The Hairy Bikers come Hjem to Northumberland for BBC series finale

Si King and Dave Myers visit Restaurant Hjem, in the village of Wall, near Hexham, in the finale of The Hairy Bikers Go Local.

The series has seen the much-loved duo doing their best to bring local suppliers together with some of the UK’s top restaurants.

Restaurant Hjem, which was opened in May 2019 by Swedish chef Alex Nietosvuori and Northumberland-born Ally Thompson, has become a destination restaurant for lovers of fine dining.

During their time in Northumberland, the Hairy Bikers spend time at Hjem with Ally and Alex where they are served dishes from Alex’s stunning tasting menu, before going off on a mission to find inspirational ingredients from local producers.

Ally said: “It was a real pleasure to welcome Si and Dave to Hjem and serve them in our dining room. Although it was obviously a bit nerve wracking to have a film crew around, we had a lovely time.

“They were both so easy to get along with and they certainly know their food, so we were delighted to hear that they appreciated what we’re doing at Hjem.”

Later in the programme, Dave and Si return the favour – inviting Ally and Alex to nearby Healey Hall for a three-course meal to showcase the local suppliers they’ve found.

Wild salmon caught off the coast of Berwick; delights from a local fermented food company in Wallsend; and unique chocolate treats from Morpeth all feature.

Alex said: “Using the very best local produce is at the heart of what we do in the kitchen at Hjem and we’re always looking for new ideas, so this series was a perfect match.

“It was a great to spend some time around a dining table with Dave and Si and we’re really looking forward to seeing the finished programme.”

Hjem was the only North East restaurant to feature in the eight-part series.

The final episode of The Hairy Bikers Go Local airs on BBC2 at 8pm on Friday, January 13. The series will also be available on iPlayer.