Peter Kay records bestselling autobiography – and reveals plans for new book

Peter Kay remains one of Bolton’s funniest comedians. 

He has won numerous BAFTAs and National Television Awards for his TV work including Car Share and Phoenix Nights. As well as three number one chart singles, Peter also holds the Guinness World Record for the biggest selling stand-up comedian on the planet.

And his first autobiography The Sound Of Laughter still holds the record for the biggest selling British hardback autobiography of all time, selling over two million copies worldwide.

Now, Peter has finally recorded his first bestselling autobiography after fifteen years.

Grab a brew and some good-for-dipping biscuits and listen to Peter take a trip down memory lane, including his first-ever driving lesson, his Bolton childhood, and the numerous jobs he held, right up until he found fame in the world of comedy.

The Sound of Laughter observes the absurdities and eccentricities of family life, elderly relatives, garlic bread, cheesecake, weddings, funerals and your mum’s HRT… and you can hear all about it from Peter, read live and direct from his own front room.

“I blame the pandemic,” said Peter about how he came to record the book.

“Mind you people are still blaming the pandemic for everything.

“You know I still can’t get porridge at McDonald’s because of the pandemic. What’s all that about? It’s oats in a microwave! Or fish fingers with a Happy Meal.

“The truth is Audible approached me during the pandemic to ask if I’d like to record my first book, The Sound Of Laughter, in an effort to try and cheer people up a bit. So hopefully it’ll lift people’s spirits.

“We all need a laugh. Especially without McDonald’s doing porridge.”

Peter says recording the book at home made everything much more relaxed.

“I could record at my own pace and that made the whole experience much more fun as I was able to drift off the subject matter and have a different view about it all these years later.

“I’d never read the book since I wrote it in 2006.  It was fascinating, like reading something that somebody else had written.”

The comedian hasn’t written anything since his second book, Saturday Night Peter, also a bestseller, since 2009. How come?

“I suppose it’s like I said before life gets in the way. Becoming a dad changed my priorities.  

“The trick is getting the balance right in your life. I think a lot of people were forced to realise that during the pandemic.

“I think a lot of people’s priorities will have changed forever now. Hopefully for the better.”

Did recording the book make him miss writing?

“It really did. Within the first few chapters of recording, I was inspired to start to write a third book.

“I had the idea about ten years ago. All about working in TV. From when I started doing bit parts in Coronation Street right up to Car Share.

“It’s been a real joy recalling the memories. There’s over twenty years of stories about filming series like Phoenix Nights and Max & Paddy’s Road To Nowhere.

“Appearing on chat shows like Parkinson, at the Queens Golden Jubilee and sharing letters from Ronnie Barker. We wrote to each other for years as pen-pals until he passed away.

“I’ll no doubt be recording that book too before you know it. 

“I just hope people enjoy it as much as this first one.”

Peter Kay’s The Sound of Laughter is available to download from Thursday 16th September (for Audible members, or for free as part of a 30 day trial) here.