Introduction To Peter Kay

After finishing Mount St Joseph High School, Kay took quite a lot of menial jobs, including working in a toilet roll factory, Netto supermarket, Cash and Carry, and a bingo hall, which afterwards inspired episodes or series in That Peter Kay Thing. He was presented at the University of Salford where he learned a Higher National Diploma in Media Performance. This engaged a stand-up course at which he excelled. His first stand-up was a opposition in Manchester, hosted by later co-star and co-writer of Phoenix Nights, Dave Spikey. Peter was last on the bill and won the contest, beating fellow stand-up comedian Johnny Vegas.

Kay’s knowledge working at the MEN Arena inspired him to wear the official yellow jacket of the MEN Arena for the final show of his Mum Wants a Bungalow tour. Kay has said that he sought a career in comedy. During his time working as a cinema usher, he experimented with stand-up, participating in several local events, as well as others at the Comedy Store in Manchester. After losing his job at the cinema, Kay was presented with the choice between finding another unskilled job or moving into comedy. After being told by several of his family that he was talented, he chose stand-up. Kay also states that he became a comedian partly to clear debt - though this is believed to be a joke, referring only to the fact that he was out of work.