That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing is a British mockumentary series that was first shown on Channel 4 in 2000. It was written by Peter Kay, Dave Spikey, Neil Fitzmaurice and Gareth Hughes, and was directed by Andrew Gillman. The series was narrated by Andrew Sachs, with the exception of the pilot, which was narrated by Kay. Set in and around Bolton, each episode functions as a self-contained documentary following a different set of characters, many of them played by Kay. The pilot episode, "The Services", was shown in 1998 as an episode of Comedy Lab, a series that showcased pilots of experimental comedy shows. Many of the characters went on to appear in the successful spin-off series Phoenix Nights.
Characters
- Brian Potter – the notoriously selfish social secretary of the working men's club The Neptune. He lost the use of his legs when his former club flooded. It is suggested that he can actually walk, as at the end of the episode he is seen to stand while remonstrating with a group of firefighters.
- Max and Paddy – two inept bouncers at The Neptune.
- Jerry St. Clair – a part-time builder and the compère at The Neptune, and a previous winner of Talent Trek.
- Les Alanos – The Neptune's house band, comprising Les and Alan. Les originally worked with Alan's father before he left to form the tribute band "Right Said Frank'".
- Paul le Roy – a local disc jockey for the radio station Chorley FM. He is obsessed with the music of the 1980s. He sports a mullet and has a long-suffering wife.
- Keith Lard – an overly zealous local fire safety inspector that, it is alleged, interferes with dogs.
- Patrick O'Neil – a cheeky employee at the Apollo Bingo Hall, who, alongside his friends "Sparky" and Yvonne, causes havoc in the Apollo.
- Tom Dale – a Liverpudlian bingo caller known for his bizarre pre-show preparations and his catchphrase "let's tickle those balls".
- Rose and Theresa – two middle-aged bingo fans that assume anyone that wins is sleeping with Tom Dale.
- Mr Softy Top, aka Robert Edge – a third-generation ice cream man that hates children.
- Signór Whippee – an ice cream man and Mr Softy Top's rival.
- Darren Bramwell – a college student that works for Mr Softy Top on weekends.
- Matthew Kelly – an aspiring Irish actor that is unhappily stuck in several part-time jobs.
- Johnny Utah, also known as Craig – a surly Wild West obsessive that works as a coach driver.
- Duncan Beach – a St. John Ambulance volunteer that is devoted to his job, but treated with contempt by those he treats.
- Chris Choi – one half of the security group Live Sec.
- Shaun Ballen – the other half of the security group Live Sec.
- Carol and Edina – two Concertgoers dressed up in fitting attire for the 70s music show.
- Leonard de Tomkinson – an elderly, kindly local eccentric. Owing to angina, he is unable to work, but has a paper round and is, therefore, Britain's oldest paperboy.
- Marc Park – an aspiring pop star and former greengrocer that looks like Mick Hucknall. He has a dog called Lady.
- Cheryl Avenue – an aspiring pop star, and former member of Park Avenue, she is the former long suffering partner of Marc Park and mother to his child. She later gained a pop career in her own right while also making her ex look bad much to his chagrin.
- Pearl Hardman – a would-be career woman that manages a Bolton service station.
- Alan McClarty – an emotionally unstable Scottish mechanic that worked for the RAC before his wife left him and he had a nervous breakdown. He now runs his own breakdown company, "ARC".