First dates since he cancelled 2017 arena shows

Peter Kay, is returning to stand-up comedy after 12 years.

The comic has announced his first arena dates since pulling out of his 2017 tour just days after announcing it, citing family reasons.

He said tonight: ‘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.'
Kay was also keen to point out that ticket prices are starting from £35 - the same price they were on his previous tour in 2010.

That tour still officially ranks with the Guinness Book of World Records as the biggest selling comedy tour of all time, playing to more than 1.2 million people.

The new dates were revealed in an advert which was shown in the break of the I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Here! launch  tonight.

The video features a fan quoting his famous line 'garlic bread' at him, with the comic replying: 'It’s the future!' The teaser also makes reference to his Mum Wants A Bungalow tour in 2002.

Kay has been largely out of the spotlight since cancelling the tour, though he occasionally makes surprise charity appearances, and returned to the stage earlier this year to DJ his Dance For Life fundraisers.

And he had recently been performing ultra-secret work in progress gigs at the Lowry in Salford.

Tickets for the new shows – which kick off in Manchester, near his Bolton hometown, on December 2 – go on sale on Saturday at 10am.

The tour schedule is as follows – though given the success of the last one, more dates are likely to be added.

Fri 2 December: Manchester AO Arena
Sat 3 December: Manchester AO Arena
Sat 17 December: Birmingham Utilita Arena
Fri 06 January 2023:Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
Sat 07 January: Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
Fri 20 January: Leeds First Direct Arena
Fri 17 February: Sheffield Utilita Arena
Thu 23 February: Belfast SSE Arena
Fri 24 February: Belfast SSE Arena
Thu 09 March: Newcastle Utilita Arena
Fri 10 March: Newcastle Utilita Arena
Thu 23 March: Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Thu 06 April:  Dublin 3Arena
Fri 07 April: Dublin 3Arena
Fri 05 May: Glasgow OVO Hydro
Sat 06 May: Glasgow OVO Hydro
Fri 19 May: Leeds First Direct Arena
Fri 16 June: Cardiff International Arena
Sat 17 June:  Cardiff International Arena
Fri 14 July: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Sat 15 July: Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Fri 11 August: Sheffield Utilita Arena

Published: 6 Nov 2022