Peter Kay adds even more dates to first stand-up tour in 12 years

Peter Kay has announced even more dates for his first stand-up comedy tour in 12 years.

New shows will take place in Newcastle, Birmingham and Glasgow and he will play a “record-breaking” 28th night at London’s O2 Arena.

The new tickets will go on sale on Sunday 11 December from 10am for shows in cities including Leeds, Manchester and Sheffield.

The comedian was moved to tears on the opening night of his first live comedy tour in 12 years. It was the long-anticipated first gig in a lengthy arena tour spanning December to late 2023.

The 49-year-old star of Peter Kay’s Car Share chose to make the announcement on Twitter during an advert break for the launch show of reality show I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here!

Kay shared a clip of himself in shorts and sliders carrying a carpet across a road.

A voice from inside a car shouts: "Look it's Peter Kay. Hey garlic bread!"

Kay replies "It's the future lads."

He revealed he is going back on tour launching at Manchester Arena in December and tickets went on sale on 12 November at peterkay.co.uk, Ticketmaster and Gigs and Tours.

Appearing on Radio 2's Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on 9 November, Kay also confirmed a monthly residency at The O2 in London. It will start on 16 December and run until 18 November 2023.

He is the first artist in the world to perform a monthly residency at the venue, the announcement said.

Buy tickets through Ticketmaster

Buy tickets through Gigs and Tours

Buy tickets through peterkay.co.uk

Kay's debut arena tour in 2002 was titled Mum Wants A Bungalow.

He last toured in 2011, and was due to go on the road in 2018.

But in December 2017 he cancelled all of his work commitments in due to “unforeseen family circumstances” and since then has only made a couple of rare public appearances to support charity work.

The Phoenix Nights star had been due to tour in 2020 with his Dance For Life show.

Announcing the cancellation at the start of the coronavirus pandemic he said: “Obviously this is disappointing news but well and truly justified given the circumstances.

“We'll get through this, together and then we'll all have a great big dance for life.

“Stay safe and look after yourselves and the people around you.”

Later that year he made a rare public appearance as part of the BBC's The Big Night In charity fundraiser.

Kay was on TV in 2018 for two special episodes of his sitcom Car Share and had been due to begin touring again earlier this year, but had to cancel because of the coronavirus pandemic.

In April 2018 he raised over £34,000 for for The Lily Foundation, a charity that researches mitochondrial disease, with a special screening of Car Share at the Blackpool Opera House.

Read more: Peter Kay gets 'Car Share' fans' hopes up as he says he might revive 'favourite series'

The Cradle To The Grave star is married to Susan Gargan and they have three children together, with Kay fiercely guarding his family’s privacy.

Watch: Peter Kay performed a fundraising show in 2021 for friend Laura Nuttall who has cancer