HE'S sold out theatres around the country, breaking box office records along the way.

In Blackburn he managed to sell out King George's Hall -- all 2,100 seats -- in less than 20 minutes, a feat not even artists such as Robbie Williams or Paul Weller could match.

This week Peter Kay -- arguably Britain's most popular comedian -- returned to his native Bolton as part of his massive nationwide tour.

His marathon trek has seen him play over 140 dates -- and there's still another six weeks of the tour to go.

But in spite of his success, the celebrity lifestyle is just not for him.

He would much sooner be having a laugh with his mates, or with his wife Susan, or working on new projects than swanning around at London parties and attending glittering premieres every other night.

He says: "I don't think I'll ever come to terms with the fame side of things, especially around the town that you've spent your life in.

"At least people are happy to see me and are usually smiling -- unless they haven't been able to get tickets for the tour and then it's abuse!

"It is harder up here, though, and I can see why people choose to live a life of anonymity in London, but I'll never move.

"If it's a toss-up, then home will win every time."

In spite of the acclaim for his shows, Peter Kay remains surprised at the amount of success he's having.

He said: "The tour is going better than ever. I've learnt so much doing it.

"Every night is different and even though I have performed the show over a hundred times, I still find something new.

"The other night I did the same show and it was over two and half hours long."

You would think that after spending so long on the road, the appeal would beginning to wear off.

But Peter said: "When the tour is over I will miss it.

"It has been the best thing that I've ever done and I've enjoyed it so much."

It's difficult to believe that just a few years ago Peter Kay was a virtual unknown trying his hand at comedy around the clubs of the North West while working as a cinema usher in Bolton.

At the time, unaware of just how meteoric his rise to stardom would be, he said: "I'm still doing my other job as an usher at Bolton's ABC cinema on Bradshawgate -- I'll never be too much of a star to give that up."

But then events overtook him. In 1997, Peter won Channel Four's So You Think You're Funny competition for new stand-up talent.

He returned to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in 1998 and his sell-out show was nominated for the coveted Perrier Award.

He then scooped the awards for Top Stand Up and Top TV Comedy Newcomer at the British Comedy Awards.

In the same year Peter stood in for Johnny Vaughn presenting The Big Breakfast, did The Sunday Show and performed at the prestigious Royal Variety Performance.

His first big break was as star and writer of The Services, a spoof one-off Channel Four documentary set in a motorway service station (filmed at Rivington), in which Peter played five characters and was nominated for his first Royal Television Society Award for best actor.

Following critical acclaim, Channel Four then awarded him his own series.

Peter co-wrote, co-produced and starred in several roles in a collection of six individual comedies shot "mockumentary" style, entitled That Peter Kay Thing and narrated by Andrew Sachs.

Again, this was filmed in and around Bolton and in it he played 15 characters, including a psychotic ice cream man and the town's oldest paper boy.

This unique hybrid of comedy and drama, fused with documentary, won Peter Best New Comedy Series at the British Comedy Awards 2000.

The success of the show led to the now legendary Phoenix Nights, which has attracted a huge following.

Two series of this acutely-observed comedy set in a Northern social club (filmed at St Gregory's in Farnworth) have been rapturously received by critics and audiences.

The first series was a big seller on video and DVD and the second is due to be released in those formats in October.

And Peter says a third series is a distinct possibility: "Only time will tell, but I honestly don't think we've seen the last of Brian Potter and the rest of the gang."

As the tour continues, Peter has been co-writing his next project with longtime mate Paddy McGuinness, who starred with him in Phoenix Nights. It will be a spin-off from that show, focusing on Max and Paddy, the two doormen, who Peter feels have a lot more comedic miles in them.

The as yet untitled new series, which is due to start filming in the autumn, will follow the hapless pair's adventures as they tour the country in their motor home.