The Bolton comedian makes a triumphant return in the first date of his first tour for 12 years.
Image source, PA MediaComedian Peter Kay was moved to tears as he was given a standing ovation at the start of his first tour for 12 years.
The crowd chanted his name as he took to the stage at Manchester’s AO arena.
He had to compose himself before telling fans: “How am I supposed to do comedy now? I can’t believe you made me cry.”
It was the first of 110 arena dates the Bolton star will perform over the next two-and-a-half years.
He had been due to go on tour in 2017, but cancelled that due to “unforeseen family circumstances”.
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On Friday, he showed around 20,000 fans in Manchester that he was still the king of making us laugh at seemingly ordinary stuff that we all remember and relate to – and pointing out the ridiculous things about real life.
That included jokes harking back to the adverts and TV theme tunes of his childhood, working in a video shop – and a routine putting a new spin on his famous “garlic bread” catchphrase.
Arguably Britain’s most popular stand-up comedian, there was huge demand when tickets went on sale last month.
He has made occasional live appearances since cancelling his last tour, but this set of dates will be the first time most fans have seen him live for more than a decade.
The 49-year-old will play 41 more times at the Manchester venue, the biggest arena in the UK, culminating with his final scheduled tour date on 25 July 2025.
The tour will see him play 27 times at London’s O2 arena – appearing there once a month between now and February 2025.
He will also visit cities including Birmingham, Sheffield, Leeds and Belfast. The total of 110 nights is only just short of the 113 dates he played in 2010-11, which broke the world record for the biggest-selling comedy tour ever, playing to more than 1.1 million people.
Image source, Getty Images
This time, he said he decided to keep the cost of the cheapest seats at £35 – the same as they were on his last tour – because of the cost of living crisis.
“You’ve got to meet people halfway. It’s bad times, plus that’s why people need a laugh,” he recently told BBC Radio 2’s Zoe Ball. The cost rises to £150, including fees, for the best seats.