As Peter Kay steps back onto the stage this weekend after three years away, the nation is reminded just why the Bolton-born comic is not just one of the country’s finest comedians, but a working class hero and huge inspiration to a generation of kids.
Armed with nothing more than a single GCSE in art and a charming personality, Peter blagged his way into a red brick university back in the 90s and went on to become a rare example of someone finding fame and fortune without any family wealth or nepotism to help get their foot in the door.
Unlike many of his peers, he didn’t go to a fancy drama school. His parents don’t have Wikipedia pages. There was no well-connected friend who could put a good word in for him with a TV boss.
No, Peter wrote some of the greatest British comedy scenes of all time while also putting in shifts at a cash-and-carry, a petrol station, a bingo hall and many more regular jobs.
His pre-fame CV just adds an extra layer of beauty to his genius creations. Anything he writes has a level of authenticity to it because of the lived experiences he had before finding unimaginable success.
From knocking back the clock and skipping meetings to arguing with middle management types who think they’re the Wolf of Wall Street just because they earn 10p an hour more than everyone else, Peter writes about the nuances of mundane jobs so well because he’s been there, done that - just like us.
When Peter first rose to fame in the late '90s, the majority of depictions of “the north” in entertainment, in particular working class stories, still had to have a tinge of sadness to them.
Telly producers relished the opportunity to talk up the 'grim up north' angle.
That’s never been the case in Peter's world. People who live north of Watford aren't depressed due to not having a Pret on their doorstep, nor are they saving up to escape their hometown and move to London.
When he hit the big time he did the most working class thing possible: he got all his mates in on the cushy gig too. Without Peter, there would be no Paddy McGuinness. Even in his most recent work, Car Share, you can recognise his co-star Sian Gibbs all the way back from his first ever TV offerings.
Peter writes comedy for everyone to enjoy, limiting the "bit of blue for the dads" to keep it family-friendly, but whether he does it intentionally or not, he writes for people just like us.
When you grow up skint, consuming media produced by the children of famous celebrities or acting dynasties, it can be hard to remember that it is possible to dream big and refuse to stay in your lane.
Thanks to Peter’s commitment to filming locally and his presentation of working class stories, his work reminds us that working class kids can - and do - make it on talent alone.
