up there. Right at the top.

And how long is the process? How long do they smoke for?

On a good day, about six to eight hours.

-Whoa!

-Fabulous.

-That's proper smoking, in't it?

Whoa-ho! Gee willikers!

Hey!

Cor... Fabulous!

How many kippers have you got hanging up there?

About 4,000 or 5,000, but it'll hold 20,000.

-4,000 or 5,000 kippers?!

-Yeah.

But it'll hold 20,000.

-20,000 kippers?

-20,000.

-And there used to be seven of these going in the old days.

-Really?

-Well, nobody can say it's not real smoke.

-No.

That's where your flavour comes, isn't it?

Isn't it funny how a method of preserving food has actually...

We've got a taste for it, and it actually enhances the flavour.

Yeah.

'With so many fish on hand, I'm sure they won't miss a couple!

'Come on, Paul, show us how it's done.'

-Down there and up there like that.

-Splitting your kipper?

-Yeah.

In the old days, women would split these by hand,

and they'd do, like, five or six a minute.

We have machines now - introduced in the '50s.

-They do 55 a minute.

-Good... And that's...

And that's how they used to do it.

-Would that be a pair of kippers?

-That's one.

-That's one. Right.

Come on, Dave, you know, you're used to all this housework.

Pick your herring.

-Ah, which way is it?

-That way.

-That way. Yep, thought so.

Make an incision down there...

Straight down the back. And then...

Now get rid of all those gizzards.

Ooh. Yeah, I don't like it, really.

Well... Oh, no.

Now... Five or six a minute.. I think I've got the sack.

There you are. Split me kipper and call me Dave!

-I reckon I could pick this up, given another...

-You could.

-..20 years.

Is this how they're all done now, in the traditional way?

What about when you get those boil-in-the-bag...

or, you know, kippers? Are they done the same?

No. We're the last traditional yard in the Isle of Man

using this method now.

-Yeah?

-There are other yards in England and Scotland

that use this method, but there's very few now.

Most of them are done on electric kilns, the modern method.

But some of them have smoke flavouring, don't they?

It's not smoke at all. It's flavouring. It's...

It's like pork scratchings.

DAVE LAUGHS

-Cheers, Paul. Thank you.

-Oh, yes!

Oh, yes, thank you.

The smell, there's nothing like it, is there, Len?

It's... How people can say they don't like a kipper,

well, I can't understand it.

So smoky, aren't they? And good for you, too!

Yeah. So, when you came here in,

-as a kid...

-Yeah.

..would you have had a kipper or was you too young

to appreciate...?

No, we had them for breakfast and...

They were just done in a jug. Put the kippers in a jug,

pour boiling water on, just warm through.

We had them... Then the big treat was you could have them sent over,

so before we left to go home,

we ordered some boxes of kippers to be sent over,

some to my auntie's and some to ours

so we could kind of relive our holidays again.

Lovely.

I like 'em with scrambled eggs or a pate. Kipper pate is nice.

You see, that's the trouble with you chefs.

You get all arty-farty in the end with...

kipper pate and...this and that.

-You're not an adventurous eater.

-I'm not very adventurous,

if I'm honest, no.

But, I must say, these are delicious.

Tasty, aren't they?

I like most things that come out of the sea, if I'm honest,

other than octopus.

What about Ursula Andress in Dr No?

And Halle Berry.

THEY LAUGH

The Isle Of Man caters for hundreds of thousands of tourists

every year, with a vibrant mix of sights, sounds and tastes on offer.

Here are just a few more of them.

With 100 miles of coastline,

the Isle of Man is a hot spot for dolphins,

and beautiful Niarbyl off the west coast

is the perfect place to watch them from.

At different times of year,

the waters are also home to seals and even sharks.

Niarbyl is renowned as an area of outstanding beauty in its own right.

Built in 1899 on the site of the old Douglas Pavilion,

the fabulous Gaiety Theatre has had a turbulent history.

It had fallen into ruin by the mid-1970s,

but has been restored to its full former glory.

It continues to play host to local performers

as well as worldwide acts.

In the south of the island,

Castle Rushen is one of the best-preserved medieval castles

in Europe.

Former seat of the Norse Kings and Lords of Mann,

the magnificent keep and bailey date back almost 1,000 years.

For all its hills and valleys, the isle only has one actual mountain

but it isn't half spectacular!

Standing at over 2,000 feet, the views from the top of Snaefell

are something to behold.

It's said that on a clear day you can see the seven kingdoms -

England, Scotland,

Wales, Ireland,

the Isle Of Man, of course,

the heaven and the sea.

And the best thing is, you don't even have to climb it.

Let the electric railway take you the top.

Dave Myers has had a wonderful, varied career,

finding fame relatively late in life.

The Isle Of Man has clearly played a significant role

in his love of food and motorcycles,

his two great passions,

which helped bring him such success.

-The Hairy Bikers have absolutely gone round the world.

-Yeah.

-Give us an idea of where you've been.

-Ooh.

All over... America, Mississippi.

Er, Argentina was a fabulous trip.

We... It's been amazing.

It sounds terrific, I must say.

I'm happy with the Isle Of Man for now, though.

Yeah. The Isle of Man... I tell you what,

when you've got a day like this, not a cloud in the sky,

it's hard to beat, really.

Dave might have all the moves in the kitchen,

but when he put on his dancing shoes for Strictly Come Dancing

in 2013,

it was a recipe for disaster!

Now, listen, Dave, have you kept up your dancing

since you left Strictly?

I've done a bit with Karen...again.

We danced at the Savoy in London, did me Moves Like Jagger again.

And Strictly was fun.

It's terrifying but it's fun.

But I think my wife would like me to do a bit more dancing,

but she doesn't move like Karen.

-Don't say that to her, though!

-No. Oh, no.

So, did you ever in your wildest dreams imagine

that when you were here as a little boy

you'd be sitting here, you know,

a real star on TV,

a celebrity cook,

did you imagine that that would ever happen?

No, no. I've always been a dreamer.

Um... But...

My dad had big horizons, you know.

And I think that's why I did Strictly, really.

I was never going to be a dancer like you.

But I did... I did give it a go. I got so much out of it.

I think that's one of the secrets of life. But, no...

looking back now on the day we've had today,

I've enjoyed today as much as I did then,

-and that's a great thing...

-Yeah.

-..to be able to say.

I've had a marvellous time with Dave,

reliving the memories of his first childhood holiday

here on the Isle Of Man.

THEY LAUGH

His dancing may still not be up to scratch...

I'm out of step even now!

..but he certainly knows his way around a bike.

Tally-ho!

And as you'd expect for a famous cook,

he certainly knows how to split a kipper!

These are delicious.

Spending time with him today,

it's wonderful to see just how much the Isle of Man means to Dave.

You know, Len, I'm quite enjoying being on my holidays with you.

Now, just to finish with,

this is a little book

-regarding...

-Wow.

-..the Holiday Of My Lifetime.

A little scrapbook of memories from Dave's time spent

right here on the Isle Of Man,

and bearing in mind how impressionable young Dave felt

meeting his TT racing heroes,

I've got an extra-special surprise for him, too.

The official programme of the TT, from 1967,

-the year you came.

-Good grief!

-Hee-hee! Helmets like yours.

-Yeah.

-And the scorecard, the official scorecard.

-Oh, wow!

Scorecard...

Oh, wow!

There's Derek Woodman. I got his autograph,

There it is. SMB Hailwood.

There's Phil Read.

I got all their autographs.

Gosh. It's a box of memories.

-Thank you so much, Len.

-It's been great.

-You're a topper.

Thanks for a wonderful day, thank you.

And so that's the Isle Of Man,

over 200 square miles of beautiful countryside,

spectacular coastline

and wonderful holiday memories for Dave Myers.

Glorious!