January 3rd 2025.
In the year 2024, the UK comedy scene was completely dominated by the legendary Peter Kay. His 2024 tour brought in an astonishing amount of money, making him one of the highest-earning touring UK comedians. This was no surprise, as the 51-year-old comic has been breaking records left and right with his Better Late Than Never residency tour, which continued to be a huge success last year.
Despite stiff competition from a handful of US comedians, Peter's tour sales secured him a spot as one of the most globally successful tours. In fact, he earned a mind-boggling £27 million, placing him at an impressive fourth place on Pollstar's ranking. The only other British comedian who came close was Michael McIntyre, who landed at 15th place with £10 million from his own tour.
According to Pollstar's JR Lind, 2024 saw the mainstreaming of stand-up comedy, with the proliferation of streaming, social media, and podcasting greatly accelerating the career velocity of working comedians. As a result, they are now able to reach audiences anytime and anywhere, building a fanbase as dedicated and passionate as any pop star's. No longer are they simply court jesters poking fun at powerful figures; they are now seen as serious players in the entertainment industry.
But Peter's tour earnings are only just beginning. He recently announced 21 additional tour dates for 2025, including stops in Aberdeen, Brighton, and the Isle of Man, with the tour kicking off in Manchester later this month. As it stands, his UK-wide tour is set to conclude in May 2026. Along the way, he has broken numerous venue records, including playing 100 shows at the AO Arena in Manchester and becoming the only artist to have a residency at the O2 arena.
In a statement, Peter expressed his love for stand-up comedy and the joy it brings him to perform. He also acknowledged the importance of laughter, especially in these challenging times, and kept ticket prices affordable at £35.
Despite its success, the tour has faced some challenges, particularly with last-minute rescheduling of Manchester dates due to the new Co-op live venue not being ready for large-scale audiences. But this is just one of many successes for Peter in 2024. He also made a highly-anticipated TV comeback after a six-year hiatus, reprising his role as PC Mackintosh in Wallace and Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl.
This Christmas Day special was a massive hit, attracting a total of 16.2 million viewers, making it the most-watched film broadcast on UK TV and one of the most popular film broadcasts ever. The special will also be available on Netflix, although there were some hiccups along the way. Peter's character exclaims "flippin' Nora" when the villain escapes, which reportedly left US Netflix bosses confused. However, according to creator Nick Park, Peter's ad-libbing had a hilarious effect. Creative director Merlin Crossingham also had to explain the phrase "flippin' Nora" to the US team, assuring them that it was not an expletive but simply an innocent turn of phrase used in British slang.
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