Hairy Biker Si King has spoken for the first time of a ‘life or death’ dash to surgery after suffering a serious brain aneurysm. King, who presents the popular food show with Dave Myers, said he had battled severe headaches for four days before seeing a doctor three months ago. And the TV chef, 46, found himself being rushed into surgery. Now recovering at his home in Newcastle he said: ‘I thought, “Oh, my god, I am in trouble here”. So I went and had a procedure. It was a life or death thing. Scroll down for video . Si King, left, who has spoken for the first time after having emergency surgery for a serious brain aneurysm . ‘It was critical when I went into hospital but now it’s not. It’s good they have fixed it.’ He has nothing but praise for the staff at Newcastle’s Royal Victoria Infirmary, where he was rushed for treatment, saying: ‘They were the most incredible staff and it is an incredible hospital. Hats off to the NHS.’ Mr King is keeping in good spirits and while his weight is creeping up due to the incident – undoing his work to lose 3.5 stone on his Hairy Dieters series – he is exercising to keep help with his rehabilitation, cycling, gardening and walking at least two miles a day. In the deeply personal interview, he said his recovery is going well: ‘There have been no lasting effects – none that you’d notice other than I am slightly madder than I was before. No deficit, as they say’. Mr King, who is married with three children, said he was not quite ready to resume TV work with Myers, 56, who was a Strictly Come Dancing contestant last year. ‘I’m not back at work yet. I want to keep myself right,’ he said. ‘The last thing I want to do is fall over on a shoot. I want to make sure I am 100 per cent fit. And I’m getting there. ‘Dave just wants me to get better so we can get back on the road.’ Mr King, along with Dave Myers, have been making programmes under the banner of the Hairy Bikers since 2004, bridging the gap between a cookery show and a travelogue . Mr King told the Daily Mirror the only silver lining in the horrible ordeal is being able to spend more time with his wife Jane and three sons Alex, James and Dylan. And, as his TV commitment often keep him away from home for long periods of time, his wife is also enjoying having him around more too. He said: ‘She’s not fed up. I think she secretly quite likes it. We haven’t done it for such a long time. We go, “Oh, this is quite nice”. ‘I have been home for James, my middle son’s, birthday for the first time in four or five years. Those little family dos are very special at the moment.’ He has been making programmes under the banner of the Hairy Bikers since 2004, bridging the gap between a cookery show and a travelogue as he and Mr Myers drive around on their motorcycles. Mr King was working as a location manager and assistant director of projects such as the Harry Potter series when he met Mr Myers and says launching their show changed his life. He said: ‘It was great and we have never looked back. We have a loyal fanbase which we are very privi-leged and proud to have. ‘[Dave’s] great – we are like two brothers. He just wants me to get better so we can get back on the road.’ Their last show, The Hairy Bikers Asian Adventure, saw them travel around the continent trying local food.
Si King was rushed to hospital after suffering from severe headaches . Had surgery to operate on a brain aneurysm and is now recovering . Says he is not quite ready to resume TV work with Hairy Bikers partner Dave Myers .