Peter Kay's bio 2023: illness update, wife, children, tour and net worth
Peter Kay is a gifted comedian, comedy writer, and actor. He is ranked among the funniest people in the United Kingdom and the world. His talent has been praised by fellow comedians and fans. He has appeared in multiple television and film production and authored books.

Source: Getty Images
Peter Kay is a self-proclaimed homebody and family man. Interestingly, he would rather be at home with his children and spouse than out doing shows.
Profile summary
Full name | Peter John Kay |
Gender | Male |
Date of birth | 2nd July 1973 |
Age | 49 years (as of 2023) |
Place of birth | Bolton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom |
Current residence | United Kingdom |
Nationality | British |
Ethnicity | Irish |
Zodiac sign | Cancer |
Religion | Christianity (Roman Catholic) |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 5' 8" |
Height in centimetres | 174 |
Weight in pounds | 267 (before weight loss) |
Weight in kilograms | 121 (before weight loss) |
Hair colour | Dark brown |
Eye colour | Green |
Marital status | Married |
Spouse | Susan Gargan |
Children | 3 |
Father | Michael John Kay |
Mother | Margaret Deirdre O’Neill |
Alma mater | University of Salford |
Profession | Comedian, voice actor, producer, and screenwriter |
@peterkay_co_uk | |
@Peter Kay |
Who is Peter Kay?
Peter John Kay is one of the sought-after comedians in England. His uncanny sense of humour has attracted numerous people towards him. He is passionate about making the world a happier place. Besides comedy, he is an actor, producer, author, and screenwriter.
How old is Peter Kay?
Comedian Peter Kay is 49 years as of 2023. He was born on 2nd July 1973, and his Zodiac sign is Cancer.

Source: Getty Images
Where is Peter Kay from?
The comedian and actor is from the United Kingdom. He was born and raised in Bolton, Lancashire, England, United Kingdom. His nationality is British, and his ethnicity is Irish.
Who are Peter Kay's parents?
The comedian's father's name is Michael John Kay. He was an engineer who passed away right before his son's career took off.
His mother is Margaret Deirdre O’Neill. The comedian and actor was raised in a strict Roman Catholic household.
Where did Peter Kay go to school?
The comedian went to local elementary and high schools in England. After graduating high school, he joined the University of Liverpool to pursue a degree programme in Drama, Theatre Studies and English Literature.
He struggled with the course, so he dropped out. Instead, he joined the University of Salford's Adelphi Campus School of Media, Music and Performance. He pursued a Higher National Diploma in media performance.
19th July 2016 was a monumental period in his life. On that day, he received an Honorary Doctor of Arts degree from the University of Salford. The award was in honour of his contribution to the world of entertainment.
Career
The comedian survived on odd jobs in his late teenagehood and early adulthood. He worked in a toilet roll factory, Netto supermarket, petrol station, cash and carry, and bingo hall. His experiences in these workplaces shaped the person he is today.
The comedian began his television career in the 1990s. He is also actively involved in theatre productions and stand-up comedy shows.
Was Peter Kay in Doctor Who? Yes, on 17th June 2006, he appeared in an episode of Doctor Who titled Love & Monsters. He has 33 actor, 19 writer, 10 director, and five producer credits. Some are listed in the table below.
Television series and movies
Series/TV movie | Year | Role |
The Big Breakfast | 1992 | Guest presenter |
New Voices | 1997 | George |
Barking | 1998 | Various roles |
Comedy Lab | 1998 | Narrator/ Pearl Harman/ Paul le Roy |
Butterfly Collectors | 1999 | Ronnie |
City Central | 1999 | Brian |
That Peter Kay Thing | 2000 | Marc Park/ Paul le Roy/ Leonard de Tomkinson |
The Secret World of Michael Fry | 2000 | Barney Barman |
Phoenix Nights | 2001-2002 | Brian Potter/ Max/ Paul Le Roy |
Linda Green | 2002 | Eddie |
Comic Relief 2003: The Big Hair Do | 2003 | Brian Potter |
Coronation Street | 1997-2004 | Eric Gartside/ Shopfitter |
Max & Paddy's Road to Nowhere | 2004 | Max Bygraves/ Brian Potter/ Marc Park |
The Catherine Tate Show | 2005 | Tommy |
Mrs. Brown's Boys: The Original Series | 2005 | Jason - Travel Agent |
Doctor Who | 2006 | Victor Kennedy |
Little Britain | 2006 | - |
Comic Relief (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles | 2007 | Brian Potter |
Britain's Got the Pop Factor | 2008 | Geraldine McQueen |
Britain's Got the Extra Pop Factor and Then Some 2 + 1 | 2008 | Geraldine McQueen |
Roary the Racing Car | 2007-2011 | Big Chris(UK) / Big Chris/ Tin Top (UK) |
Cradle to Grave | 2015 | Fred Baker |
Peter Kay's Comedy Shuffle | 2016 | Self |
Inside No. 9 | 2017 | Neil |
Peter Kay's Car Share | 2015-2020 | John Redmond |
Films and videos
Film/video | Year | Role |
Going Off Big Time | 2000 | Flipper |
Blow Dry | 2001 | Cyril the Barman |
24-Hour Party People | 2002 | Don Tonay |
Last Rumba in Rochdale | 2002 | Dad (voice) |
Roddy Smythe Investigates | 2002 | Tommy Doyle |
The League of Gentlemen's Apocalypse | 2005 | Simon Pig |
Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit | 2005 | PC Mackintosh (voice) |
Max & Paddy's The Power of Two | 2005 | Max |
Comic Relief Does Little Britain: Live | 2007 | Brian Potter |
Special Kay | 2008 | Self |
Peter Kay's Animated All-Star Band: The Official BBC Children in Need Medley | 2009 | Big Chris (voice) |
Writing/ directing/ producing
In addition to acting, the comedian is a writer, producer, and director. He has 19 writer, 10 director, and five producer credits. Some of these credits are listed below.
- Car Share
- Special Kay
- Britain's Got the Pop Factor
- Comic Relief (I'm Gonna Be) 500 Miles
- Max & Paddy's The Power of Two
- Phoenix Nights
- Britain's Got the Extra Pop Factor and Then Some 2 + 1
Authorship
The comedian has authored several books, and some are best sellers. His books are listed below.
- Saturday Night Peter by Kay
- Saturday Night Peter
- Phoenix Nights: The Scripts
- The Book That's More Than Just a Book - Book
- The Sound of Laughter: The Autobiography of Peter Kay
Stand-up comedy
The comedian's passion is making the world happier through laughter. He started stand-up comedy at a local cinema. After the cinema shut down, he became a contestant and won So You Think You're Funny?
Eventually, he started hosting stand-up shows and tours. Today, his events sell out within minutes, and he is recognised as one of Britain's top stand-up comedians. If you wish to know the latest details of Peter Kay's tour, check his official website.
What is Peter Kay's net worth in 2023?
The comedian has an estimated net worth of $70 million. His wealth comes from his illustrious comedy, authorship, and acting career.

Source: Getty Images
Is Peter Kay married?
Yes, the comedian and actor is married. His wife is Susan Gargan, a lady who prefers to live her life away from the cameras. The lovebirds first met in 1998 in a nightclub in Bolton.
At the time, Peter Kay's wife was employed at a local Boots, while Peter worked at the local cinema. After striking up a conversation in the club, Susan agreed to go on a date with him the next evening.
During one of their first dates at Blackburn Ice Arena, an accident happened, and the two were rushed to the emergency room. The lovebirds dated for a while and got married in 2001.
They are blessed with three children. The name of their first child is Charlie Michael Kay, while the other two remain unknown in the public domain.
What happened to Peter Kay?
Many people were surprised when the comedian announced he would be taking a break from his career in December 2017. Due to unprecedented family circumstances, he cancelled his Live Arena Tour and all of his work projects.
After the announcement, it was reported he had relocated temporarily to Ireland with his family. The comedian has spoken about how fame is not as important to him as his family.
On 6th November 2022, he announced his return to stand-up comedy. Peter Kay's tour began in December 2022 and is set to end in July 2025.
Is Peter Kay terminally ill?
There have been reports that Peter Kay's illness is cancer, but that is incorrect information. He is not terminally ill. Rumours of his cancer sickness started because he is quite vocal about the disease and does charity events to support cancer research and patients.
In 2020, it was rumoured that the comedian's wife had cancer. News of Peter Kay's wife's cancer turned out to be erroneous. Susan Gargan came out and dismissed the rumours as false.
In 2021, he briefly made a comeback from his break fundraise for Laura Nuttall, who had been diagnosed with terminal brain cancer. Laura Nuttall and Peter Kay are family friends.
What disease does Peter Kay have? In early December 2022, the comedian disclosed he had undergone surgery for kidney stones. He left the audience in stitches as he recalled his hospital trip to have the operation.
What is Peter Kay's Dance for Life?
In 2020, the comedian announced he would host three-hour parties called Dance for Life, but the events were pushed to the spring of 2022 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Tickets for the events sold out within 30 minutes.
During these parties, he assumed the moniker Dj PK and took over the turntables to offer attendees a lifetime experience. The monies collected from the parties were donated to cancer research foundations in England.
What is Peter Kay doing now?
The comedian is currently doing stand-up comedy. He is on his first tour since returning from his 2017-2022 hiatus.
How tall is Peter Kay?
The comedian is 5' 8" or 174 centimetres tall. He has green eyes and dark brown hair.
Before taking a hiatus from his career, he weighed about 267 pounds or 121 kilograms. It is apparent that he lost weight when he was away, but his new weight is yet to be confirmed. When he made a comeback, he joked about weight loss.
Quick facts about Peter Kay
- The comedian and his spouse are the directors of Goodnight Vienna Productions.
- He made the Guinness World Record for the most successful comedy tour.
Peter Kay is a multi-gifted artist. He is a comedian, actor, author, and philanthropist. He recently made a comeback after a long hiatus and is currently doing a stand-up comedy tour.
READ ALSO: Christiana Barkley's biography: who is Charles Barkley's daughter?
Legit.ng recently published Christiana Barkley's biography. Barkley is best known as the only child of former NBA superstar Charles Barkley.
Barkley gained prominence due to her parent's celebrity status. She is a New York-based American journalist working as the director of writing and senior account manager at Koppleman Group.
Source: Legit.ng