‘Bored’ is the word being used to describe the feelings of Peter Kay fans who have apparently been walking out of his recent live shows.
The Bolton comedian, 52, made a sensational return to live stand-up after almost a decade away with his Better Late Than Never tour, which began in 2022.
Better Late Than Never was such a success across its 121 nights between 2022 and early 2025 that another 84 dates were added and billed as the Better Late Than Never Again tour.
But despite the tour being a resounding success for the majority of people, with shows already planned for 2026, some Peter fans are less than impressed.
While a considerable amount of the latest tour is made of new material, a portion of the show is dedicated to Peter’s best-known gags and the comfortable nostalgic content he has a reputation for.
Audience members are guided through some references to jokes from Peter’s Live at the Top of the Tower and Mum Wants a Bungalow shows from the early 2000s.
There are also chances for the audience to sing along with advertisement jingles from the 1980s and recall their favourite TV themes, while Peter also pays tribute to his family.
The whole experience has been described by some as feeling more like a family-oriented variety show than a traditional stand-up comedy show, which isn’t enough for some.
This kind of content has been deemed as not worth the entry fee by dissatisfied attendees who were left feeling ‘underwhelmed’ and ‘disappointed’.
Kimberlina85 said on TikTok: ‘Booked tickets two years ago. Drove all the way from Plymouth to Manchester. We were excited, buzzing, but honestly? Peter Kay just didn’t deliver.
‘We expected a comedian, not a musical with random singalongs. Felt more like nostalgia theatre than actual stand-up. Was it just us? Did anyone else leave a bit disappointed too? Genuinely curious.’
Pipa piped up: ‘I love Peter Kay but he just wasn’t funny. We paid a fortune for tickets and didn’t laugh once. People were leaving. Get some new material, mate.’
Steve Farley commented underneath, agreeing with the original assessment: ‘Saw him last year and it was what it was – some funny bits but definitely not what he once was unfortunately.’
Stepsmit quickly defended the comedian, however, saying: ‘He’d struggle to live up to the hype after this long. Even if it had been the same quality as Top of the Tower.’
Scott Williams said that he ‘would go again’, while Michelle said that she attended the Birmingham and ‘loved it, adding: ‘He got the audience involved and made me laugh all the way through.’
Peter’s tour is currently scheduled to finish in Leeds on May 16, 2026, with more than a dozen dates remaining until then as Phoenix Nights star continues to visit and revisit arenas around the UK.
Metro has contacted Peter Kay for comment.
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