Hairy Bikers

May I beg your indulgence for the nauseating fan-babble that is about to follow?

I love the Hairy Bikers. I don't know why - perhaps it is the northern pair's complete lack of pretension in an industry consumed by snobbery. British cuisine still lags behind the rest of the world because good food continues to be the preserve of the wealthy elite, an increasingly expensive way of proving your social status.

But I have followed Simon King and Dave Myer's show from day one. Two food fanatics devouring world cuisine, with minds open to the joys which lay outside our borders. And they are marvellous value on screen, a huge breath of fresh air for television cookery.

I've just met them at the Regatta. Resplendent in blazers and boaters, they are filming a cooking sketch all day today at the Barn Bar.

And they were charming. They posed happily for a photo and were pleased to chat, completely indistinguishable from their screen personas. How often can that be said?

As a way to kick off the Royal Regatta, this is going to take some beating.