Stand-up comedian Peter Kay and his wife Susan Gargan had a honeymoon they’ll never forget but, sadly, for all the wrong reasons as the star reveals in his new book
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Peter Kay explains why ‘all joy evaporated’ on his honeymoon in new book(Image: Getty Images)
Peter Kay has revealed his honeymoon with his beloved wife was “ruined” as it coincided with the 9/11 terror attacks – turning their resort into a joyless place.
The comedian has written a new book in the form of a diary with stories and anecdotes for each month.
And writing about September, the Phoenix Nights creator also recalls his honeymoon disaster, as he and wife Susan were married just a few days before the September 11 attacks in 2001 and were in Mexico when the disaster unfolded.
Kay thought it was a movie when he first saw the twin towers on fire on TV before the realisation hit and the holiday resort took on an eerie state.
Kay writes: “The whole resort was flung into grief, as you’d expect. We really wanted to go back home, but thousands of planes were grounded. It was an unprecedented move to thwart any further attacks from hijacked planes.
“That backlog lasted for weeks. We tried calling home, but queues for any public phones were huge, mainly Americans calling family and friends.
“The feeling was eerie. All joy evaporated. All music stopped. It was a surreal juxtaposition; we were in such idyllic surroundings while all this tragedy was happening. We tried to continue with normal holiday activities, but we felt guilty.”
Kay said the world changed for years afterwards and when children came into their lives he tried to shield his young kids from 9/11 and would change TV channel if a programme came on mentioning it as there was no real explanation for what happened.
He added: “Sometimes the world can be a horrible place, and it ruined our honeymoon. We got back home six days later than scheduled. We were so grateful to get a flight back. We’d been waiting in a packed airport in Cancun for seven hours.
“I’ll never forget the passengers clapped and cheered when we landed in Manchester. Such a relief to be back on terra firma, though no one would feel safe for a long time to come. F**king Al-Qaeda.”
Elsewhere in the book, Kay also details how he needed emergency surgery in recent years after a kidney stone left him in agony.
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He recounted the events in comedy fashion, before writing: “It was painful and unpleasant and a dreadful experience I never wish to repeat. Ever!”
*Peter Kay’s Diary is published by Harper Collins and is out tomorrow(Thursday).
In Gaza, children do not merely experience fear amid the constant bombardment and death. Fear has come to redefine the simplest concepts in every aspect of their lives.
When my three-year-old niece, Rose, touched a wall for the first time, it was as if she were touching something alien – something that didn’t belong to her world. Her tiny hand reached out hesitantly, then recoiled suddenly, as if struck by an electric shock.
“Will it fall?” she whispered, trembling.
She thought the solid wall would collapse, just as our tent – where the two of us live along with seven other members of our family – collapses whenever the sea winds rage. Rose has never known a wall that doesn’t fall. In her world, permanence is a fantasy, and everything around her is subject to collapse.
Rose is the daughter of my eldest brother. With both of her parents away working – one as a teacher and the other as a doctor – I have been her main caretaker since birth, feeding her, snuggling her to calm her down, putting her to sleep. She was one year old when the genocide started. She has been sleeping in my arms for the past two years. My embrace is the only sense of safety she knows.
In Rose’s world, walls are unreliable, air is suspicious, water is a hazard, and sound is not a sign of life – but a warning of its end.
Last month, I had to take Rose to one of Gaza’s few remaining hospitals. She, like other children in our displacement camp, had gotten a rash. Her small body could no longer endure the harsh summer and the lack of clean water.
The reception area was overwhelmed. We waited with dozens of other patients – every mother carrying a story of pain on her chest, and every child looking like Rose: Pale face, fragile body, wide eyes pleading for a life that doesn’t resemble death.
In the corner of the corridor, a fan was blowing – yes, a working fan. I hadn’t seen one in months. The children approached it hesitantly, as though they were in the presence of something sacred, trying to touch the breeze.
I wanted Rose to feel it. I wanted her to know that not all wind is destructive.
But the moment the breeze from the fan touched her face, she screamed – the same scream she lets out when a fighter jet bombs our neighbourhood. She clutched at my clothes, her tiny fingers digging into the fabric, her body trembling violently.
She thought the air itself now signalled another attack from the sky. She now associates any sudden movement or sound with bombing. Even a fan feels like a threat.
I pulled her back quickly, holding her tightly against my chest, apologising without words.
How can I explain to a child that air doesn’t hurt? That a fan isn’t a warplane? That light isn’t a bomb? That the ceiling won’t fall?
On another occasion, Rose was playing with a cup of water, and she spilled it and slipped. She didn’t cry from pain, but from panic. In her mind, even such a small incident is a terrifying event.
At night, as we tried to sleep through darkness, heat, and the sounds of shelling, a nearby explosion shook our tent. Rose jumped and clutched her right ear.
“Auntie Rola … did my ear fly off?” she asked, in heartbreaking innocence.
I didn’t understand at first. Then I remembered that our neighbour had lost his ear in a strike on the market weeks ago. Rose thought the explosion had stolen her ear, just like one did his.
This is her life now – an existence wrapped in constant fear.
Rose is just one of hundreds of thousands of children in Gaza, each living through the painful trauma of war and genocide. Their world is not shaped by innocence and play, but by survival and fear.
Even if the war were to end tomorrow, it would leave behind a whole generation of Palestinian children whose childhood has been shattered. It is a trauma of immense proportions – one that would take years, perhaps decades, to address.
And this process will have to start with redefining the basic concepts of life: That walls do not usually fall, that the breeze is safe, that sound does not kill.
Amazon Prime Day is in full swing, but Amazon may not be the cheapest place to pick up a Nintendo Switch this week as a lesser-known retailer is offering one for £200 less than the giant retailer
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Shoppers can bag Nintendo Switch Mario edition for £200 less than on Amazon(Image: Nintendo)
Over on Amazon, this Nintendo Switch Mario Red & Blue Edition isn’t included in the wide variety of sales, and currently boasts a price tag of £581.54, even steeper than over at Nintendo’s own store, where the same Mario Edition Switch is available for £279.99.
But for Nintendo fans or shoppers keen to pick up the Mario-themed gaming console for a loved one, Wowcher is the cheapest place to go, as this Limited-Edition Switch is reduced all the way down to £239.99.
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The original Nintendo Switch has a very distinct design that shaped present-day handheld gaming. It had a screen in the middle, with two detachable controllers, allowing you to play in handheld or docked mode. The screen measures 6.2 inches and features an LCD display with a 1280 x 720 resolution, which outputs 1080p (Full HD) when connected to a compatible dock.
Boasting 32GB of internal storage, this gaming console lets you store your favourite games and save with ease. Armed with Wi-Fi & HDMI connectivity, gamers can simply plug in and play anywhere, any time. Plus, the 720p and 1080p outputs provide crisp HD visuals for immersive gaming sessions.
The Nintendo Switch Mario Red & Blue Edition sports a distinct red-and-blue colour scheme in honour of Mario’s iconic outfit. This bundle includes red Joy-Con Controllers with blue straps, a blue Joy-Con grip, a red Nintendo Switch dock and a red Nintendo Switch system.
This edition also includes a stylised Mario Red & Blue Edition Carrying Case and a screen protector to help protect the Nintendo Switch when gaming on the go.
Wowcher would normally sell this limited-edition set for £299, but is now offering shoppers the chance to pick up a bundle for £239.
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For those who don’t mind splashing some cash, you can find the same bundle up for grabs at Nintendo’s website for £279 or head over to Amazon to pick one up for £581.54.
Wales face England in a friendly on Thursday hoping to repeat the heroics of their 1977 predecessors.
On that day – almost 50 years ago – Leighton James sealed Wales’ only previous Wembley win against England with a penalty after being fouled by England goalkeeper Peter Shilton.
Peter Kay speaks about painful surgery as part of his new book which is out today
Peter Kay has revealed he had emergency surgery on a giant kidney stone and a stent needed to be fitted after it caused “major trauma” to his urethra.
Writing in his new book Peter Kay’s Diary, his March entry documented a troubling and painful time for him several years ago, but in typical comical fashion.
Comedian Kay, 52, said he was wearing a covid mask on a train from London Euston to Wigan when he felt severe stomach pains and had to rush to use the toilet. Two days later he had throbbing pains in his lower back and googled his symptoms, which suggested a kidney stone so went to get medical attention.
Kay writes: “Fast forward 24 hours, and my suspicions were confirmed via a CT scan at the local hospital. It turned out I had a big stone block in the exit of my right kidney.
“He(urologist) reassured me, but said I needed emergency surgery to remove the kidney stone, which would also involve having a stent fitted at my urethra in order to maintain my kidney functions. F**k a duck.
“My pre op bloods confirmed his suspicions that, apparently, my kidney functions were deranged. Well, that’s how the nurse delicately put it. As much as I was shocked, I was also relieved and felt vindicated, as I actually had something wrong with me, and it wasn’t just hypochondria.
“However, kidney stone pain is legendary, and I was starting to sob and make the occasional high pitched whining sound, like when you fire an air rifle at a dog’s testicles.”
Worse was to come for Peter though, when he was told the operation would involve a small camera fitted with a laser entering his body to “blast” the kidney stone away.
The doctor told him there would be no need for any cuts or incisions as the camera would be going in another way.
Kay added: “Then the penny dropped with a huge realisation. Oh, my God, he means he’s going in through the hole at the end of my penis. My world collapsed. Red lights flashed in my head. He can’t go up there? It’s out of bounds, private land. Area 51. A camera won’t fit up there, let alone one carrying a laser. Was this guy on glue?”
Sadly for comedian Kay the doctor was serious and that is how the operation took place, but not before his anesthetist had also asked for a selfie shortly before putting him to sleep.
The stone was removed and Kay was left in serious pain for a week when he used the toilet, until he had to return to remove the stent via the same way the camera had gone into his body.
Kay added: “The urologist said I didn’t need any pain relief. He said it’d be a walk in the park, though I don’t know which parks he walks through.
“The urologist advised me to breathe deeply, in and out, then grabbed my penis like he was grabbing a snake and squeezed it, which caused my eyes to bulge like a cartoon.”
The urologist then advised him to slow his breathing although Kay says he was lucky he didn’t get headhunted by this point, such was the pain. A small hook was then used to remove the stent and Kay “howled” in pain.
He added: “It was painful and unpleasant and a dreadful experience I never wish to repeat. Ever!”
According to the NHS, Kidney stones can develop in 1 or both kidneys and most often affect people aged 30 to 60. They’re quite common, with more than 1 in 10 people affected.
Kidney stones are usually found in the kidneys or in the ureter, the tube that connects the kidneys to your bladder. They can be extremely painful, and can lead to kidney infections or the kidney not working properly if left untreated.
Symptoms include pain in the side of your tummy (abdomen) or severe pain that comes and goes like Kay felt on the train.
In the “cheery” September chapter of the book, the Phoenix Nights creator also recalls his honeymoon disaster, as he and wife Susan were married just a few days before 9/11 and were in Mexico when the disaster unfolded.
Kay thought it was a movie when he first saw it on TV before the realisation hit and the holiday resort took on an eerie state.
Kay writes: “The whole resort was flung into grief, as you’d expect. We really wanted to go back home, but thousands of planes were grounded. It was an unprecedented move to thwart any further attacks from hijacked planes.
“The feeling was eerie. All joy evaporated. All music stopped. It was a surreal juxtaposition; we were in such idyllic surroundings while all this tragedy was happening. We tried to continue with normal holiday activities, but we felt guilty.”
Kay said the world changed for years afterwards and when children came into their lives he tried to shield his young kids from 9/11 and would change TV channels if a programme came on mentioning it as there was no real explanation for what happened.
Article continues below
He added: “Sometimes the world can be a horrible place, and it ruined our honeymoon. We got back home six days later than scheduled. We were so grateful to get a flight back. We’d been waiting in a packed airport in Cancun for seven hours.
“I’ll never forget the passengers clapped and cheered when we landed in Manchester. Such a relief to be back on terra firma, though no one would feel safe for a long time to come. F**king Al-Qaeda.
Andrew Aloia, BBC Sport, East Midlands and Adam Whitty, BBC Radio Leicester
James O’Connor is the master of rugby union reinvention.
By the 35-year-old’s own count, Leicester Tigers are getting version number “five or six” of the one-time Australian boy wonder, who went rogue before rebuilding his career to find rugby redemption.
“I never thought I’d come back to the UK to play rugby,” O’Connor admitted while speaking to BBC Radio Leicester.
“When I thought about the options I had on the table and where my footy was going, this is the one that excited me the most – to come back here and give my best to English rugby, which I felt like hadn’t been done.”
O’Connor, who was seen as a “once-in-a-generation talent” when he broke through to make his debut for Australia at the age of 18, has had two previous spells in England’s top-flight competition.
The first was with London Irish in 2013 – a point in his career where he was effectively exiled to play in Europe after a string of off-field incidents had prompted the Australian Rugby Union to terminate his contract.
He then bounced between the Queensland Reds and French club Toulon before another stint in the Prem with Sale Sharks.
And after that he returned home to Australia (again) to try to reclaim his Wallabies spot – something he did after five years in the international wilderness.
“I’ve had about five different lives in rugby,” O’Connor said.
“I’ve been written off many times, and I’ve had to reinvent myself many times.
“London Irish was probably the start of my second. I was quite young, and possibly rugby wasn’t the first thing on my mind, and when I was at Sale, I was in a sort of rebuild period, rebuilding my body.
“I only really played probably 15 to 20 games in those two seasons because I’ve had quite a few injuries, so I never really got to give my best.
25 September
22 September
That chance return to England by joining the competition’s most successful club was a coincidental one.
After three years without an international cap, his form with New Zealand Super Rugby side Crusaders had him back in the Australia squad for the British and Irish Lions’ summer tour.
And it was during talks about a Wallabies recall with national team boss Joe Schmidt that his assistant Geoff Parling was named as head coach of Leicester – a club where he won two Premiership titles as a player.
“I had some frank and open conversations with Geoff about where I was going in my life and what I wanted, and where he was planning on taking the team and what he was looking for,” O’Connor said.
“It’s a good group of lads here going in the right direction. There’s a lot of young energy, so apparently they can use a bit of an old head to be around.
“I had a lot of people who helped me along in my journey, and one thing I want to do is help the young guys not make the same mistakes I did, both on and off the field.”
It is O’Connor in his latest iteration as an elder rugby statesman that Leicester have signed.
He went from being a formerinternational to starting fly-half for Australia in the Rugby Championship.
He featured in all six rounds, started in three Tests, and even put his new start with Tigers on hold to get back home to face New Zealand twice in the past two weeks.
He had initially landed in England in mid-September to set up his new house with his wife and pet dog.
“It’s been a whirlwind,” he said.
Finally, he is preparing for his Leicester debut.
And it is one that he admits comes with an unavoidable feeling of “hate” as Tigers take on bitter East Midlands rivals Northampton Saints at Franklin’s Gardens.
