Peter Kay is finally returning to the stage! Following the cancelled tour in 2018-19, the legendary comic will be performing some of the best stand up comedy in the UK for the first time in twelve years, in a mammoth tour from December 2022 until July 2025 – he has added new dates due to the overwhelming demand.
Peter’s 2010 tour still officially ranks as the biggest selling comedy tour, smashing world records, so it was no surprise when tickets sold out very quickly after going on general sale – at the same price as his last tour. Fortunately for fans that missed out on the initial release, they may get a chance to see Peter Kay at The O2 – this is the first stand up show to be given a monthly residency which will run from December 2022-February 2025.
In this article, we are going to be taking a look at one of the nation’s favourite comics in an effort to understand just how he became the hottest ticket on the UK comedy circuit, before then looking at how you can purchase tickets for a show on his tour.
Peter Kay’s Life so Far…
Born and raised in Bolton, Peter Kay has always wanted to make people laugh. In his autobiography, “The Sound of Laughter”, he describes how he used to do impressions for friends and family, as well as an improvised performance during a school rendition of The Wizard of Oz – a born entertainer.
After school, he worked several part-time jobs where he got inspiration for much of his comedy – the people he met and worked with would provide anecdotes and character traits for That Peter Kay Thing, which was his first major TV show. He kept up these part time jobs as he took his first steps into the world of stand up comedy.
In 1996 he was voted the best act at the North West Comedian of the Year a competition hosted by Dave Spikey, who would later co-write and co-star in Phoenix Nights, while one of the competitors he beat was Johnny Vegas. The following year, he won Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny? and he was nominated for a Perrier Award at the Edinburgh Festival in 1998.
His acclaim on stage was mirrored by success on television. That Peter Kay Thing led to Phoenix Nights, which led to Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere. These were a huge hit, and thrust him into the mainstream. He was everywhere, on chat shows, popular music, making cameo appearances and even appearing in the Wallace and Gromit feature length film The Curse of the Were-Rabbit.
Everyone knows a Peter Kay joke. Everyone has a favourite moment from one of his TV shows. He is a national treasure.
Previous tour
His first stand up comedy DVD, Live At The Top of the Tower, was massive – it felt like everyone got it for Christmas in 2000! “Garlic Bread!”, “Put big light on”, “Where you going on your holidays? T’Egypt” – the entire nation was quoting their favourite lines from this show. It really forced him into the national consciousness.
He entered the Guinness Book of World Records in 2012 as tickets for his stand up show smashed box office records for ticket sales. Having cancelled the tour in 2018 for family reasons, his latest tour is twelve years in the waiting – pre-sale tickets sold out in a matter of minutes, with demand at an all-time high. Everyone wants to see Peter Kay live.
Peter Kay New Tour and Dates
The latest tour, Better Late Than Never, will take Kay all over the country. Due to the overwhelming demand, more dates have been added. He has announced that he will attempt to keep ticket prices as low as possible – keeping the same price of his previous tour in 2012 where possible. A small amount of tickets are starting at £35 – but with demand at an all time high, they are difficult to come by. The top price seated ticket will vary from venue to venue and there are also hospitality packages available.
The Peter Kay tour programme includes visits to Manchester (AO Arena), Birmingham (Utilita Arena), Liverpool (M&S Bank Arena), Leeds (First Direct Arena), Sheffield (Utilita Arena), Belfast (SSE Arena), Newcastle (Utilita Arena), Dublin (3Arena), Glasgow (OVO Hydro), Cardiff (International Arena), Nottingham (Motorpoint Arena) and London (O2 Arena).
When to see Peter Kay Live at the O2, London
As we mentioned above, Kay is the first artist to have been given a monthly residency at the O2 in London he will be performing on the following dates:
2022 Tickets
Friday 16 December
2023 Tickets
Saturday 21st January, Saturday 18th February, Wednesday 22 March, Saturday 22nd April, Saturday 30th May, Saturday 3rd June. Saturday 29th July, Wednesday 30th August, Saturday 9th September, Saturday 7th October, Saturday 18th November, Saturday 16th December
2024 Tickets
Saturday 6th January, Saturday 24th February, Saturday 23rd March, Saturday 20th April, Saturday 4th May, Saturday 2nd June, Saturday 13th July, Saturday 10th August, Saturday 7th September, Tuesday 8th October, Saturday 16th November, Thursday 5th December
2025
Saturday 25th January, Saturday 22nd February
When to see Peter Kay Live at the AO Arena, Manchester
Similarly, you could get tickets to see him at the AO Arena in Manchester, where he will be performing regularly between December 2022 and July 2025. Here are the dates:
2022 Tickets
Friday 2nd December, Saturday 3rd December
2023 Tickets
Friday 22nd September, Saturday 23rd September, Thursday 19th October, Friday 20th October, Sunday 5th November, Monday 6th November, Friday 1st December
2024 Tickets
Friday 26th January, Saturday 27th January, Friday 9th February, Saturday 10th February, Friday 8th March, Saturday 9th March, Friday 5th April. Saturday 6th April, Friday 17th May, Saturday 18th May, Friday 14th June, Saturday 15th June, Saturday 27th July, Friday 23rd August, Saturday 24th August, Friday 20th September, Saturday 21st September, Friday 18th October, Saturday 19th October, Friday 1st November, Saturday 2nd November, Friday 29th November, Saturday 30th November, Friday 20th December, Saturday 21st December
2025 Tickets
Friday 10th January, Saturday 11th January, Saturday 8th February, Saturday 5th April, Saturday 17th May, Saturday 21st June, Friday 25th July
Why should you see Peter Kay?
Peter Kay is a national treasure and a comedy powerhouse. It has been 12 years since he last toured, and we don’t know how long it will be until he does again.
Our advice – find an entertainment venue that he is going to on his tour, get together some friends and family, book a hotel and have yourselves a nice weekend away treat.
Premium and VIP Peter Kay tickets
As we have mentioned a few times, demand for Peter Kay tickets is huge. If you are lucky enough to book tickets for one of his shows – well done, and prepare to see some of the best stand up comedy in the UK!
If you missed out on the initial sale, though, don’t worry. More dates have already been added, plus there is another option – Peter Kay hospitality packages.
A premium seat ticket package is a great way to secure tickets to high-demand events, and we have some great VIP packages for Peter Kay’s tour – whether you just want premium seats and fast track entry, or whether you want the full package with an executive suite to fill full of friends and family, we will have an option to suit you.
We have packages available for the AO Arena in Manchester and the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham – get in touch today and we can help you select the perfect package for you and your guests. Accessible tickets, tickets for wheelchair users and essential companion tickets can be included in the VIP packages – speak to us for more details
