Peter Kay has cancelled his forthcoming arena tour and all upcoming work projects due to 'unforeseen family circumstances'.

The Bolton comedian, 44, issued a statement via his Twitter account at 12noon today, Wednesday December 13.

He said: “Due to unforeseen family circumstances, I deeply regret that I am having to cancel all my upcoming work projects. This unfortunately includes my upcoming stand-up tour, Dance for Life shows and any live work commitments.

“My sincerest apologies. This decision has not been taken lightly and I’m sure you’ll understand my family must always come first.

“I’ve always endeavoured to protect my family’s privacy from the media. I hope that the media and the public will continue to respect our privacy at this time. Once again, I’m very sorry.”

Peter's last public appearance was as host of the Bolton News' 150th Anniversary party at the Macron Stadium on December1.

What to do if you have a ticket for a forthcoming show:

Customers for Peter Kay’s Live Arena Tour and Dance for Life shows will be refunded from their original point of purchase and any specific ticket queries should be directed to them.

As Dance for Life is a charitable event in aid of Cancer Research UK, ticket holders may, if they wish, still donate to Cancer Research UK by visiting www.cancerresearchuk.org

The Bolton News: