Peter Kay, the beloved comedian from Bolton, has announced a remarkable finale to his record-breaking stand-up tour, pledging every penny of profit from his final shows to twelve leading cancer charities. On Wednesday, November 26, 2025, Kay made the announcement live on BBC’s The One Show, marking a milestone both for his career and for the charities set to benefit from his generosity.
Kay, 52, is no stranger to the big stage. Over the past four years, he’s sold out arenas across the UK, with his Better Late Than Never tour drawing huge crowds and critical acclaim. But as the tour enters its final stretch, Kay’s focus has shifted from personal achievement to giving back. His last round of shows, including a much-anticipated night at Manchester’s AO Arena on August 8, 2026, will see all profits—"every single penny," as Kay put it—donated to a coalition of charities fighting cancer in children and adults alike.
“It’s been the greatest privilege of my life to perform for audiences up and down the country,” Kay said during his appearance on The One Show. “I’ve been completely overwhelmed by the support over the years, and it feels right to give something back. Every single penny of profit from these final shows will go to help fight cancer and support those affected.”
Kay’s list of beneficiary organizations reads like a who’s who of the UK’s cancer-fighting community: Children With Cancer UK, Teenage Cancer Trust, Kidney Cancer UK, Blood Cancer UK, Bowel Cancer UK, Prostate Cancer UK, DKMS, Ovarian Cancer Action, Pancreatic Cancer UK, Anthony Nolan, The Brain Tumour Charity, and Breast Cancer UK. Each charity will receive a share of the tour’s proceeds, a move that has been met with gratitude and excitement from fundraising leaders and supporters alike.
“Everyone in the blood cancer community, whether they’re affected by leukaemia, lymphoma or myeloma, is genuinely chuffed and deeply grateful,” said Rachel Calderon, deputy director of fundraising at Blood Cancer UK, in a statement to the BBC. “Every pound helps us support people facing blood cancer and will help fund lifesaving research that will get us closer to beating blood cancer within a generation.”
Seren Evans, senior head of mass fundraising at Prostate Cancer UK, echoed the sentiment: “Loads of us here at Prostate Cancer UK are huge fans of Peter Kay, so we’re really excited and grateful to be part of his final arena tour. By working with us he’s raising vital funds for game-changing research, lifesaving campaigning and vital support services for men living with and after prostate cancer.”
Nicky Read, chief of fundraising at Anthony Nolan, added, “We’re extremely grateful to Peter Kay who, through choosing to support Anthony Nolan as one of the beneficiaries of his final shows, is supporting people affected by blood cancer and blood disorders. Fundraising like this helps us to add new lifesavers to the register, provide specialist post-transplant nurses, conduct groundbreaking research, and be there to provide important information to patients and their families during the most difficult of times. Peter’s shows bring enormous joy to so many and it’s wonderful that they will also bring hope and life-saving opportunities to people who really need them.”
The final leg of the Better Late Than Never tour is set to be a nationwide affair, with Kay performing in cities across the UK and Ireland. The full list of dates includes Newcastle (Utilita Arena, March 8), Nottingham (Motorpoint Arena, March 20), Glasgow (OVO Hydro, April 3), Dublin (3 Arena, April 16), Birmingham (Utilita Arena, May 1), Belfast (SSE Arena, June 4), Liverpool (M&S Bank Arena, June 19), Sheffield (Utilita Arena, June 20), Leeds (First Direct Arena, July 24), London (The O2, August 7), and Manchester (AO Arena, August 8). Tickets for these highly anticipated shows will go on sale at 10am on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Kay’s charitable pivot is deeply personal. “Unfortunately, just about everyone knows someone who’s been affected by one of the cancers on that list,” he told The One Show. “I really hope people can get behind this – come out, have a great night, share a few laughs, and do something good for charity at the same time. It’s a win–win. You don’t even have to like me – raising money for these twelve charities goes far beyond that. Together, we really can make a difference.”
The comedian’s decision to donate all profits has been described as a “milestone moment” by those in the charity sector. Dr Michele Afif, CEO of The Brain Tumour Charity, expressed her organization’s “deepest gratitude” for Kay’s support, noting, “Including The Brain Tumour Charity as one of the charities benefitting from the proceeds of his 2026 tour will be instrumental to us achieving much needed change for everyone we stand alongside. Thank you, Peter. From all of us.”
Kay’s career has long been marked by a sense of community and connection. From his early 2000s TV hit Phoenix Nights to his more recent sitcom Peter Kay’s Car Share, he’s built a reputation for bringing people together in laughter. Now, as he prepares to take his final bows in some of the UK’s biggest arenas, he’s channeling that goodwill into a cause that resonates with millions.
For Kay, the decision to give back at this stage of his career feels like a natural progression. “It’s finishing next year, and I am announcing the last lot of shows, but all the profits are going to cancer charities,” he said on The One Show. That message—delivered with characteristic humility and humor—has struck a chord with fans and newcomers alike. As Kay joked, “If it’s not funny, you’ll get your money back.”
Tickets for the final dates are expected to sell out quickly, given Kay’s enduring popularity and the charitable nature of the shows. The AO Arena in Manchester, in particular, holds a special place in Kay’s heart—he’s performed more than 100 shows there, making him the only artist in the world to have held a monthly residency at The O2 and to have such a long-running presence in his hometown.
With the final shows of the Better Late Than Never tour on the horizon, Kay’s legacy as both a comedian and a philanthropist seems secure. As fans across the UK gear up for one last night of laughter, the impact of those evenings will ripple far beyond the arena walls, touching lives in ways that go well beyond comedy.
In the end, Kay’s message is simple but powerful: together, we really can make a difference. And as the curtain falls on his historic run, it’s clear that Peter Kay’s final act may be his most meaningful yet.
