‘No nonsense, straight as a die’: Hairy Biker Si King on ‘great’ Sam Fender before Sunderland festival

The Hairy Bikers chef Si King has heaped praise on fellow North East lad and musician Sam Fender.

The North Shields singer has broken into the big time over the last few years with his relatable songwriting and down-to-earth attitude winning over those in the region and much further afield.

Chef and presenter Si, who is one half of The Hairy Bikers duo alongside Dave Myers, also hails from the North East.

Dave is currently fighting cancer but is “doing OK”, as Si revaled on This Morning last month.

As well as being a dab-hand in the kitchen and on our screens, Si is also a talented musician.

His group The King Cush Band will take to the stage at Sunderland's Souled Out Festival this weekend.

Ahead of the event, Si talked to NewcastleWorld about the Geordie singer on everyone's lips.

Si said: "I absolutely love what Sam is doing.

"He's actually a mate of my son's! I know Sam. We had the occasion to share a dressing room together when we were doing something.

"I love what he does and he's learnt his trade.

"He's a very skilled singer-songwriter.

"The band and people he has around him are really good as far as I'm aware.

"Sam is a very, very special talent and I'm incredibly proud he's come from the North East.

"That track 'Seventeen Going Under' is incredible songwriting and incredibly crafted.

"He's a great human being and an incredible ambassador for the North East.

"No nonsense, dead straight as a die, what more could you want? Love him."

Fender hit the headlines last week as he shared a drink with Johnny Depp on the Newcastle Quayside.

Depp posed for a selfie with Fender at the same time as the verdict from his high-profile libel case against Amber Heard was read out in the United States.

Fender labelled the actor a 'hero' in an Instagram story that he later apologised for and labelled 'ignorant'.