‘ re you ‘elen'.” says Peter Kay in his lamiliar Bolton A accent. I go to shake his hand but he‘s having none
of it. Instead. he gives me a hug and a peck on the cheek. Peter Kay exudes vvarrnth and friendliness. despite this being the third press intervievy ol' the day. ‘\\'here have you come l‘rom'." he asks. lidinhurgh. l tell him. ‘()h (iod love you. you‘ve come all that vvay for this'.”
Peter Kay seems genuinely taken ahack hy' all the attention. Ballled even. In his management’s ollicc in Soho Square. the posters advertising his forthcoming stand—up tour have inst arrived. Billed as the totrr to [my his rntrrn a hungalovv (vvhich he says is true). he informs me that he‘s having to do Si) dates due
to ptrhlic demand and that some venues have already sold out. Not had considering that this is his first major national tour.
'lt‘s sold so vvell and it’s dillicult not to add more dates hut l have to think about hovv physically knackercd I‘m going to he.‘ says Kay. 'But then the more I think ahout it. it's hardly hloody work is it'.’ It's not like you're at the coal lace. you‘re on stage for tvvo hours having a latrgh.~
llis achievement and grovving popularity may well he hallling to Kay. hut since he decided to hecome a comedian in his mid 20s. opportunity has knocked for the 29-year-old Bolton-horn comic. In 19%. he vvon the North West (‘omedian ol' the "ear (heating .lohnny Vegas) and in l‘)‘)7. he vvas vvinner' ol~ (‘hannel 4’s So l’iru 'I'lrin/v' You're I‘M/my. .\ year later. his three-week run at the lidinhurgh Festival liringe vvas nominated for a Perrier Avvard. He then scooped avvards for Top Stand-l 'p and Top TV C ornedy Newcomer at the British (‘ornedy Avvards. The strength of his stand-up led to TV offers. including The
Stat-ices. a one-oil spool' documentary set in a motorvvay service station. He l’ollovvcd this with That Peter Kay Thing. six dircumentary-sty‘lc comedies. And then vve come onto l’lrm'niv Rig/11s. the comedy-drama set in a struggling northern vvorking men‘s cluh. vvhich is novv in its second series on (‘hannel 4. Kay last went on the road in l‘)‘)‘) vvith a brief stand—up tour of the north-vvcst oi lingland. The video release Peter Kay live u! the 'lirp o/‘Ilrc ’Iim‘er became a comedy hest-seller. .-\nd for this year’s l’ringe. alter a lottr-y'ear ahsence. he’s doing six vvarm-up dates. allovving Scottish audiences the chance to sample his nevv material. '1 really like lidinhurghf he says. ‘\\'hen l vvas last there and I got nominated for the Perrier. it
vverc cracking and in a vvay that‘s vvhy I didn‘t vvant to come hack straight avvay’. Sometimes vvhen you do something again. it‘s never quite the same.’
liven before his lirst l'estival appearance in NW). Kay and fellow chuhhy comedian .lohnny Vegas did a gig in lidinhurgh. ‘\\'e did one ot'those liirkin puhs. (Bod. it vvas a right nightmaref he laughs. "l‘hey held a curtain up in this ptrh as they had people in the other room vvatching the l'oothall. You could hear it? So here vve vvcre trying to do this shovv in broad daylight. We ended up doing a rallle hecause vvc were just dying on our arses.’
llovv things have changed for Peter Kay. liven with increasing lame and fortune. he is still dovvn-to-earth. He lives
Whoever said nice
guys finish last
obviously hasn’t
met PETER KAY.
From his humble Bolton beginnings
to teetering on the . _ brink of mega- . Vi \ stardom with
Phoenix Nights.
Kayisthe
proverbial salt of
the earth.
Helen Monaghan.