LAUGH and the world laughs with you, so the old saying goes.

And anyone who has attended Peter Kay's marathon UK tour over the last six or seven months will know that this is his prevailing philosophy.

"Come along and forget your troubles. Have a laugh with me. It'll be fun," is what the Bolton comedian is telling the audience.

And this emphasis on having a good time and forgetting all your cares seems to have struck a chord.

His shows -- from London to Belfast -- have sold out in record time.

Extra performances -- now running into May and June -- have barely been able to meet the public's voracious appetite for this brilliant comic, who was largely unknown as little as three years ago in Bolton, never mind the rest of Britain.

Now Peter, who turns 30 this year, is riding the crest of a professional wave.

His "My Mum Wants a Bungalow Tour" is the most ambitious ever attempted by a comedian in the UK and the critical and popular success of his Bolton-based TV comedy Phoenix Nights has sent his profile into orbit -- not to mention the brilliant adverts for John Smith's bitter, which have made him more widely recognisable than ever, even to people who have never seen Phoenix Nights.

After the best part of half a year (including a break over Christmas and New Year), Peter is returning to his beloved home town this week.

He'll be at the Albert Halls for shows that received unprecedented demand for tickets.

Some die-hard fans even camped outside Bolton Town Hall for part of the night to ensure their seats.