Peter Kay

Sian Gibson interview

A call from her old university friend Peter Kay saw Sian Gibson go from answering phones to starring as Kayleigh in his latest hit comedy. In her first interview, she tells Alice Jones about hanging out with Kay, her new sitcom role with Catherine Tate - and why she still can't take herself seriously.

Sometimes the simplest things work best. Car Share is essentially a two-hander about fortysomethings John and Kayleigh; Peter Kay is grumpy singleton John, the manager of a Lancashire superstore, Kayleigh (Sian Gibson) one of his staff whose life, despite her ambition and hard work, seems to be going nowhere. Forced to share their daily commute by their employers, the two at first seemed ill matched, but through the six episodes a touching love story emerges - and the audience see long before them that John and Kayleigh are made for each other.

It was fantastic comedy too, with many of the harder laughs coming from the radio station Kayleigh insisted John's radio should be tuned to - Forever FM - with its atrocious local ads and a slew of Eighties hits they sang along to. There were also wry laughs from the contrast of John's world-weariness with Kayleigh lack of worldliness, not least when she was terribly confused that a man whose handle on a dating site was "Pussy Lover" was not fond of cats.... I initially had my doubts about the fantasy sequences, but theye were sparingly and well used. It's an exquisite piece of work - beautifully written by Paul Coleman and Tim Reid, with contributions from Gibson and Kay (who also directed) - a subtle, slow-burn romance that made viewers laugh and cry, and demanded to be watched again immediately to savour its worth.

Radio Times review

Radio Times Top 40 TV Shows of 2015, #34:

What a comeback! Fears that Peter Kay would never return to equal Phoenix Nights were dismissed when his long-awaited, single-scene sitcom about two carpooling colleagues surprised everyone not just with how funny it was, but how affecting. Kay and the tremendous Sian Gibson sketched out a pair of apparently very different strangers who, the instant they were forced to know each other, discovered common ground and were good-hearted enough to run with it. Noticing them fall in love before they realised it themselves was one of the year's most cheering spectacles.

Over the last 20 years, Peter Kay has made himself the best-loved British comedian - simultaneously achieving critical acclaim (award nominations; the genius of Phoenix Nights) and massive popular success (millions of stand-up DVDs sold, catchphrases, TV ads). This authorised doc won't be a hard-hitting thing, exactly, but the circumstances of Kay's remarkable rise certainly bear repetition. Kay himself and a range of personalities, like party circuit pal JK Rowling, collaborator Dave Spikey and comedian Reece Shearsmith, account for his appeal.

We loved absolutely everything about Peter Kay's latest vehicle (the comedy, not the car he drives in the series). It's a simple premise, two work colleagues are thrown together as part of a car share scheme and the comedy is confined to the car as the two travel to and from work each day. Much like The Royle Family before it, it's such a genius premise you can't believe it hasn't been done before. Peter Kay and Sian Gibson played off one another with complete ease. Car Share feels like an instant comedy classic. We just wanted to spend time with John and Kayleigh!

Radio Times review

If you are going to have someone sing your praises then one of the most successful and richest authors on the planet is probably as good a person as any. Harry Potter author JK Rowling was, at the time of going to press, among a host of top names lined up to pay tribute to her friend Peter Kay in this celebration of the Phoenix Nights and Car Share comedian's career.

She will be joined by Four Weddings and a Funeral and Love Actually scriptwriter Richard Curtis and author and broadcaster Danny Baker.

From his childhood growing up in Bolton, to the places, people and foodstuffs ("Garlic bread!") that have influenced his life and work, the profile will chart his rise "to become a household name and national treasure".

Peter Kay's fortune tops £26 million

Phoenix Nights comic sees coffers swell again to make him Britain's highest earning comedy star.

Peter Kay hosts dance marathons

Peter Kay is to host a series of public dance challenges to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

DVD/Blu-ray review: Peter Kay's Car Share

The year 2015 was, amongst other things, the year it became okay to like Peter Kay again.