Beloved comedian Peter Kay has spoken publicly for the first time about the dramatic weight loss that surprised fans upon his return to the spotlight, following a five-year absence. The 52-year-old funnyman opened up about his lifelong struggle with binge eating during a recent radio appearance, just as he was photographed enjoying a low-key outing in his native Bolton.
A Lifelong Battle with Food
Speaking at an 'In Conversation With...' event hosted by Sara Cox at The Lowry theatre in Salford, which aired on BBC Radio 2 in December, Peter Kay revealed the health concerns that finally prompted his transformation. "I tried everything. Good God in heaven," he admitted candidly. "I mean, you go to flaming weight-loss groups and stuff like that. I joined Slimming World and WeightWatchers. I did all of them."
His desperate bid to control his weight saw him attempt everything from slimming groups and gym sessions to using his mum's old Rosemary Conley keep-fit videos. He recounted a pivotal, shame-filled moment that highlighted his binge eating problem, where he sneaked out of a cinema while watching a film with his wife, Susan, pretending to visit the toilet only to buy a hotdog.
The Moment of Truth
"I was doing really well with this diet, but I'm so bad with willpower," Kay explained. "I had this hotdog and I caught a glimpse of myself reflected in, ironically, a framed poster for Babe. I thought, look at you - what are you doing? You're doing really well on this diet, you should be ashamed of yourself." In a stark illustration of his compulsion, he confessed that after throwing the hotdog away, he grabbed it back from the bin just before it hit the liner and ate it anyway.
He traced his problematic relationship with food back to childhood, recalling how his mother would bring pies in for him to eat at primary school. This week, however, the comedian cut a notably slimmer and low-key figure as he collected essentials in Bolton, dressed in an all-black ensemble, cap, and comfortable trainers.
Years Out of the Spotlight
Peter Kay devastated fans in 2017 when he cancelled his long-awaited comeback tour citing 'unforeseen family circumstances', leading to a near-total retreat from public life for five years. During this time, speculation about his absence was rife. He was reported to have relocated to Tipperary, Ireland, with locals stating he was determined to keep a low profile.
His return began gradually with charity work, including a screening of Peter Kay's Car Share for The Lily Foundation in March 2018. He made a fuller comeback in November 2022, delighting the nation by announcing a return to touring for the first time in 12 years, including a monthly residency at London's O2 Arena.
The tour, titled Better Late Than Never, is raising money for 12 cancer charities, including Teenage Cancer Trust and Blood Cancer UK. In a recent live interview on This Morning, Kay humorously called out host Cat Deeley for her habit of saying "yes" after each charity he listed, creating a viral moment that delighted viewers.
