Mike Locke (Pancho) Obituary: Dirty Sanchez TV Star and Stunt Performer Dies at 47 as Fans Pay Tribute to Welsh Television Icon

Mike Locke (Pancho) Obituary: Dirty Sanchez TV Star and Stunt Performer Dies at 47 as Fans Pay Tribute to Welsh Television Icon

Micheal Richard Locke Obituary, Cause Of Death, Dirty Sanchez TV star Pancho dead at 47, Mike Locke, the stunt performer and television personality known to viewers as Pancho, has died aged 47.

Locke rose to fame on *Dirty Sanchez*, the outrageous MTV stunt and prank show that became a cult hit in the 2000s. Born in Neath and raised in the Port Talbot area, he appeared alongside Matthew Pritchard, Lee Dainton and Dan Joyce, taking part in the show’s often extreme challenges and pranks.

Before television, Locke was a skateboarder and stuntman. His fearless on-screen persona helped make *Dirty Sanchez* one of the most talked-about programmes of its kind, attracting a devoted audience in the UK and beyond. The series followed the group as they took on painful stunts, travelled widely and pushed the limits of endurance and good taste.

In recent years, Locke had built a different kind of legacy through his connection with San Portablo, a clothing brand celebrating Port Talbot and its people. He worked with founder Nigel Hunt, a close friend who launched the label after losing his job at the nearby steelworks.

Earlier in 2026, Locke spoke to WalesOnline alongside Hunt about the brand and the town they shared. He said San Portablo helped celebrate the community and challenge the idea that Port Talbot was merely a place people passed through, overshadowed by its industrial past.

“It’s the key to celebrating us, and the town and not being seen as this pass-through town that’s hiding in the shadow of the steelworks,” he said.

Locke acknowledged the impact of the steelworks’ difficulties on local workers, adding: “My heart goes out to all the people who lost their jobs there.” But he also spoke with optimism about the town’s future, saying it was “shining bright” and moving through “a cultural phenomenon”.

The comments reflected a more personal side of a man many first encountered through the chaos and bravado of *Dirty Sanchez*. Alongside his television fame, Locke remained closely connected to his Welsh roots and took pride in supporting a brand that gave the town a platform and a strong sense of identity.

News of his death has prompted tributes from fans and those who remember the show’s unruly humour and unforgettable stunts. Locke’s career carried him from skateboarding and stunt work to cult television and, later, a creative project rooted in the community he called home.

He is remembered both as Pancho, one of the defining faces of *Dirty Sanchez*, and as Mike Locke: a friend, collaborator and proud advocate for Port Talbot.