Peter Kay fever is sweeping the nation  - from the unbelievable ticket sales for his comeback tour to fellow comedian and Bolton lad Paddy McGuinness penning a beautiful message to his 'childhood friend'.

Earlier this week, Paddy shared some pictures of the two, some which had no seen before.

With both growing up in the town, with Paddy regularly being spotted in the town, The Bolton News delved into the archives to find pictures charting their success to fame.

Peter Kay and Paddy both grew up in Bolton and were even rumoured to attend the same nursery together.

The Bolton News:

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The duo appeared in Peter's famous Phoenix Nights which was a huge success.

It was the St Gregory's Club in Farnworth used to film the cult comedy show Phoenix Nights where Paddy stared as bouncer 'Paddy' alongside Peter Kay with the show ending in 2002.

Following Peter's turn as Brian Potter, he has starred in shows ranging from Little Britain to Doctor Who and has had record-breaking sell-out tours.

The Bolton News:

His award-winning comedy 'Car Share' also aired on the BBC.

While Paddy went on to host popular dating show Take Me Out, since 2010, which has broadcast over 100 episodes.

He is currently fronting a number of shows, including Top Gear.

The Bolton News: Peter Kay, Vernon Kay, Kevin Davies and Paddy McGuiness.

Neither have forgotten their roots, with Paddy having helped the town's homeless with his friend Billa Ahmed, while Peter Kay led The Bolton News' 150 the celebrations in aid of Bolton Hospice.