Comedian Peter Kay was barely recognisable during a rare public appearance. The much-loved stand-up comic, who recently made a triumphant return to the small screen in the Christmas special of Wallace and Gromit, was spotted taking a leisurely walk in London.
He's currently on his Better Late Than Never tour, which has seen him travelling across the country for the past three years. The 51 year old was seen hopping back onto his tour bus at the O2 Arena in the pics, obtained by the Mirror, with his next gig scheduled for Manchester on February 7.
Dressed casually and keeping a low profile, he sported a simple black fleece and blue jeans, accessorised with a backpack and hat. The Cradle to Grave actor's choice of attire highlighted his dramatic weight loss, making him almost unrecognisable after his hiatus from the limelight.
Peter took a step back from public life after cancelling his 2018 and 2019 tours, rarely being seen out since. When he cancelled, he released a statement saying: "Due to unforeseen family circumstances I deeply regret that I am having to cancel all of my upcoming work projects. This unfortunately includes my upcoming stand-up tour, Dance For Life shows and any outstanding live work commitments.
"My sincerest apologies. This decision has not been taken lightly and I'm sure you'll understand my family must always come first. I've always endeavoured to protect my family's privacy from the media. I hope that the media and the public will continue to respect our privacy at this time. Once again I'm very sorry."
After his enigmatic announcement, he was next seen making a surprise appearance at a charity screening of his TV series Car Share in 2018, followed by a sighting on a tram tour in Blackpool in April 2019. In April 2020, he featured prominently on BBC's Big Night In during the remake of Tony Christie's Amarillo video, before making a comeback to the stage in April 2022 with a performance in Manchester and shows in Liverpool.
Following his return to live performances, Peter resumed touring in earnest towards the end of 2022. In November, he was moved to tears on the opening night of his first live comedy tour in 12 years.
The comedian was greeted with a prolonged standing ovation, as fans chanted his name when he stepped onto the stage.
Peter's comeback to comedy has proven to be a tremendous hit, with the star amassing an impressive £27 million from his 35 touring gigs in 2024, as reported by the official tour earnings rundown from US analytics firm Pollstar.
Better Late Than Never was hailed as one of the most successful global tours of the previous year, with his extraordinary earnings ranking him fourth among the world's highest-grossing shows by comedians, surpassed only by US counterparts. .
With his massive earnings from last year, Peter has topped the list of Britain's richest comedians, boasting a £34.6 million fortune. The Office co-creator Stephen Merchant secured second place, albeit significantly behind Peter, with a £26.2 million fortune built on successful roles in films like Jojo Rabbit and BBC One's The Outlaws.
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Peter's tour has also earned him a record-breaking spot as the first artist to perform a monthly residency at London's The O2, with 45 shows - the most by any artist in the venue's history. Initially set to conclude in December 2025, the Better Late Than Never tour was extended to February 2026 due to "overwhelming demand," with 21 additional performances added in Aberdeen, Liverpool, Cardiff, and the Isle of Man.
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English (US) ·