Peter Kay wants to revive beloved sitcom Phoenix Nights as a film

Kay co-created and starred in the cult British sitcom from 2001 to 2002

Comedian Peter Kay has suggested he is keen to revive his popular Phoenix Nights character for a new film.

Kay co-created and starred in the cult British series from 2001 to 2002, playing Brian Potter, the owner of a working men’s club in Bolton.

The 50-year-old comic subsequently revived the character for a Comic Relief special in 2003, but has resisted calls for a revival of the series.

Writing in his forthcoming memoir TV: Big Adventures on the Small Screen, a follow-up to his best-selling 2007 autobiography The Sound of Laughter, Kay said that he could imagine bringing back Potter for a feature film.

“I still write down ideas. I had an idea only today of Brian getting Young Kenny to paint an enormous letter ‘H’ on the roof of the club so he can advertise they’ve got a helicopter pad,” writes Kay, according to extracts published by The Sun.

“The chance of a helicopter ever landing is, of course, zero,” he goes on. “As the years pass, I’m becoming more like Brian, but if Phoenix Nights rose again it’d have to be for something very special, maybe a film? Perhaps Brian could get visited by three ghosts. Now, wouldn’t that be an idea?”

Phoenix Nights started out as a spin-off of the Kay-fronted comedy series That Peter Kay Thing.

Alongside Kay, the TV show also starred co-creators Neil Fitzmaurice and Dave Spikey, as well as Take Me Out presenter and frequent Kay collaborator Paddy McGuinness.

Kay’s previous memoir, The Sound of Laughter, holds the record for being the top-selling hardback autobiography of all time in the UK.

The new book’s publication comes amid an extensive UK standup tour that began last December, Kay’s first tour in 12 years.

Peter Kay pictured at Baftas 2016 (Getty Images)

Before embarking on the tour, Kay spent years away from the public eye. In 2017, he cancelled a number of scheduled work projects, including a planned tour, for unspecified personal reasons.

In December 2022, during the first performance of his comeback tour, Kay, was seen breaking into tears as the crowd at Manchester’s AO Arena gave him a standing ovation.

Speaking ahead of the release of his new memoir TV, Kay said in a statement: “I’d wanted for years to write about my obsession for TV and working in it.

“It’s been such a massive pleasure recalling the adventures I’ve had over the last 25 years both in front and behind the camera, and I hope people will enjoy reading about the journey as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it.”