By Nicola Croal

Copyright dailyrecord

Comedian Peter Kay has called off a show following a surgical procedure. The beloved entertainer broke the news on his social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. The comic has broken records with his ongoing tour, now in its third year, but Peter has regrettably had to axe two forthcoming performances. Bolton-born Kay, 52, made his comeback last year with his first live comedy performances in 12 years starting in December as part of an arena tour extending to 2025 following overwhelming public demand. It marks his first live tour since 2010, when he achieved the Guinness World Record for the biggest-selling run of all time, entertaining more than 1.2 million people. Kay scrapped his previous tour in December 2017, citing “unforeseen family circumstances”. A statement issued on his social media declares: “SJM concerts announcement: We regret to inform you that due to a routine kidney stone procedure, Peter will be unable to perform his scheduled shows at Nottingham Motorpoint Arena on Sunday October 5 and Monday October 6. “Following medical advice, Peter will be taking a period of time to rest and recover”. Earlier this year, Peter made headlines for the wrong reasons when he was caught on camera ejecting a heckler from his performance. He stopped his act and instructed security to remove several audience members after claiming they were ruining the experience for other attendees. He sparked controversy after he branded one removed fan as “Lisa Riley” with the heckler hailing Peter as a “bully”. Whilst he maintained it wasn’t meant as an insult, and Lisa herself recognised there was no malicious intent, the woman involved raged that the star had embarrassed her. “Go on, off you go, Lisa Riley,” Peter had quipped, drawing a parallel to the former Emmerdale actress. Shortly after he addressed the situation on Good Morning Britain where he explained: “I didn’t realise it was an insult. “She did look remarkably like Lisa Riley, I didn’t realise that was an insult.” However, despite his claims that no offence was intended, fan Myar Curran revealed she was devastated by his comment. Speaking on the ITV programme herself, Myar said: “I didn’t mean to cause any harm, I was just showing my love as he kicked someone out, but he obviously didn’t like it.” She continued: “I feel like what I said was not abusive or aggressive – it wasn’t anti-social and I wasn’t drunk. I was just standing up chanting ‘we love you Peter, we do’. It’s just been a bit over the top, his reaction.” A month later, Peter threatened to eject even more audience members from his performance at London’s O2 Arena. Dismissing the earlier controversy, he mocked the criticism he received as he again stopped his show to single out one of his supporters. Speaking to the audience, he asked: “Is it them in that box? Is that them? Who is it? Eh, it’s you monkeys there. Now then, what are we going to do with you now? These people in this area now, do any of you look like Lisa Riley? No, alright,” he jested as the crowd burst into laughter. Speaking exclusively to The Mirror, a member of the audience revealed: “Peter waded in as the crowd was audibly kicking off due to some disagreement in the crowd. He poked fun at the idea of kicking them out, then dished out the issue to his security. “But he did reference it again twice in the show as they kept shouting, comparing it to a ‘boot sale’ at one point. It seemed like the audience in the area wanted him to kick the person out due to all the drama.” Back in June, it appeared the comedian was prepared to move past the backlash as he focused on a completely different career path. Peter revealed he has signed a deal and pledges to chronicle his life in his most intimate book to date. The book cheekily references Bridget Jones’ Diary, with the comedian’s face superimposed on the beloved character. Making the announcement, he declared: “Introducing… Peter Kay’s Diary: The Monthly Memoir of a Boy from Bolton, Peter’s most personal and hilarious book yet. Join Peter for a laugh-out-loud journey through his life, month by month.” A preview for the book stated: “Think of this autobiography as a twelve-month subscription to my memories and meanderings across the calendar year. With each month reflecting a different phase of my life, complete with dodgy decisions, bizarre plot twists and more than a few laugh-out-loud moments.” Join the Daily Record’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. Peter first shot to fame after winning Channel 4’s So You Think You’re Funny? competition in 1997 and around that time he also made his TV debut in a 1997 episode of New Voices, a comedy series which showcased emerging talent. That same year he secured a slot entitled “Peter Kay’s World of Entertainment” on BBC Two’s The Sunday Show. His first live stand up special Live at the Top of the Tower in 2000 also catapulted him into mainstream stardom. And as his success on stage and screen continued, he had his own series on Channel 4 called The Peter Kay Thing which subsequently led to the hit sitcom Phoenix Nights and he has never looked back since.