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Comedy legend Peter Kay has opened up about his long battle with binge eating, revealing that he spent nearly five decades trying to lose weight before finally confronting his relationship with food.
In a rare and deeply personal interview at an In Conversation With... event hosted by Sara Cox at The Lowry theatre in Salford, the 51-year-old comedian spoke candidly about his health journey, weight loss, and the wake-up call that changed his life.
Kay, who stunned fans with his slimmer appearance when he returned to the public eye in 2024 following a five-year hiatus, said:
“Only for the first 48 years of my life. Yeah, I had to, eventually, because you start thinking about your health and things like that, don’t you?”
The Car Share star went on to describe his attempts at weight loss over the years, admitting that he had tried everything from Slimming World to WeightWatchers.
“I tried everything. Good God in heaven. I mean, you go to flaming weight-loss groups and stuff like that. I joined Slimming World and WeightWatchers. I did all of them.”
But it was a single, powerful moment that finally made him confront the reality of his binge eating. Kay recalled sneaking out of the cinema during a film he was watching with his wife, Susan, pretending to go to the toilet, but really heading to buy a hotdog.
Peter Kay, pictured in 2010, laid bare his struggle with weight loss in a new interview – Credit: PA Archive
“I was doing really well with this diet, but I’m so bad with willpower. I had this hotdog and I caught a glimpse of myself reflected in, ironically, a framed poster for Babe,” Kay said, referring to the classic pig-themed film.
“I thought, look at you, what are you doing? You’re doing really well on this diet, you should be ashamed of yourself.”
In a moment that drew both gasps and laughter from the audience, he admitted that even after throwing the hotdog away, he took it back out of the bin before it hit the binliner, and ate it anyway.
Kay’s honest admission struck a chord with fans, many of whom praised him online for shedding light on the challenges of emotional eating and dieting. His openness about mental health and food issues comes as he continues his sold-out UK tour, which has been hailed as one of the greatest comedy comebacks of recent years.
With his trademark humour and warmth, Kay is turning personal struggle into a moment of connection with his fans, proving once again why he remains one of Britain’s most loved comedians.
