Peter Kay’s Phoenix Nights comeback confirmed

Peter Kay is reuniting the cast of Phoenix Nights for two shows at the Manchester Arena, it has been revealed.

Paddy McGuinness, Dave Spikey, Justin Moorhouse, Barbara Nice, Neil Fitzmaurice and more will be appearing in the new stage show, which will raise money for Comic Relief.

Peter Kay said: “Comic Relief has always been close to my heart and I always try to think of something. I could think of no better way to raise money and have fun than getting everybody back together.

“It’s lovely to do it and I hope people support it because I think it’ll be a belter. I don’t know if anymore will come off the back of it we’ll just have to see.

“I don’t know about a series I don’t think so, I’ve no plans to. There are lots of things written but I think it’s a case of doing one thing at a time, little steps. I think the main reason for doing this for Comic Relief is because if it sells it could make an absolute fortune.

“You’re always trying to think of new ways of doing things and I just thought nobody has done this before, nobody’s got together the cast of a sitcom and done a show on stage and given all the money to Comic Relief, and I thought if we can all agree, the money it could raise would be fantastic.”

WATCH: The 10 best moments from Phoenix Nights

The two shows will be on 31 January and 1 February next year, with tickets being made available to buy from Kay’s Gigs and Tours page at 11am on Sunday.

McGuinness had remained coy last week when asked about a Phoenix Nights reunion, saying: “I don’t know anything. But I’ll tell you what, I’ll text him later. Peter is good at that. He’ll go, ‘There’s an announcement coming’, but because he never does any telly or interviews, muggings has to fend it all off.”

Phoenix Nights ran for two series between 2000 and 2001. Its spin-off, Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere, had one series on Channel 4 in 2004.