DAVE Myers spent several years in Darlington working as a make-up artist on the Michael Elphick BBC1 newspaper drama Harry. He returns to the town next week, only this time as someone known for appearing in front of, not behind, the camera.

He and Simon King have found fame as the Hairy Bikers, two middle-aged motorcycle-riding chefs travelling the world in search of authentic culinary and cultural experiences.

Their series on BBC2 has seen them join the ranks of eccentric TV cooks. And to cement their success comes the publication of The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook.

Darlington is a stop-off on their month-long countrywide tour to promote the book. Both admit to being surprised by the scale of interest of people wanting to meet them. "It's been fantastic, brilliant," says King, who lives with his partner and three children in Newcastle.

"It puts a face to the people who are watching the show. It's been an affirmation of whatever we are doing - and we're not quite sure what that is, but it seems to be working."

Myers, born and bred in Barrow-in-Furness, agrees. "It's nice meeting and talking to people. When the first series went out we were away, now it's great to hear what people think of the programme.

"The reaction has been better than I expected. The publishing world is a different one to the one we know."

Both men are life-long food lovers but not professional chefs. King worked for many years as a first assistant director and locations manager for film and TV, including the Harry Potter films. Myers worked as a furnace man in a steelworks to finance his master's degree in fine arts before joining the BBC as a make-up artist, specialising in prosthetics.

They've been together 18 months as the Hairy Bikers, although friends for 17 years, and have been on trips together without the TV cameras.

It took them three and a half years to get the programme off the ground, perhaps because the idea is so different to the usual cookery show. The pair travel the world on their bikes with the 12 episodes taking them to Namibia, the Isle of Man, Ireland, Transylvania, Turkey, Vietnam and Mexico.

The bikers research the areas before they set off with the film crew, but you get the impression that anything could, and often does, happen. "Fundamentally if we think it's interesting and can't ride past it, our premise is neither will the viewer," says King.

Riding 12,000 miles across country means they get the chance to sample a wide variety of local cuisine. "Some of the food was pretty ropey," admits Myers. "But we don't do it for a gimmick. There were restaurants that we just couldn't ride past."

Sometimes things other than food make an impression. Like a museum for victims of communist oppression in Romania. "It's important to show that and be there," he says.

Long trips astride a motorbike take their toll - like coming off their bikes from time to time. "We both fell quite a few times in Vietnam. It was different when you were a kid and fell off. Now I feel like a piece of Playdo being thrown against the wall," says Myers.

Being hairy bikers is a full-time job for both men now. "We're having a lovely time and consider ourselves very lucky," he says.

As for the future, they're hoping to do another series for the BBC, but are putting all their energies into promoting the book at the moment.

This new success hasn't changed their lives apart from being able to pay bills in advance, says Myers. In a way, they can't believe their luck. "I'm surprised myself what I'm doing for a living at the moment."

There are plenty of places left to visit. Myers talks of wanting to do a programme in Southern India exploring vegetarian food ("it's really good") and Madagascar as somewhere he's always wanted to go. Australia, too, could be on a future itinerary as the series has been sold there and feedback has been good. A Christmas special to the Arctic Circle is another suggestion.

On the book tour, they're mainly eating out although do get unexpected treats. In Barrow, a woman turned up to have her book signed and, in return, handed over a big bag of pies, a speciality of the town. "That's our tea for today sorted," says Myers.

* The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook continues on BBC2 on Wednesday at 8pm.

* Simon King and David Myers will be at Ottakars in the Cornmill Centre, Darlington, on Tuesday at 7pm to host a talk and Q&A session at 7pm. Tickets are £1, redeemable against the price of a copy of The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook purchased on the evening. Ask in store on the ground floor for tickets.

* The Hairy Bikers' Cookbook (Penguin £20).