A spin off after Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy’s Road To Nowhere featured Kay and Paddy McGuinness as two Bolton doormen Max Bygraves (Kay) and Paddy O’Shea (McGuinness) as they tour around the UK in their campervan. The Channel 4 series began in November 2004 and although it only ran for one series is fondly remembered by fans. So many potholes everywhere. We’d be juddering and banging over them constantly. All of the cameras would shake themselves loose. So we’d all have to pull over and re-tighten all of the equipment before it fell off.” ON LOSING FRIENDS

What I loved about this was the way he reads it, it’s not just a straight forward narration, you get the feeling he’s sat there, book in hand reading just to you, constantly breaking off with comments, comic asides and the occasional brew. He mentions in his book that audio books can sometimes be boring and put you to sleep half way through the first chapter, that’s a criticism that can’t be applied in this case! This reading style fits perfectly with Peter Kay’s persona and it makes for a very entertaining, enjoyable and funny listen. When they’d come up with something on the internet the writers though was weird he’d shrug, clearly not remembering if it were true or not, and telling the writers to include it. It was great because at the end of the 24 hour long session he ended his draft of the book by telling about the meeting at the publishing house where he pitched his memoir. Only then remembering the publisher rejected it. So, oops.Appearing on chat shows like Parkinson, at the Queen's Golden Jubilee and sharing letters from Ronnie Barker. We wrote to each other for years as pen pals until he passed away."

Peter Kay said today: "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 twenty-five 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."

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Kay recalls: “What a lovely fella he was. We spent a lot of time together and he gave me some advice that literally changed my life forever. I was talking about the tour I’d done the previous year and that I’d made some money from it. He said you want to use that money to buy yourself some time with your family. Kay first announced he was writing a new book in September 2021, to follow on from 2009's Saturday Night Peter, which charted his rise to fame. He said at the time of the writing process: "It's been a real joy recalling the memories. There's over 20 years of stories about filming series like Phoenix Nights and Max & Paddy's Road To Nowhere. Appearing on chat shows like Parkinson, at The Queen's Golden Jubilee and sharing letters from Ronnie Barker. We wrote to each other for years as pen-pals until he passed away." The rating of this book is reflective of the story rather than the writing skill. There are no errors or structural problems and it is easy to read and vaguely interesting. I hadn’t a clue what she was on about. I’d just sat down next to her in make-up and she was already on her soapbox. The second panel gameshow I did (which wasn’t really a gameshow as such) was called Night Fever. Do you remember that? It was a karaoke show presented by Suggs that used to be on Saturday nights at 7 on Channel 5. That was great fun. Two hugely talented people that made so many of us laugh. I’m telling you, soak up the comedians while they’re still here, these clowns that light up our lives, because when they’re gone, they’re gone. People are always surprised at the void they leave.” ON GAMESHOWS

I was thoroughly disappointed, however, with the plot. As a memoir the plot suffers from being a report of the truth which in the case of Mr Kay seems to be surprisingly dull. For those who don't know who the Hell Peter Kay is; he's a Northern English (Bolton, Lancashire) comedian ;) Peter Kay's unerring gift for observing the absurdities and eccentricities of family life has earned himself a widespread, everyman appeal. These vivid observations coupled with a kind of nostalgia that never fails to grab his audience's shared understanding, have earned him comparisons with Alan Bennett and Ronnie Barker. It's been a real joy recalling the memories. There's over 20 years of stories about filming series like Phoenix Nights and Max & Paddy's Road To Nowhere.I had the idea about 10 years ago. All about working in TV. From when I started doing bit parts in Coronation Street right up to Car Share. HarperCollins has won the bidding war to publish this third memoir from the superstar comedian, confirming today: "HarperCollins Publishers has acquired World English language rights to T.V.: Big Adventures On The Small Screen, by Britain's best-loved comedian, Peter Kay." Here, for the first time, he collects his TV memories and adventures together in this brilliant book. Join Peter as he finds success on the small screen, leaving his own unique footprint in the golden age of TV: from making tea at Granada Studios and marching along to (Is This the Way to) Amarillo to hanging out in the Rovers Return, having run-ins with Bernard Manning and starring in possibly the worst Doctor Who episode of all time. You'll go behind the scenes of the legendary Phoenix Nights, take The Road to Nowhere with Max & Paddy and discover how Peter created his BAFTA-winning performance in Car Share. I listened to the audiobook as I figured having the man himself read his own book would be on the money. Hmmm. It was ok, but the actual reading was quite strained and sometimes painful. Much better when he strays off-script and wanders off on a distraction, which let’s face it is the style of him in action.