Peter Kay took a swipe at long-time friend Paddy McGuinness as he shared plans to to revive beloved show Phoenix Nights.
The Channel 4 sitcom aired from 2001 to 2002, with Peter, 52, serving as creator, writer, director and star – while Paddy, 52, was also among the main cast.
Phoenix Nights followed a working men’s club in Bolton, with spin-off Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere airing in 2004.
Now, Peter has revealed he wants to use ‘de-aging’ technology to revive the cult TV show for a film reboot.
Speaking to his former co-star Toby Foster – who played backing musician Les Campbell in Phoenix Nights – on his BBC Sheffield radio show, he explained: ‘Honestly I went on this ChatGPT and I’ve asked a lot of questions about de-aging because what I’ve written there’s a lot of flashbacks.’
After Toby, 56, joked: ‘I don’t think we look a day older!’, Peter took a cheeky shot at Paddy as he replied: ‘I know you don’t! God.
Peter Kay took a swipe at long-time pal Paddy McGuinness while discussing a potential Phoenix Nights revival
The Bolton comedians and old school friends both appeared in the 2001-02 series, which Peter also created
Since starring in Phoenix Nights, Paddy has gone to enjoy a successful presenting and comedy career
‘I mean… I’m not talking about you, I’m talking about [using] AI to put hair onto Paddy’s head, that’s what I’m talking about!’
He added: ‘I thought, you know I don’t want to do make-up.
‘So I’ve been looking and obviously they did that film The Irishman with Robert De Niro and Joe Pesci and they made them all look younger and Al Pacino, but that was seven years ago.
‘It’s got cheaper now, but as I’m just looking into it, it’s become a bit more like not as expensive. So I thought I just need to make sure it doesn’t look dodgy, but I’d love to do that.’
Peter played several characters in Phoenix Nights, including bouncer Max and club owner Brian.
The comedian joked he wouldn’t need AI to reprise the latter role because he has gotten older.
Peter said: ‘I mean I’m all right for Brian because I look older. Can you believe when I did Brian I was 26?’
Last month, Peter revealed plans for a Phoenix Nights film during an appearance on Capital Breakfast, saying the movie is ‘written and it’s done’.
Continuing, the comedian explained why he ultimately did not agree to give streaming rights for Phoenix Nights to Netflix.
He admitted how bosses at the streaming giant had sent him an air fryer hoping to tempt him into the deal.
Peter recounted: ‘I got [an air fryer] free from Netflix. They got in touch with me last year because they wanted to put Phoenix Nights on Netflix.
‘They rang me up and said: “Can we license some of your shows to put on Netflix?”
‘Anyway, they sent me a load of paperwork. Basically, it’s not very politically correct now. This was made in a time, do you know what I mean?’
Continuing, he explained the show would need to be aired with a trigger warning about the content and the creator wasn’t happy about it.
Peter added: ‘I just said: “I’m not keen on that, I don’t really want a warning before it.”
‘So, I just said: “No, I’ll leave it.” Anyway, they sent me an air fryer. I think that was trying to sweeten me.’
It comes as the funnyman opened up about his dramatic weight loss for the first time earlier this month.
Peter surprised fans when he returned to the spotlight last year sporting a much slimmer frame following a five-year absence.
Last month, Peter opened up about his dramatic weight loss for the first time – after a five year absence (pictured in 2017)
Addressing his new look for the first time, the funnyman revealed he’d tried everything from slimming groups, gym sessions to Rosemary Conley keep fit videos owned by his mum in a desperate bid to get a grip on his weight.
Speaking at an In Conversation With… event hosted by Sara Cox at The Lowry theatre in Salford, which aired on BBC Radio 2, Peter said he had finally made the change over concerns for his health.
‘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.’
He also reflected on the key moment that made him realise he had a binge eating problem after sneaking out of the cinema where he was watching a film with his wife Susan.
Peter described how he lied about going to the toilet only to leave the screening to eat a hotdog: ‘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.
‘I thought, look at you – what are you doing? You’re doing really well on this diet, you should be ashamed of yourself.’
He added that as he threw it into the bin he grabbed it back just before it hit the bin liner and still ate it.
Peter went on to explain that his bad eating habits date back to when he was a child – with his mother bringing him in pies to primary school for him to eat.
