'Leeds is my favourite place to perform' - Peter Kay

Peter Kay said that he does not mind being called an "honorary Yorkshireman"

Peter Kay has revealed that his favourite place to perform is Leeds as the audiences are "brilliant" and "you don't want to leave".

The comedian is due to go on tour again in 2026 and also said he particularly loves the Leeds First Direct Arena because it is tiered like an opera house, so all the crowd is "right in front of you".

Kay will be performing at the 14,000-seat venue in May for the tenth time.

The Bolton-born comic also joked that he does not mind being called a "spiritual Yorkshireman" because people from Lancashire and Yorkshire "are the exact same".

Kay, 52, told BBC Radio Leeds: "I've always loved Leeds and I always went down well here.

"It's a brilliant place, I love it to bits.

"If you could look inside my heart, my favourite shows were here and I've had the best nights," he added.

When asked about being thought of a Yorkshireman when he comes from neighbouring county Lancashire, Kay said: "It's all northern - there is no different.

"People in Leeds are the exact same as people in Bolton...we all live the same and react the same and we all think about the same things - so nothing has changed."

Kay also spoke about despite life evolving and him getting older, he has "stayed the same" and his fans are at the heart of what he does.

He said after every performance he calls his wife to see if the audience liked his show.

"It's always how they were, never how I were. The bottom line is you just want to give people joy, relax and have a laugh."

"It's a vocation", he added.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North.