Was there a cynical attempt to boost demand?

Yet more tickets have gone on sale for Peter Kay's first tour in eight years.

In what appears to be a cynical attempt to hype up demand, just 26 UK and Ireland arena dates were initially announced.

Yet within three of them going on sale at 10am this morning, the tour had  expanded several times and now boasts a mammoth 100 dates.

Restricting the number of dates initially available certainly fuelled demand, with ticket websites struggling to cope and frustrated fans being held in online queues.

Yet had fans waited, they would have found dozens more dates released. Tickets for the new dates are available instantly, compared the long delays in buying seats for the initial batch.

The initial choking of supply certainly spurred on the would-be touts - hundreds of tickets are on sale for up to £1,100 each on the main 'resale' sites... though whether anyone will pay anything like that much now the tour has vastly expanded is doubtful.

Kay’s last tour, in 2010, holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest-selling comedy tour of all time, playing to more than 1.2 million people. 

The comedian said of stand-up: ’I really miss it. I know how lucky I am to be making television series and have really loved these past few years working on Car Share but I miss doing stand-up. 

‘As terrifying as it is, when it works there's nothing more fun and exciting. Plus, a lot has happened in the last eight years, with Trump, Twitter and my Nan getting her front bush trimmed at the age of 96. 

‘I can't wait to get back up on stage.’

On Friday, Kay made the surprise announcement that Car Share would be returning for two more episodes - a finale to tie up the main storyline next year, and a special improvised episode at Christmas.

Here is the full, current schedule of Peter Kay dates, promoted by SJM Concerts. Tickets are available here and elsewhere.

2018 

Saturday 21 April: Birmingham Genting Arena 
Sunday 22 April: Birmingham Genting Arena
Monday 23 April: Birmingham Genting Arena
Friday 27 April: Birmingham Genting Arena
Saturday 28 April: Birmingham Genting Arena
Tuesday 1 May:   Birmingham Genting Arena
Wednesday 2 May: Birmingham Genting Arena
Saturday 5 May: Birmingham Genting Arena
Sunday 6 May: Birmingham Genting Arena
Monday 7 May: Birmingham Genting Arena
Monday 14 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro 
Tuesday 15 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro   
Friday 18 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro   
Saturday 19 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro   
Sunday 20 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro   
Wednesday 23 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro   
Thursday 24 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro    
Friday 25 May: Glasgow The SSE Hydro   
Monday 4 June: Manchester Arena
Tuesday 5 June: Manchester Arena 
Wednesday 6 June:   Manchester Arena 
Saturday 9 June: Manchester Arena
Sunday 10 June:  Manchester Arena
Wednesday 13 June: Manchester Arena
Thursday 14 June: Manchester Arena
Friday 15 June: Manchester Arena
Tuesday 19 June:  Manchester Arena
Wednesday 20 June: Manchester Arena
Saturday 23 June: Manchester Arena
Satruday 24 June: Manchester Arena
Sunday 25 June:  Manchester Arena
Thursday 28 June: Manchester Arena
Friday 29 June: Manchester Arena
Saturday 30 June:  Manchester Arena
Thursday 13 September: London The O2  
Friday 14 September:   London The O2    
Saturday 15 September: London The O2  
Thursday 20 September: London The O2  
Friday 21 September:   London The O2  
Saturday 22 September: London The O2
Thursday 27 September: London The O2  
Saturday 28 September: London The O2
Sunday 29 September: London The O2
Tuesday 2 October: Leeds First Direct Arena 
Wednesday 3 October: Leeds First Direct Arena 
Saturday 6 October: Leeds First Direct Arena 
Sunday 7 October: Leeds First Direct Arena    
Monday 8 October: Leeds First Direct Arena 
Thursday 11 October:   Leeds First Direct Arena    
Friday 12 October: Leeds First Direct Arena 
Saturday 13 October: Leeds First Direct Arena        

2019

Sunday 13 January: Belfast SSE Arena  
Monday 14 January: Belfast SSE Arena  
Tuesday 15 January: Belfast SSE Arena
Friday 18 January: Belfast SSE Arena  
Saturday 19 January: Belfast SSE Arena
Monday 20 January:Belfast SSE Arena
Wednesday 23 January:  Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Thursday 24 January: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Friday 25 January: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Monday 28 January:  Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Tuesday 29 January: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena   
Friday 1 February: Dublin 3 Arena   
Saturday 2 February: Dublin 3 Arena   
Sunday 3 February: Dublin 3 Arena 
Wednesday 6 February:   Dublin 3 Arena    
Tuesday 7 February: Dublin 3 Arena 
Friday 8 February: Dublin 3 Arena    
Monday 11 February: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena   
Tuesday 12 February:   Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Friday 15 February: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Saturday 16 February:   Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Wednesday 27 February: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Thursday 28 February: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Friday 1 March: Newcastle Metro Radio Arena
Monday 4 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena    
Tuesday 5 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena  
Friday 8 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena  
Saturday 9 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena  
Wednesday 13 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena  
Thursday 14 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena  
Friday 15 March: Sheffield FlyDSA Arena  
Monday 18 March: Liverpool Echo Arena 
Tuesday 19 March: Liverpool Echo Arena
Friday 22 March: Liverpool Echo Arena
Saturday 23 March: Liverpool Echo Arena
Wednesday 27 March: Liverpool Echo Arena
Thursday 28 March: Liverpool Echo Arena
Friday 29 March: Liverpool Echo Arena
Saturday 4 May: Manchester Arena
Saturday 5 May: Manchester Arena
Sunday 6 May: Manchester Arena
Friday 10 May:Manchester Arena​
Friday 17 May: Leeds First Direct Arena
Friday 18 May: Leeds First Direct Arena
Thursday 6 June: London The O2
Friday 7 June: London The O2
Saturday 8 June: London The O2
Friday 13 June: London The O2
Saturday 14 June: London The O2

Published: 19 Nov 2017