KAY CANCELS TOUR
Stand-up Peter calls off 80 shows for family reasons
COMEDIAN Peter Kay yesterday announced he was cancelling his first live stand-up tour in eight years.
Kay, 44, who was due to perform more than 80 gigs beginning in April, said “unforeseen family circumstances” were behind his decision to cancel all his upcoming work.
And he appealed for his family’s privacy to be respected.
The hotly anticipated UK and Ireland tour was due to begin in Birmingham in April and included eight concerts in Glasgow in May.
In a statement posted on Twitter, Kay said: “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.”
The news comes weeks after Kay added extra performance dates to all listed cities following huge public demand.
Kay married wife Susan, from his home town of Bolton, in 2001. The couple have a 13-year-old son, Charlie.
When he announced his return to the stage, he said: “I really miss it. I know how lucky I am to be making television series and have really loved these past few years working on Car Share, but I miss doing stand-up.
“As terrifying as it is, when it works there’s nothing more fun and exciting. I can’t wait to get back up on stage.”
In recent years, Kay has delighted fans with Baftawinning TV series Car Share.
After writing and starring in two series, he announced this year he would not be creating a third. But he later consoled dismayed fans by promising two further episodes.