Peter Kay warned ticket-holders to allow extra time for travel to his Manchester show on Friday after planned industrial action is expected to affect two‑thirds of the city's bus services, including routes serving the AO Arena. The announcement came as the comedian continued to face criticism from some audience members over social media takedowns of fan footage from his long-running tour.
Kay's team posted a graphic on social media detailing travel advice for the show, advising patrons to check their bus services before setting off and to build in extra time for journeys. Doors for the Manchester performance are scheduled to open at 6:30 p.m., with Kay expected on stage at 8 p.m.
The warning follows organisers' confirmation that planned industrial action will disrupt the majority of bus services in the city, a development likely to affect fans travelling to the 23,000‑capacity venue. Tickets for the show remain on sale, with prices listed from £99.25; promoters did not say the event had sold out.
Kay, 52, is midway through the Better Late Than Never Again tour, which began in December 2022. The comedian is due to perform in Liverpool on Saturday before taking several weeks off from touring, and is scheduled to resume later dates in Nottingham on October 5 and 6 and in Glasgow on October 22.
Separately, some audience members have voiced frustration after their posts on TikTok and Instagram were removed for copyright reasons. Several fans posted videos and images criticising aspects of the show, including complaints that the set relied on older material and that they felt their tickets, which some described as costing about £150, were not good value.
In a TikTok clip recorded after a Newcastle performance, one attendee said: "Tonight I didn't laugh, I laughed about twice in the second half. Sorry Peter if you're watching this mate, it's not for you no more. That's my honest opinion." The same poster later said the critical video was removed for copyright reasons and shared a screenshot showing a still of Kay that had reportedly been flagged. Other gig‑goers posted comments saying they had received similar removals of images and clips from previous shows.
Promoters and Kay's team did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the copyright removals. No official statement was made in public detailing the specific copyright claims or the process by which fan posts were taken down.
The tour has drawn large audiences across the U.K. since its launch in late 2022, and Kay continues to headline arena dates despite sporadic criticism from some attendees about the composition of recent sets. Organisers have reiterated travel guidance to Manchester ticket‑holders and encouraged fans to check public‑transport updates and leave additional time for journeys in light of the planned service disruptions.