Peter Kay ‘escaped to secluded house in Ireland and kept low profile’ after cancelling £40m tour

Comedy legend Peter Kay spent the last two years living under the radar at a secluded house in rural Ireland after cancelling his multi-million pound tour, it has been revealed.

Kay, 46, all but disappeared from the limelight after pulling the plug on a series of UK performances worth £40million in 2017, due to ‘unforeseen family circumstances’.

His last stage appearance was when he spoke to an audience gathered to see a charity screening of his BBC comedy Car Share in April 2018. 

After a two-year hiatus – during which there was false speculation the Phoenix Nights comic had passed away – his social media account announced he will return to the stage in April and May to DJ at six charity events.  

It has now emerged that Kay spent the last 24 months living a quieter life in the rural surroundings of a house close to Lough Derg, a freshwater lake in the Shannon River Basin, which has shores in the counties of Clare, Galway and Tipperary. 

The Lancashire-born star’s mother, Deirdre, is from Coalisland in Co Tyrone, while in 2017, Kay revealed in an interview with Ireland’s The Late Late Show that he owns a house in Tipperary.

Locals said that the father-of-three tried to maintain a low profile and was rarely seen in pubs or restaurants, but that residents ‘saw him coming a mile off’ due to his inconspicuous Range Rover. 

Explaining his period of absence, sources close to Kay told The Sun on Sunday: ‘Peter is a born ­entertainer, but while he has many famous pals he has always preferred to live life out of the spotlight.

‘He is a very funny, but down-to-earth bloke – and his family are his world.

‘So when faced with a choice between focusing on his family or his career, there was never any question which he would choose.’

Since taking a break, Kay has only been seen in public on a few occasions. 

He was spotted last April on a vintage-style tram in Blackpool with his wife, Susan Gargan and again on December 27 and re-emerged again at the Crewe Lyceum Theatre to watch X Factor star Chico and iconic duo Canon and Ball in a production of Peter Pan.

A few days later he was seen again at the final performance of Nativity! The Musical in London and posed for a snap alongside the show’s director Debbit Isitt.

This came hours after Kay broke his social media silence to slam Channel 5 for using an ‘incredibly misleading title’ for a documentary on his life and career. 

‘Peter Kay: In His Own Words’ came under fire from Kay for not featuring any new interviews with the comedy legend.

The comedian will return to the stage next month for Dance For Life events in Manchester, Liverpool and London, which will raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Kay told Bolton News: ‘I’ve honestly never had so much fun as I had working on Dance For Life.

‘The atmosphere was so happy and positive; it really is a great way to raise money for the worthiest of causes. All people have to do is turn up and dance.’