T.V.: Big Adventures on the Small Screen

by Peter Kay

*The long-awaited return of the comedy national treasure* Join Peter Kay on his incredible journey through the great and the good of from tea-making in Granada, to behind the scenes on Phoenix Nights, Max Paddy and his legendary performance as John Redmond in Car Share. Charming, sidesplittingly funny and utterly unforgettable, Big Adventures on the Small Screen is Peter Kay at his vivid, nostalgic and hilarious best.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook, Autobiography, Humor, Comedy, Memoir

320 pages, Paperback

Published September 28, 2023

Reviews

[Sally Barber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! So glad I listened to this rather than reading as there are clips from his tv shows inserted in. Spent my commutes this week grinning from ear to ear.

[Mark Colton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this as an audiobook, read by Peter Kay. Enjoyed it and found it really humorous and eye opening but towards the end very monotonous. Would recommend as an audiobook- not sure it would be the same without Kay reading it though!

[David Johnston · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just as it promises on the cover, this is an overview of Peter Kay’s TV career starting from his schoolboy days of aspiring to be like one of his many VHS-recorded heroes. I listened to he audiobook which is definitely worth it for this as, in addition to hearing Peter deliver it like an extended stand up set, he plays the audio of some of the work he is talking about. Early in the book he talks about recording the audio of his favourite shows growing up then listening to them in bed and imagining the replay and it was a fun experience to recreate that. There are some stories from his Sound of Laughter book that are told with a slightly different angle but there is more new content than old and the behind the scenes information on how his TV shows came to be was fascinating.

[Beth Abram · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must listen on audiobook. Laughed out loud. He's so grateful for his career, and it made me realise how talented and naturally funny he is.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

The thing with Peter Kay is that I forget just how good he is, obviously he's very popular and sells out arenas but I'd forgotten just have good he is at picking out quirks and teaming it with nostalgia with sharp comedic wit. Initially a stand-up comedian before moving towards TV writing, I have always felt his TV writing outshone his stand-up and this book highlights his deep love for television and you can tell he prefers TV writing over stand-up. If you haven't read either of his previous books then that won't be an issue as this book stands as a standalone and he covers off any overlap between books that occur. This book is purely focused on his TV comedic writing career and his lifelong love of TV.

All his TV work is covered in this book such as That Peter Kay Thing, Phoenix Nights, Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere and more recently Car Share. However it is not just these main shows that are covered within this book, he talks about everything he has done on TV from extra work on Coronation Street through to things like the adverts for John Smith's.

Normally I dislike when books speak in-depth on the production process and replicate large chunks of scripts (and this book does both) but I actually really enjoyed it within this book, Peter tells funny and interesting anecdotes in his undisguisable voice and rather than finding the content dull it made me want to dig out my old DVD's and rewatch his work.

Maybe I was exactly the right age for Peter Kay, I remember quoting lines from That Peter Kay Thing and Phoenix Nights during lunchtime at school and so it was a joy to be reminded of lines that I must have burned into my subconscious mind and to be reunited with characters I'd forgotten through time but who quickly and vividly returned to my mind whilst reading.

I really enjoyed this book, Peter's sense of humour and voice shine through on every page and you can't help but like him. He says early on in the book that his career has been built around nostalgia but I think it also needs to be said that whilst that is true he's also very good at it and his wide ranging appeal is proof of just how good he is at it. I think in terms of his stand-up/output he doesn't really fit in with comedians of his generation as he tends to be a bit more family friendly and therefore gets a little overlooked sometimes but he should be considered up there with the very best.

This book ignited my lost love for him, highly recommended!

[Chris George · Rating 5 out of 5]

A joyous warm hearted read with laugh out loud moments. You have to adopt a Bolton accent when reading it as a must!

[Sharron Joy Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

The next part of Peter’s autobiography this covers his journey from stand up to TV and chronicles the different shows he was a part of and how they came to be made.

That Peter Kay Thing, Phoenix Nights, Car Share and more. Filled with his trademark humour and anecdotes this is laugh out loud funny in places. He has a wonderful way of taking the mundane everyday things and seeing the ridiculousness of them. An easy fun read.

[spookybookz · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to this on Audio as Peter Kay himself was narrating it, If you’re already a Peter Kay fan then you’re gunna love this! It was like I was sat on the sofa having a brew with this comedy legend whilst he talked me through his amazing career, I listened to it in one sitting I just couldn’t stop!

A fantastic, funny & nostalgic book that is a must read and listen 🎧
He shares such special stories and his true feelings towards people and projects he’s worked on.
I highly recommend it 🙌

[Jamie Bowen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peter Kay reminisces about his TV career from his early days to Car Share. The stories are often funny as you would imagine, particularly those in relation to Phoenix Nights and a legal case that was involved with it. The standout moment though was when Peter talks about his relationship with Ronnie Barker, funny but also touching and very emotional. A great read.

[Jenny Twomey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious in places and I enjoyed the snippets of scripts from Phoenix Nights and Car Share. Some bits I’m sure I’ve read before and it reads a bit hurried at times like he just wanted to get the book finished, but if you’re familiar with Peter Kay’s work and enjoy his humour, it’s well worth a couple of hours of your life.

[Mat Greener · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyable listen of Peter Kay's TV career. Only issue is many of the sound bites have car noises on them so if listening when walking you keep thinking a car is behind . Ok that is a problem with me not the book. Book covers his inspirations & ideas many laugh out loud moments.

[Izzy Prangley · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always Peter Kay is completely brilliant & hilarious. I’d highly recommend the audiobook as he reads it, which adds another level to the book. I loved all the stories, jokes and memories. Even with the humour, Peter remains so humble and kind. Which I think added another layer to it.

[Katie Rankine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved listening to this on audio! If you love Peter kay you will love this!

[jennifer laughton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to his audio book while driving. Made my husband and myself laugh out loud. It was better the Audio version because Peter Kay read it himself with lots of added extras.

[Olly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insight from a comedy genius

[Rob Plumpton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining and light-hearted insight at how TV works and how programmes are made.

[Andy LooWho · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hilarious and he seems like a genuinely humble man with his feet on the ground. Now to watch Phenix Nights and rewatch Car Share.

[Penny May Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this audiobook. I never wanted it to end! Peter Kay is such a hilarious person and it was great to hear about his career and love for television and making people laugh. Definitely listen to the audiobook, he reads it himself and you won’t stop laughing!

[Catherine · Rating 5 out of 5]

I could have read this book in a day, but prolonged finishing it and savoured every page.
Loved it
I'm a major fan.

[Sam Wincott · Rating 4 out of 5]

My first non fiction/autobiography. Really enjoyed it due to it being my favourite comedian, and one of my favourite people in general. I wouldn’t read anything else non fiction, but I did definitely enjoy this. Super funny, and really interesting to get an insight into his sheer writing and comedy talent!

[Deborah Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this book on audible. Narrated by Kay himself it is every bit as funny as you would expect.

[Sean Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a very funny bloke, a cracking career, and some interesting insights into the UK's TV industry and Peter's creative processes.

[Karen Cumming · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great as an audio book- with clips played throughout

[Simon Burdus · Rating 3 out of 5]

As you’d imagine, a nostalgic and humorous look back at Peter Kay’s career so far; in his own words. Loved the chapter about Ronnie Barker.

[Diana · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m a massive fan of Peter Kay, I adore his humour so for me this book was a no-brainer!
It’s quite an interesting read, though rather more about the technology involved in making tv shows than humour!
Don’t get me wrong it’s a good book and there’s a lot to enjoy. If you like Peter it’s worth a read.

[Chris Jolliffe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very funny, Peter Kay at his best.

[Justin Berry · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not being a die hard fan I was still intrigued to give this one ago having found Mr Kay highly entertaining in the things I'd seen him in.
This was full of anecdotes some which were interesting and amusing and some which passed me by. I'm glad I listened to this as an audiobook though as there were lots of clips included that further enhanced my experience. 3.5 I feel.

[Demi Cramb · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this a real easy and funny listen. Of course it's Peter Kay after all! Growing up, my parents are huge Peter Kay fans and I can totally see why. It was interesting to see his relationship with TV and how he has grown into stadium sell out tours. At some points I wasn't totally getting the references he was making but it was still a very enjoyable listen.

[Nic · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5* I enjoyable journey through Peter Kay's appearances on and content made for TV.

This is one for Peter Kay Fans. It's the enjoyable back story behind the creation and making of his TV shows, charity specials and other content. The early TV series, such as Phoenix Nights, get a huge amount of detail and I thought so much so it dragged a little. However, once we are into the smaller nuggets - appearances on Parky, the Amarillo video for Comic Relief, the spoof reality show etc it really comes into its own. The stand out is the chapter about Peter's exchange of correspondence with Ronnie Barker and subsequently attending a celebration of Ronnie's life.

I listened to the Audiobook. Narrated by Peter and clearly full of ad-libs, with the bonus of clips of the TV series and songs.

[Ken Sampson · Rating 4 out of 5]

[4 Jul 2025] A gentle, amusing, entertaining and funny look at Peter Kay's career in British TV comedy. It is a good read, easy, reassuring and safe. He comes across as a warm, sensible and engaging individual. Full of humour, optimism and inventive, wacky thoughts about the funny side of life. He jogs the memory in chronological order from Phoenix Nights to Car Share and so much in between. He goes behind the scenes and is rich in description and anecdote. He remains warm, kind and never cruel, even in the face of absurdity and rudeness in others. It's great to see his pride and loyalty to Lancashire and Bolton. A simple, gentle and straight forward read. No pretentiousness in him at all. However not a biography as such - you learn little about his inner world, his family or daily life. This book is focused on his work. Unlike other comedians he remains astutely non-political and thereby gives a sense that he respects all, cares for all and his comedy is accessible to all. He just wants to make people laugh.

A lovely warm, engaging, interesting and informative book from one of Britain's finest comedians.