Comedian Peter Kay made an unexpected appearance during the debut episode of the new series of I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here on Sunday (17 November) to make an announcement about his record-breaking tour.
During the first advertisement break in the hit ITV show, which saw celebrities such as Coleen Rooney, Alan Halsall and Tulisa Contostavlos enter the jungle, a humourous commercial for Kay was aired.
The advert saw the 51-year-old comedian, best known for his shows Phoenix Nights and Car Share, carrying a golden toilet into his mother’s bungalow, a reference to the title of his highly successful “Mum Wants A Bungalow” tour in 2002.
As he’s entering the house, which now features a mural of Queen’s Freddie Mercury on the garage door, he’s asked by an onlooker: “Are you doing any more shows?”
In response, Kay yells back: “I have no choice – she wants it all now.”
A graphic then appears, informing fans that Kay is expanding his “Better Late Than Never” tour, which began in 2022, to incorporate 21 new dates.
The additional shows will start in February 2025 and conclude 12 months later. It will include his first dates at Aberdeen P&J Live, Brighton Centre, Bournemouth International Centre and Isle of Man Villa Marina.
Kay has broken several records already on the tour, including selling out 45 dates at London’s 02 Arena and playing 100 shows at Manchester’s AO Arena.
In a statement, the comedian said: “It’s been wonderful doing what I love most, stand-up comedy. Laughter is more important than ever in these challenging times and with the cost of living still at an all-time high, ticket prices for the new dates will start from £35.”
Tickets are set to go on sale on 23 November at 10am.
Earlier this year, Kay was among a handful of acts that had to cancel planned shows at Manchester’s new Co-Op arena as the venue experienced numerous technical difficulties, due to “not being ready”.
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In an X/Twitter post on, Kay wrote: “To everybody with tickets, my apologies once again but unfortunately the Co-op Live still isn’t ready and so, as yet, remains untested for a large-scale audience.
“Consequently, they are having to reschedule my two shows yet again (I know I can’t believe it either).”
In 2023, Kay hinted that he might revive his popular Phoenix Nights character for a new film.
Kay co-created and starred in the cult British series from 2001 to 2002, playing Brian Potter, the owner of a working men’s club in Bolton.
The 50-year-old comic subsequently revived the character for a Comic Relief special in 2003 but has resisted calls for a revival of the series.
Writing in his forthcoming memoir TV: Big Adventures on the Small Screen, a follow-up to his best-selling 2007 autobiography The Sound of Laughter, Kay said that he could imagine bringing back Potter for a feature film.
“I still write down ideas. I had an idea only today of Brian getting Young Kenny to paint an enormous letter ‘H’ on the roof of the club so he can advertise they’ve got a helicopter pad,” writes Kay, according to extracts published by The Sun.