Comedian Peter Kay announces monthly stand-up residency at London's O2 Arena

Peter Kat will start the residency in December 2022. Credit: PA

Peter Kay has announced a monthly residency at The O2 in London - making him the first artist in the world to do so.

It will start on December 16 2022 and run until November 18 2023.

The 49-year-old comedian, from Bolton, announced his return to standup comedy with his first live tour in 12 years on Sunday, 6 November.

Kay said the reaction to the announcement has been "unbelievable".

He joined Zoe Ball on her BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show on Wednesday, 9 November, and told her he could not believe he was the "main news on telly" following his comeback being announced on Sunday during an advertisement break of I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!'s new series launch on ITV.

Kay said: "(BBC News presenter) Huw Edwards said he had to get some tickets at the end.

"Huw Edwards is going to queue up for tickets ... Him? I cannot get my head (around) it.

"I thought we should call this tour Peter Who? because I haven't been (around) for five years.

"Being on the news ... can you get your head around that?"

Kay scored the Guinness World Record for the biggest-selling run of all time in 2010, playing to more than 1.2 million people.

Kay also said he gave his bouncy castle from his show Phoenix Nights to a Pride event in Manchester and hinted that his character Brian's wheelchair will show up next week.

"I can't say why, it's top secret, someone's going to borrow it next week," he said.

Kay also told Ball he has done practice shows with three more coming up before the tour.

"They are going well, I've done a few now," he said. "People keep calling them secret gigs, but they're not secret at all.

"They're just online (to book) and they're just first come first served and they come and that's it."

Kay has been largely out of the public eye for the past four years.

The comedian's last live tour was in 2010, when he became the Guinness World Record holder for the biggest selling run of all time, playing to over 1.2 million people.

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

Laura Nuttall and her mum and dad at last year's Peter Kay gig in Manchester Credit: PA images

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

He will kick off his arena tour on 2 December at the Manchester AO Arena, before visiting locations across the UK and Ireland.

Tickets go on sale on Saturday 12 November at 10am and prices start at £35.

Kay said: "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."

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