Inside Peter Kay’s career revival as he announces ‘last lot of tour dates’

Peter Kay delighted fans this week with a brand new tour announcement after being forced to reschedule nights of his ongoing UK tour due to a routine surgery.

The Bolton comedian, 52, announced his long-awaited comeback tour in 2022 after 12 years and has been touring across the UK consistently since.

Despite his Better Late Than Never tour set to end next year, it won’t be the last fans see of Kay, with a new set of dates set for 2026, with profits going to 12 different cancer charities.

It comes after Kay revealed that two shows in Nottingham would be moved from October to December due to a kidney surgery.

Despite the excitement over the tour announcement, Kay’s announcement on The One Show that this will be the ‘last lot of shows’ has led some fans to believe this could be his final tour or that he could retreat from the spotlight once more.

Why did Peter Kay step out of the spotlight?

The comedian’s five-year break from the spotlight began in 2017, when his Have Gags, Will Travel tour was cancelled.

In a statement at the time, he said: ‘Due to unforeseen family circumstances, I deeply regret that I am having to cancel all of my upcoming work projects.

‘This unfortunately includes my upcoming stand-up tour, Dance For Life shows, and any outstanding live work commitments.

‘My sincerest apologies. This decision has not been taken lightly, and I’m sure you’ll understand my family must always come first.

‘I’ve always endeavoured to protect my family’s privacy from the media. I hope that the media and the public will continue to respect our privacy at this time. Once again, I’m very sorry.’

Before this tour, he had last hit the stage in 2010 with his world record-breaking The Tour That Doesn’t Tour Tour…Now On Tour, which played to more than 1.2million people.

In 2018, Kay returned to social media to announce a charity screening of Peter Kay’s Car Share to raise money for The Lily Foundation before once again disappearing.

A year later, he made a surprise appearance at a screening of Car Share at Blackpool Opera House.

In August 2022, he delighted fans at the Dance For Life show in Liverpool for Cancer Research.

Then, he began gearing up to return to the stage properly by testing new material on fans at a series of surprise gigs around the country.

When did he announce his comeback tour?

Fans were sent into meltdown in November 2022 when Kay announced his return to stand-up comedy with his first tour in 12 years.

He shared details of the 100-date Better Late Than Never tour, which initially began in December 2022.

Following the first announcement, tickets sold out in minutes, leading to more dates being added again and again due to popular demand.

Since then, he has been touring consistently and holds the distinction of being the only artist in the world to have a residency at The O2.

His monthly appearances at the 20,000-seat arena have been credited with redefining the scale and ambition of stand-up comedy on a global stage.

Kay has also played 100 shows at the AO Arena in Manchester and has broken attendance and performance records.

The comedian was moved to tears when he first returned to the stage in Manchester after more than a decade, receiving rapturous applause from the audience.

‘Aw, you’ll have me in bits,’ the loveable Car Share star said.

‘Lovely Manchester, you made me cry. I can’t believe I cried. Where did it come from, all that emotion?’

To try and keep ticket prices low amid the cost of living crisis, Kay kept prices starting from £35, as they would have been when the tour was initially announced in 2017.

‘It’s good to get back to what I love doing best, stand-up comedy, and if there’s ever a time people need a laugh, it’s now,’ he said at the time.

‘And with the cost of living at an all-time high, ticket prices are starting from £35. The same price they were on my previous tour in 2010.’

Is this Peter Kay’s final tour?

Kay has not announced any plans to hang up his microphone just yet, but his latest tour is coming to an end.

Now entering its fourth year, the Better Late Than Never tour will wrap up next year with some extra special charity shows.

Appearing on The One Show alongside Rebel Wilson and Kiefer Sutherland on the red sofa, he said: ‘It’s finishing next year, and I am announcing the last lot of shows, but all profits are going to cancer charities.

‘They’re all 12 cancer charities, which are Children with Cancer, UK Teenage Cancer Trust, Kidney Cancer UK, Blood Cancer UK, Bowel Cancer UK, Prostate UK.’

He continued: ‘Unfortunately, everybody knows someone who’s been affected on that list, and I just hope people support it. 

‘Come to the shows. That’s why I’m here. You don’t even have to like me to come. It goes beyond that. This is about supporting these charities. It will be lovely.

‘If it’s not funny, you get your money back,’ he joked to BBC One viewers, before adding: ‘You don’t.’

Appealing to those who are looking for something for a loved one this year, Kay concluded: ‘I hope you’ll come and do it. It’s a good Christmas gift and all. Don’t forget Christmas.’

Addressing the idea of retiring on Scott Mills’ BBC Radio 2 show, he said: ‘I always loved making people happy, I still do… it sounds like a cliché, but it’s a vocation. I knew I liked making people laugh, but there’s no chance I’ll ever be able to do that as a living.

‘These really are the last dates.’

When he was cheekily compared to Dancing On Ice stars Torvill and Dean, he joked: ‘Oh, I’m not that bad. They’ve retired about 10 times!’

The tickets for Kay’s extra shows will go on sale this Sunday at 10am, with further details here.

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