Aurora, part of Banijay Entertainment, is working with TV presenter, chef and author Si King (one half of The Hairy Bikers) and his new production company, Magnetic North Productions, on his first dedicated YouTube channel.
As The Hairy Bikers, King and the late Dave Myers fronted over 30 television series and published 33 cookbooks. King has a regular cooking slot on This Morning and a TV show, Britain’s Favourite Railway Stations.
Launching as a hub for original content, Si King Official will feature recipes and travel content. It comes as King gears up for the launch of his first solo cookery book, Proper Home Cooking. King already has 1.4 million followers across social media.
“This channel is for anyone who loves great food and is up for an adventure—wherever they’re watching,” King said. “It’s brilliant to be able to put time and energy into things I’m genuinely passionate about, and this feels like exactly that. Between the book and now the channel, it’s a chance to do things properly, on my own terms, and bring people along with me in a way that feels honest and true to who I am.”
Sarah Stevenson, director of development at Aurora, noted, “Si is the perfect example of the breadth of talent and storytelling that viewers want to see on YouTube. He’s been a trusted face on our screens for 20-plus years, always finding new ways to reach viewers, and now he’s doing exactly the same thing on YouTube. Brands are already lining up to work directly with Si on his channel, proof of the market shift, and proof that talent owning their own space matters more than ever. Aurora has extensive experience helping brands and talent navigate this rapidly evolving YouTube space. We couldn’t be more excited to work with Si and Magnetic North to help grow his audience and unlock opportunities with partners together.”
François Gandolfi, co-director of Magnetic North Productions, commented, “We’ve been developing Si’s digital plans for some time because we wanted to create a space where we could make the kind of content Si genuinely loves and give him a direct relationship with his audience. We’ve built a strong slate of original films for launch, but the ambition goes much further than that. Aurora brings valuable digital expertise as we develop the channel, commercial partnerships and new opportunities around it. And with Magnetic North operating on both sides of the Channel, we’re already having some really interesting and serious conversations about where we can take Si’s content internationally.”
