Peter Kay is set to make a rare return to the limelight, as it was announced on Friday by the BBC that he will join Cat Deeley for a special programme.
The one-off show will air on BBC Radio 2 on January 2 as Cat fills in for Graham Norton following his departure from the show and before his replacement Claudia Winkleman makes her debut in the timeslot.
The comedian, 47, cancelled a tour in 2017 and has rarely been seen in public since. He was last on TV in 2018 when he appeared in two special episodes of Car Share.
Exciting: Peter Kay is set to make a rare return to showbiz as he prepares to appear on special Radio 2 show with Cat Deeley, it was announced on Friday
In April he appeared on the BBC One show in a pre-recorded clip from his Bolton home to introduce a new version of his classic Comic Relief track Is This The Way to Amarillo.
Earlier this year, Peter was forced to cancel his Dance For Life tour due to the Covid-19 outbreak, it would have been his first return to the spotlight after cancelling all of his work commitments in 2017 due to ‘unforeseen family circumstances.’
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.’
The comedian is married to Susan Gargan, who he married in 2001. They have three children together – a 16-year-old son called Charlie Michael Kay and two younger children, who the pair have kept shielded from the public eye.
Stepping in: The one-off show will air on January 2 as Cat fills in for Graham Norton following his departure from the show and before his replacement Claudia Winkleman makes her debut
Since his self-imposed hiatus, the Lancashire-born comic has rarely been seen in public but has promoted charity events.
Peter’s last stage appearance was when he spoke to an audience gathered to see a charity screening of his BBC comedy Car Share in April 2018.
The three screenings were to raise money for The Lily Foundation, supporting children with mitochondrial disease, that the Phoenix Nights star had ‘first-hand experience of’.
Out of the spotlight: Kay cancelled a tour in 2017 and has rarely been seen in public since. He was last on TV in 2018 when he appeared in two special episodes of Car Share
Peter was photographed for the first time in eight months on December 27 in 2019 when he made an appearance at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre to watch X Factor star Chico and iconic duo Canon and Ball in a production of Peter Pan.
TV personality Chico posted a picture of the four men together on his fitness page with the caption: ‘When Peter Kay pops in to see us #panto with the legends that are Cannon and Ball life is complete.’
On December 29 he was seen looking in high spirits as he smiled for a photograph at the final performance of Nativity! The Musical in London.
Kay posed for the snap alongside the show’s director Debbit Isitt, who later posted the photo on her Twitter page alongside a caption about the star.
Appearance: In April, he appeared on the BBC One show in a pre-recorded clip from his Bolton home to introduce a new version of his classic Comic Relief track This Is The Way To Amarillo
She penned: ‘So lovely to see the brilliant comic genius Peter Kay and his lovely family tonight for our final show! What a lovely surprise for us all!’
Cat spoke about taking on the role for BBC Radio 2, gushing: ‘We’re a radio house, so Radio 2 is constantly on in the kitchen, all day, every day, even when we were in LA! Although, due to the time difference, the line-up was slightly different.
‘We loved having a Dance Devotion With Ana Matronic dinner on a Friday night, listening to Liza Tarbuck post-Farmers Market on a Saturday and waking up to Sounds Of The 70s on a Sunday. ‘
Shame: Earlier this year, Peter was forced to cancel his Dance For Life tour due to the Covid-19 outbreak, it would have been his first return to the spotlight since 2017
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‘I’m thrilled to be making my Radio 2 debut on Saturday 2 January. This time of year always fill us with love, hope and optimism, even if it looks a little different this year.
‘We may not gather in the same ways or in the same places, but we are always together in our hearts.’
Theatre trip: Peter was photographed on December 27 2019 when he headed to the Crewe Lyceum Theatre to watch X Factor’s Chico and duo Canon and Ball in a production of Peter Pan