PETER KAY Kay has announced his return to stand-up comedy with his first live tour in 12 years.

The 49-year-old comedian, who has been largely absent from the public eye for the last four years, will embark on an arena tour spanning from this December to August 2023.

It will be his first live tour since 2010, when he scored the Guinness World Record for the biggest selling run of all time, playing to more than 1.2 million people.

His comeback was announced during an advertisement break in the series launch of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! on ITV.

He said: “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.

“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.”

Kay will begin his tour on December 2 at the Manchester AO Arena before visiting locations including Birmingham, Liverpool, Sheffield, Belfast, Newcastle, Glasgow and Dublin.

His run will end on August 11 2023 at the Sheffield Utilita Arena.

Kay has been largely out of the spotlight in recent years.

He returned to the stage in August 2021 for two special charity events to raise money for Laura Nuttall, a then 20-year-old with an aggressive type of brain cancer called glioblastoma multiforme.

There was also a brief return in January 2021 when he appeared on BBC Radio 2 to chat to Cat Deeley – who was filling in after Graham Norton left the station – about his love of music, mixtapes and the musical Mamma Mia.

He also made a surprise appearance at a charity screening of his series Car Share in 2018.

Kay cancelled his last tour in December 2017, citing “unforeseen family circumstances”.

Over the last few years, Kay has delighted fans with his hit Bafta-winning TV series Car Share and stand-up routines.

Tickets go on sale November 12 at 10am via www.gigsandtours.com and www.ticketmaster.co.uk. For Belfast and Dublin, tickets will be available at www.ticketmaster.ie.

Full list of tour dates and venues



Fri 02 December 2022            Manchester AO Arena
Sat 03 December 2022           Manchester AO Arena
Sat 17 December 2022           Birmingham Utilita Arena
Fri 06 January 2023                Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
Sat 07 January 2023               Liverpool M&S Bank Arena
Fri 20 January 2023                Leeds First Direct Arena
Fri 17 February 2023             Sheffield Utilita Arena
Thu 23 February 2023            Belfast SSE Arena
Fri 24 February 2023             Belfast SSE Arena
Thu 09 March 2023                Newcastle Utilita Arena
Fri 10 March 2023                  Newcastle Utilita Arena
Thu 23 March 2023                Birmingham Resorts World Arena
Thu 06 April 2023                   Dublin 3Arena
Fri 07 April 2023                     Dublin 3Arena
Fri 05 May 2023                      Glasgow OVO Hydro
Sat 06 May 2023                     Glasgow OVO Hydro
Fri 19 May 2023                      Leeds First Direct Arena
Fri 16 June 2023                     Cardiff International Arena
Sat 17 June 2023                    Cardiff International Arena
Fri 14 July 2023                       Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Sat 15 July 2023                      Nottingham Motorpoint Arena
Fri 11 August 2023                 Sheffield Utilita Arena