"How am I supposed to do bloody comedy now?"
Peter Kay has had an emotional return to the stage.
The comedian was moved to tears after receiving a standing ovation on Friday as he opened his first live tour in 12 years.
Kay received rapturous applause from the audience that reportedly lasted several minutes as fans also chanted his name.
The 49-year-old appeared overwhelmed, pausing to lean against a stool on stage before standing up and dabbing his eyes,
LBC reported.
"Oh Jesus, look at me, I mean what's that all about... How am I supposed to do bloody comedy now?" he asked audiences, prompting the first laughs of the evening, the outlet stated.
He added: "Lovely Manchester you made me cry... Where did it come from, all that emotion?"
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Friday's show at the Manchester AO Arena is the first in a massive arena tour which will span from December to August 2023.
Members of the audience from the show have since reported that Kay's routine is as strong as ever.
One fan, 23-year-old Olivia Matthews, told
BBC News that there was no material that was "too serious" in his show.
She added: "Everything's light-hearted. That's what we like about him.
"His last tour was 12 years ago and we were 10 or 11, so we're a new audience coming into it.
"I've always known him and always liked him, growing up. We've got to see his material, but never live."
Meanwhile another crowdmember, 63-year-old Paul Stokes recounted of Kay: "He was a little bit overwhelmed when he first came out, but he was excellent."
Kay was originally set to go on tour in 2018, but the shows were called off due to "unforeseen family circumstances".
After Friday's gig, Kay will perform in Belfast, Birmingham, Cardiff, Dublin, Glasgow, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Nottingham and Sheffield.
On account of high demand, the comedian added a number of extra dates following the initial release.
His latest tour also includes a monthly residency at London's O2 arena which is set to run at least until 2025.
