Boom in resale market

Peter Kay fans have been paying up to £600 to see his first tour in seven years.

Online marketplace Viagogo said he was the comedian with by far the biggest mark-up on tickets traded on their site, far outstripping the likes of Billy Connolly, whose could command up to £100.

But in terms of volume, more tickets were bought and sold for Michael McIntyre than any other artist.

He toured extensively throughout the year, performing to more than 500,000 people. However. that meant his tickets had less rarity value than Kay’s limited run, so £87 was the most anyone paid on the second-hand market to see him.

Ed Parkinson, director of Viagogo UK, said: ‘This truly has been a great year for comedy with all the greats taking to the stage. 

‘The public’s appetite for comedy tours seems to be ever-increasing and with people paying up to at staggering £600 for the best seats to see Peter Kay this year, it seems it’s hard to put a price on a good laugh.’

The list of comics with the most tickets resold is, in order:

1. Michael McIntyre
2. Billy Connolly
3. Peter Kay
4. Eddie Izzard
5. Russell Brand
6. Ricky Gervais
7. Frankie Boyle
8. Jimmy Carr
9. Lee Mack
10. Russell Howard

    Published: 18 Dec 2009