Comedian Peter Kay proved once again that he isn't afraid to speak his mind during a lively appearance on This Morning on Thursday. The 52-year-old star didn't hold back, taking not one, but two playful jibes at presenter Cat Deeley, leaving viewers and co-host Ben Shephard in stitches.
The Stolen Anecdote
The first awkward moment unfolded when Cat Deeley attempted to initiate a conversation about music legend Billy Joel. Peter Kay unenthusiastically replied, 'If you want,' to the prompt. However, instead of letting the comedian tell his own story, Cat began recounting the details herself.
She asked, 'Because weren't you in Ireland and you went to go and see him and was it your dad who is a big Billy Joel fan?' Peter immediately called her out, accusing her of stealing his material. 'Why don't you just tell it? There's literally nothing left to tell of that story,' he quipped. Co-host Ben Shephard quickly backed Peter up, noting, 'She always does this,' while a flustered Cat laughed it off, protesting, 'No I didn't give away the big bit.'
A Lesson in 'Active Listening'
Later in the interview, another of Cat's presenting habits got under Peter's skin. The comedian was solemnly listing the twelve cancer charities that would receive donations from his upcoming tour when he noticed Cat interjecting with a 'Yeah' after each one he named.
After flashing her a look, Peter began to chuckle, clarifying, 'I'm not laughing at bowel cancer, it's because she keeps saying, "yeah".' Cat looked visibly embarrassed and began to giggle, turning her face away from the camera. Ben Shephard stepped in to label the habit, calling it 'active listening' and admitting, 'my wife does it and it drives me mad.' Never one to miss a beat, Peter then joked, 'Well, if you've got any issues with that and you want to ring up...?' before continuing with his important list.
Viewer Reaction and Past Incidents
Viewers watching at home immediately took to X, formerly Twitter, to celebrate the moment. Many were thrilled that a guest had finally called Cat Deeley out for her behaviour. One person wrote, 'At last someone has done it! Peter Kay calling out Cat Deeley on all her "yep... yeah...aha...um" while someone is trying to talk!'
This incident is in line with Peter Kay's no-nonsense approach, which has made headlines earlier this year. In February, he ejected a woman from his Manchester gig after she shouted 'we love you'. The audience member, later identified as Myar Curran, 25, was compared by Peter to Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley. The comedian shouted back, 'Go on, off you go Lisa Riley.'
The woman later branded Kay a 'bully', but he broke his silence, stating, 'I didn't realise it was an insult.' Lisa Riley herself confirmed there was no offence taken, posting on Instagram that she 'loves Peter Kay to pieces.'
This wasn't an isolated stage incident. Just a month later, at a sold-out London show, Peter labelled a group of rowdy hecklers 'k***heads and cheeky monkeys' before they were escorted out, demonstrating his low tolerance for interruptions during his performances.
