Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights
Encyclopedia
Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights was a BAFTA
-nominated English sitcom about The Phoenix Club
, a working men's club
in the northern English
town of Farnworth
, Greater Manchester
. The show was written by Neil Fitzmaurice
, Peter Kay
and Dave Spikey
, produced by Goodnight Vienna Productions and Ovation Entertainments, and was broadcast on Channel 4
in the UK. All the music was written by Toni Baker and Peter Kay. Additional material was provided by Patrick McGuinness
. Two series have been produced, which were first transmitted in 2001 and 2002.
The show is a spin-off
from the spoof documentary series That Peter Kay Thing
, and in turn gave rise to the spin-off Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere
. It won the People's Choice Award at the British Comedy Awards 2002, and was nominated for several others. Kay is also its star, in multiple roles, and directed the second series. In September 2006, Kay revealed on BBC Radio 1
that a third series of Phoenix Nights has been written, but it is unknown when the series will be filmed. On 8 May 2007, another announcement by Kay was made promising another series will be made.
However Dave Spikey, in interviews with The Sentinel and the Croydon Guardian
in late-2009, claimed that neither he nor fellow co-writer Neil Fitzmaurice were aware of any plans to bring back the series.
In a recent interview with Peter Kay he stated that he had written a third series of 'Phoenix Nights' and had even written a screenplay for it. However when asked if he would be going back there he said that he would prefer to do something new next.
Kay also claims he's been approached to make a Phoenix Nights movie following the success of The Inbetweeners Movie.
(played by Peter Kay), who has presided over two clubs in the past: the first (The Aquarius) flooded, the second (The Neptune) burned down. His ambition (with the help of Jerry St Clair) is to see The Phoenix Club become the most popular in Bolton and thus outdo his arch-nemesis
, Den Perry (Ted Robbins
). Perry is the owner of rival club The Banana Grove.
When Max and Paddy return from France in Series 2, the location used is Fleetwood Docks.
It is the opening day of Brian Potter's
new club, the Phoenix. With "TV's own Roy Walker
" opening the club that night, Brian wants everything to be perfect. But he has to contend with a power cut
that leaves the club in the dark, the theft of the bingo machine, a German-speaking arcade machine
, Max the doorman injuring himself and a racist folk band (with the lead singer played by Tim Healy
). The band are ostensibly singing about Holy Communion Shoes, although the journalist Deborah detects a racist metaphor. These factors soon ruin everything.
Episode 2
The new DJ Ray Von
accidentally kills The Captain with his home-made smoke machine
. Things go from bad to worse when two men in overalls walk in off the street and steal the television set
, with all of the staff doing nothing about it, except for Kenny Senior who kindly hands them the remote control
. A warped Snooker
table is replaced by a bucking bronco, which leads to a Wild West
Night being held. It's a huge success, until Jerry's blatantly rigged shoot out between Lancashire
and Yorkshire
gets violent and a drunken horse tries to have sex with the bucking bronco.
Episode 3
Jerry St. Clair has booked out a psychic medium for the club, who comes highly recommended by Den Perry, with Jerry seemingly oblivious to the fact that Den Perry wants the Phoenix Club to fail. Brian and Jerry then have to attend a fire safety
seminar with Keith Lard
(from That Peter Kay Thing
), who was arrested for "interfering" with dogs, but was acquitted due to lack of evidence. After the meeting, Jerry and Brian rush back to the club before Keith inspects it, but a run-in with the police delays them and Keith shuts the club down for being unsafe. Brian, never a quitter, blackmails Lard with a faked photo of Lard's head on the body of a semi-nude man (with a dog) so that he re-opens the club, but the event they re-open for, the psychic night, forces Brian to refund all of his guests after Clinton Baptiste, the psychic (whose appearance and vocal mannerisms parody UK television psychic Derek Acorah
), tells a bit more about the future than the guests would like.
Episode 4
It's 'Singles Night' at the Phoenix club, and the club's house band
, Les Alanos, and doormen Max and Paddy
are all looking. Brian is the most successful, though, when he accidentally runs over a woman's foot before buying her a drink and talking the night away. Throughout the episode, their relationship progresses, until she (Beverley) reveals to Brian that she works for the DSS
and was sent to investigate him for fraudulent disability claims. Despite Beverley's assertions that her feelings for him are genuine, Brian finishes with her. Elsewhere, Paddy strikes up a relationship with Holy Mary's daughter Mary.
Episode 5
Jerry is in hospital. Before Brian argues with Jerry's decision to host an alternative comedy
night, the comedy night turns out to be a disaster, with none of the entrants being any good. As one of the acts, Steve Davies plays a placid metalwork teacher introduced as 'Darius' by Jerry. Darius comes on wearing only a pair of C&A underpants with 'Darius' written in ink on his body, and proceeds to have a psychotic episode with unintelligible language delivered menacingly towards the audience and the house band onstage whilst striking the drummer's cymbal with his hand. He is crying out to the universe to complete his breakdown. A surreal moment in the midst of all the other chaotic and incongruous acts before and after. At the end of it all, Jerry has a heated confrontation with a student who had been heckling him, until he threatens to hit Jerry and all of the staff stick up for him. Elsewhere, Ray Von hosts a Robot Wars
tournament, which is won by Max and Paddy, who are using a robot built by Ray, who has a penchant for electronics. At the end of the episode, a man called Dougie offers Jerry a job on a cruise ship.
Episode 6
Jerry gets an all-clear, however Brian tells him to keep pretending to be ill because the club got the rights to host Talent Trek because of Jerry's illness. Tensions boil when Brian has to hire a Right Said Fred
tribute band
called 'Right Said Frank' for the grand finale due to Les Alanos performing a Karate Kid musical with the local youth club
on the same night. Right Said Frank end up stealing stereos from all the cars parked outside. Ray Von tries to stop them but he is overpowered. Luckily, they slam into Max's car, setting off his personal alarm. Max and Paddy rush outside and tackle the two men to the ground. Brian then reveals to the audience that Jerry has got an all-clear for his illness. The series concludes with Den Perry, outraged at the success of the Phoenix Club, setting it on fire.
Brian and the staff watch the club burn to the ground, with Jerry managing to rescue Brian's little disabled boy. After the flames are put out, The fireman reveal the fire was caused by a discarded cigarette or cigar, leading Brian to believe Den Perry was responsible. Brian then has to appear in court due to his breach of fire and safety regulations and as a result his alcohol license is revoked. A broken man, Brian dreams of rebuilding the Phoenix Club. On his trip to Asda
, he finds Jerry and Alan singing to promote products. Brian begs Jerry to help him to rebuild the Phoenix but Jerry rebuffs him and tells him to forget about the Phoenix. Still undeterred, Brian travels to Blackpool
to visit an old friend, Frank Cartwright (played by Jim Bowen
), owner of the Hotel "Le Ponderosa", who tells him to sell bottles and cans to get around the ban, get a licensee who he can manipulate and have lots of facilities under one roof. Brian then goes around to find all of the staff, he finds Les working as a butcher, Kenny Senior as a lollipop man
, Ray Von at a fairground, and Holy Mary in church. In what was to become an iconic moment for the series he calls Max and Paddy
as they are driving elderly Asian gentlemen to the mosque and singing at the tops of their voices to Is This the Way to Amarillo
by Tony Christie
, which is playing on Chorley FM
. Brian succeeds in bringing all of them together to discuss his plans, and convinces Jerry to become the new licensee.
Episode 2
Reconstruction is going quite well, and a fun day is organized to raise awareness of the rebuilding. However, an inflatable that looks like an erect penis is not popular with the staff so it is fastened to the ground and covered up. Unfortunately, the penis escapes from its cover and explodes, shocking everyone who is spending their money. Furthermore, a botched face-painting job leaves Young Kenny with a permanent tiger face. Elsewhere, Max and Paddy go to France to stock up on booze while unwittingly picking up two Chinese immigrants
in the process.
Episode 3
Brian decides to get the club on Crimetime for publicity and a chance to accuse Den Perry, changes are made throughout the club to make it look good for the TV crew, but the TV appearance is a disaster when Brian loses it after he believes that he is being accused of burning the club down himself. Elsewhere, Spencer is hired for the vacant bar job.
Episode 4
Brian comes across two Japanese people
promoting their new lager, and offers them a chance to promote it in the club, an offer they accept, a pub quiz
is arranged, with the winner taking home a years supply of the lager, both Brian and Den Perry enter teams to try and win it. Brian's team wins, but his victory is short-lived when it turns out the lager is non-alcoholic. In the other suite, Jerry's medication binge gets the better of him and he loses it on stage, which causes him to go into the next suite and urinate everywhere, shocking the customers.
Episode 5
A power cut in Brian's home sees him stuck on his stair lift all night until Jerry breaks his door down the next morning. At the club, Jerry has turned part of the club into a Chinese restaurant
called "The Golden Phoenix", and a ladies night has been arranged, which causes Paddy to go onto the stage dressed in nothing but a fake moustache
, leather thong and a trident
. Outside, Max is accosted by a woman who wants her husband killed. Max deals with her that he will kill her husband for £8000. Lying to Paddy that she will pay them both £1000, Paddy goes with him to do the job. Max, Paddy and Max's brother Terry go to practise shooting using a Broomhandled Mauser
which Max's grandad left to him. When Paddy starts to fire, he accidentally shoots Terry. Eventually, Max and Paddy can't kill the man and give him £3000 to leave the country, Max gives Paddy £1000, and spends £4000 on a motor home
.
Episode 6
Max and Paddy spot the man they were meant to kill in town, and are later confronted by his angry wife, who hints that she has put a hit out on them, she also reveals that she paid Max £8000 to Paddy, who only received £1000. In the club, Brian has arranged Stars In Your Eyes to impress a brewery representative who is coming over, Den Perry however, has other ideas and cancels the acts by impersonating Jerry, however, in a memorable series of scenes, all of the staff from the club dress up
to become acts, including Holy Mary as Lulu
, Ray Von and Les Alanos as Adam and the Ants
, Kenny Senior as Britney Spears
, Young Kenny
as Meat Loaf
, Jerry as Eminem
, Brian as Elton John
and Spencer as Gary Glitter
. At the end of the episode, Den Perry threatens Brian and talks to him about burning the club down before and makes threats to do it again, unaware that Brian has switched on a radio microphone on his desk, meaning that the entire club has heard the conversation. Den Perry is arrested and the staff celebrate. Ray Von then reminds Brian now the truth has come out, he can get his license back. However, Brian decides to let Jerry remain as licensee and the staff hold a toast to Jerry. At the end of the episode, Max, terrified that there is a hit out on him, is about to flee all over the country in his motor home, when Paddy decides to come with him, setting the scene for the spin-off series Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere
.
British Academy Television Awards
The British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
-nominated English sitcom about The Phoenix Club
The Phoenix Club
The Phoenix Club is a fictional working men's club in Farnworth near Bolton, and is the centerpiece of the acclaimed UK sitcom Phoenix Nights....
, a working men's club
Working men's club
Working men's clubs are a type of private social club founded in the 19th century in industrial areas of the United Kingdom, particularly the North of England, the Midlands and many parts of the South Wales Valleys, to provide recreation and education for working class men and their families.-...
in the northern English
Northern English
Northern English is a group of dialects of the English language. It includes the North East England dialects, which are similar in some respects to Scots....
town of Farnworth
Farnworth
Farnworth is within the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton in Greater Manchester, England. It is located southeast of Bolton, 6 miles south-west of Bury , and northwest of Manchester....
, Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester
Greater Manchester is a metropolitan county in North West England, with a population of 2.6 million. It encompasses one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United Kingdom and comprises ten metropolitan boroughs: Bolton, Bury, Oldham, Rochdale, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford, Wigan, and the...
. The show was written by Neil Fitzmaurice
Neil Fitzmaurice
Neil Fitzmaurice is an English actor, comedian and writer.-Writing:Fitzmaurice's writing projects include That Peter Kay Thing, for which he received a British Comedy Award, and the critically acclaimed Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights, in which he also appeared as "Ray-Von".Neil has also written two...
, Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
and Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey
Dave Spikey is an English comedian, actor, writer and film producer, currently residing in Chorley, Lancashire....
, produced by Goodnight Vienna Productions and Ovation Entertainments, and was broadcast on Channel 4
Channel 4
Channel 4 is a British public-service television broadcaster which began working on 2 November 1982. Although largely commercially self-funded, it is ultimately publicly owned; originally a subsidiary of the Independent Broadcasting Authority , the station is now owned and operated by the Channel...
in the UK. All the music was written by Toni Baker and Peter Kay. Additional material was provided by Patrick McGuinness
Patrick McGuinness
Patrick Joseph "Paddy" McGuinness is an English stand-up comedian, comedy actor, television personality and presenter. Born in Farnworth, Bolton, he is best known for his performances alongside comedian Peter Kay, and as the host of dating programme Take Me Out.-Early life:He attended Mount St....
. Two series have been produced, which were first transmitted in 2001 and 2002.
The show is a spin-off
Spin-off (media)
In media, a spin-off is a radio program, television program, video game, or any narrative work, derived from one or more already existing works, that focuses, in particular, in more detail on one aspect of that original work...
from the spoof documentary series That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing was a series of six spoof documentaries shown on Channel 4 in January 2000. Set in and around Bolton, these followed the lives of different characters and starred Peter Kay as the subject of each documentary. All of the episodes displayed Kay's penchant for nostalgic humour and...
, and in turn gave rise to the spin-off Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere
Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere
Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere was an award-winning British comedy television show on Channel 4 starring and written by Peter Kay and Patrick McGuinness. All the episodes were also directed by Kay. It began on 12 November 2004 and ran for six 30 minute episodes up until 17 December 2004, with each...
. It won the People's Choice Award at the British Comedy Awards 2002, and was nominated for several others. Kay is also its star, in multiple roles, and directed the second series. In September 2006, Kay revealed on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
that a third series of Phoenix Nights has been written, but it is unknown when the series will be filmed. On 8 May 2007, another announcement by Kay was made promising another series will be made.
However Dave Spikey, in interviews with The Sentinel and the Croydon Guardian
Croydon Guardian
The Croydon Guardian is a weekly free local newspaper covering the London Borough of Croydon, South London, and surrounding areas. The newspaper is published once a week, every Wednesday, and is distributed free of charge in the borough of Croydon. It is sold for 50p at newsagents and other shops...
in late-2009, claimed that neither he nor fellow co-writer Neil Fitzmaurice were aware of any plans to bring back the series.
In a recent interview with Peter Kay he stated that he had written a third series of 'Phoenix Nights' and had even written a screenplay for it. However when asked if he would be going back there he said that he would prefer to do something new next.
Kay also claims he's been approached to make a Phoenix Nights movie following the success of The Inbetweeners Movie.
Characters
The owner of The Phoenix Club is the wheelchair user Brian PotterBrian Potter
Brian Chelsea Potter, one of many fictional characters played by Peter Kay, is the owner of The Phoenix Club in both That Peter Kay Thing and Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights...
(played by Peter Kay), who has presided over two clubs in the past: the first (The Aquarius) flooded, the second (The Neptune) burned down. His ambition (with the help of Jerry St Clair) is to see The Phoenix Club become the most popular in Bolton and thus outdo his arch-nemesis
Archenemy
An archenemy, archfoe, archvillain or archnemesis is the principal enemy of a character in a work of fiction, often described as the hero's worst enemy .- Etymology :The word archenemy or arch-enemy originated...
, Den Perry (Ted Robbins
Ted Robbins
Ted Robbins is an English comedian, actor, broadcaster, radio DJ, radio personality, voice-over artist and television personalityRobbins currently presents a morning show on BBC Radio Lancashire from 9am - 11am on weekdays....
). Perry is the owner of rival club The Banana Grove.
Filming location
As well as being set in Bolton, Phoenix Nights is also filmed in the area. The location for the club itself is St Gregory's Social Club on Church Street a few miles from Bolton in the town of Farnworth.When Max and Paddy return from France in Series 2, the location used is Fleetwood Docks.
Series 1
Episode 1It is the opening day of Brian Potter's
Brian Potter
Brian Chelsea Potter, one of many fictional characters played by Peter Kay, is the owner of The Phoenix Club in both That Peter Kay Thing and Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights...
new club, the Phoenix. With "TV's own Roy Walker
Roy Walker
Robert "Roy" Walker is a television personality and comedian from Northern Ireland, who worked for many years as both a television presenter and comedy actor...
" opening the club that night, Brian wants everything to be perfect. But he has to contend with a power cut
Power outage
A power outage is a short- or long-term loss of the electric power to an area.There are many causes of power failures in an electricity network...
that leaves the club in the dark, the theft of the bingo machine, a German-speaking arcade machine
Slot machine
A slot machine , informally fruit machine , the slots , poker machine or "pokies" or simply slot is a casino gambling machine with three or more reels which spin when a button is pushed...
, Max the doorman injuring himself and a racist folk band (with the lead singer played by Tim Healy
Tim Healy (actor)
Timothy Malcolm Healy is an English actor. He is best known for playing Dennis Patterson in the television series Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. He is married to the actress Denise Welch.-Career:...
). The band are ostensibly singing about Holy Communion Shoes, although the journalist Deborah detects a racist metaphor. These factors soon ruin everything.
Episode 2
The new DJ Ray Von
Ray Von
Ray Von is a fictional character that appears in UK sitcom Phoenix Nights. He is played by comedian and actor Neil Fitzmaurice who also co-wrote the series....
accidentally kills The Captain with his home-made smoke machine
Fog machine
A fog machine or smoke machine is a device which emits a dense vapour that appears similar to fog or smoke. This artificial fog is most commonly used in professional entertainment applications, but smaller, more affordable fog machines are becoming common for personal use. Fog machines can also be...
. Things go from bad to worse when two men in overalls walk in off the street and steal the television set
Television set
A television set is a device that combines a tuner, display, and speakers for the purpose of viewing television. Television sets became a popular consumer product after the Second World War, using vacuum tubes and cathode ray tube displays...
, with all of the staff doing nothing about it, except for Kenny Senior who kindly hands them the remote control
Remote control
A remote control is a component of an electronics device, most commonly a television set, used for operating the television device wirelessly from a short line-of-sight distance.The remote control is usually contracted to remote...
. A warped Snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
table is replaced by a bucking bronco, which leads to a Wild West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
Night being held. It's a huge success, until Jerry's blatantly rigged shoot out between Lancashire
Lancashire
Lancashire is a non-metropolitan county of historic origin in the North West of England. It takes its name from the city of Lancaster, and is sometimes known as the County of Lancaster. Although Lancaster is still considered to be the county town, Lancashire County Council is based in Preston...
and Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
gets violent and a drunken horse tries to have sex with the bucking bronco.
Episode 3
Jerry St. Clair has booked out a psychic medium for the club, who comes highly recommended by Den Perry, with Jerry seemingly oblivious to the fact that Den Perry wants the Phoenix Club to fail. Brian and Jerry then have to attend a fire safety
Fire safety
Fire safety refers to precautions that are taken to prevent or reduce the likelihood of a fire that may result in death, injury, or property damage, alert those in a structure to the presence of a fire in the event one occurs, better enable those threatened by a fire to survive, or to reduce the...
seminar with Keith Lard
Keith Lard
Keith Winston Lard, is a fictional fire safety officer from Bolton, played by Peter Kay. Lard has appeared in two of Peter Kay's television comedies on Channel 4, That Peter Kay Thing and in the first series of Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights.-The character:Keith Lard is portrayed as an overzealous...
(from That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing was a series of six spoof documentaries shown on Channel 4 in January 2000. Set in and around Bolton, these followed the lives of different characters and starred Peter Kay as the subject of each documentary. All of the episodes displayed Kay's penchant for nostalgic humour and...
), who was arrested for "interfering" with dogs, but was acquitted due to lack of evidence. After the meeting, Jerry and Brian rush back to the club before Keith inspects it, but a run-in with the police delays them and Keith shuts the club down for being unsafe. Brian, never a quitter, blackmails Lard with a faked photo of Lard's head on the body of a semi-nude man (with a dog) so that he re-opens the club, but the event they re-open for, the psychic night, forces Brian to refund all of his guests after Clinton Baptiste, the psychic (whose appearance and vocal mannerisms parody UK television psychic Derek Acorah
Derek Acorah
Derek Acorah is a British medium. He is best known for his work on Most Haunted, broadcast on Living, between 2002 and 2005. He recently presented the series Derek Acorah on Sky Real Lives...
), tells a bit more about the future than the guests would like.
Episode 4
It's 'Singles Night' at the Phoenix club, and the club's house band
House band
For the British band that existed from 1984-2001, see The House BandA house band is a group of musicians, often centrally organized by a band leader, who regularly play an establishment. It is widely used to refer both to the bands who work on entertainment programs on television or radio, and to...
, Les Alanos, and doormen Max and Paddy
Max and Paddy
Maxwell "Max" Bygraves and Patrick "Paddy" O'Shea are fictional nightclub bouncers created by comedian Peter Kay and performed by Kay and fellow comedian Patrick "Paddy" McGuinness....
are all looking. Brian is the most successful, though, when he accidentally runs over a woman's foot before buying her a drink and talking the night away. Throughout the episode, their relationship progresses, until she (Beverley) reveals to Brian that she works for the DSS
Department of Social Security
The Department of Social Security is the name of a defunct governmental agency in the United Kingdom.The DSS replaced the older Department of Health and Social Security, from 1988 until 2001, when it was itself largely replaced as a department of the Government of the United Kingdom by the...
and was sent to investigate him for fraudulent disability claims. Despite Beverley's assertions that her feelings for him are genuine, Brian finishes with her. Elsewhere, Paddy strikes up a relationship with Holy Mary's daughter Mary.
Episode 5
Jerry is in hospital. Before Brian argues with Jerry's decision to host an alternative comedy
Alternative comedy
Alternative comedy is a term that originated in the 1980s for a style of comedy that makes a conscious break with the mainstream comedic style of an era, and typically avoids relying on a standardised structure of a sequence of jokes with punch lines. Patton Oswalt defines it as "comedy where the...
night, the comedy night turns out to be a disaster, with none of the entrants being any good. As one of the acts, Steve Davies plays a placid metalwork teacher introduced as 'Darius' by Jerry. Darius comes on wearing only a pair of C&A underpants with 'Darius' written in ink on his body, and proceeds to have a psychotic episode with unintelligible language delivered menacingly towards the audience and the house band onstage whilst striking the drummer's cymbal with his hand. He is crying out to the universe to complete his breakdown. A surreal moment in the midst of all the other chaotic and incongruous acts before and after. At the end of it all, Jerry has a heated confrontation with a student who had been heckling him, until he threatens to hit Jerry and all of the staff stick up for him. Elsewhere, Ray Von hosts a Robot Wars
Robot Wars (TV series)
Robot Wars is a British game show modelled on a US-based competition of the same name. It was broadcast on BBC Two from 1998 until 2003, with its final series broadcast on Five in 2003 and 2004. Additional series were filmed for specific sectors of the global market, including two series of Robot...
tournament, which is won by Max and Paddy, who are using a robot built by Ray, who has a penchant for electronics. At the end of the episode, a man called Dougie offers Jerry a job on a cruise ship.
Episode 6
Jerry gets an all-clear, however Brian tells him to keep pretending to be ill because the club got the rights to host Talent Trek because of Jerry's illness. Tensions boil when Brian has to hire a Right Said Fred
Right Said Fred
Right Said Fred is an English pop band, formed in 1989 by brothers Richard Fairbrass and Fred Fairbrass, later joined by their friend Rob Manzoli. The group is named after a song of the same name which was a hit for Bernard Cribbins in 1962...
tribute band
Tribute band
A tribute act is a music group, singer, or musician who specifically plays the music of a well-known music act - sometimes one which has disbanded, ceased touring or is deceased. Probably the largest class of tributes acts are Elvis impersonators, individual performers who mimic the songs and style...
called 'Right Said Frank' for the grand finale due to Les Alanos performing a Karate Kid musical with the local youth club
Youth club
A youth club or youth social club is a place where young people can meet and enjoy activities such as football, soccer, basketball, table tennis, or video games, and other religious, sports activities are frequently sponsored by a community center....
on the same night. Right Said Frank end up stealing stereos from all the cars parked outside. Ray Von tries to stop them but he is overpowered. Luckily, they slam into Max's car, setting off his personal alarm. Max and Paddy rush outside and tackle the two men to the ground. Brian then reveals to the audience that Jerry has got an all-clear for his illness. The series concludes with Den Perry, outraged at the success of the Phoenix Club, setting it on fire.
Series 2
Episode 1Brian and the staff watch the club burn to the ground, with Jerry managing to rescue Brian's little disabled boy. After the flames are put out, The fireman reveal the fire was caused by a discarded cigarette or cigar, leading Brian to believe Den Perry was responsible. Brian then has to appear in court due to his breach of fire and safety regulations and as a result his alcohol license is revoked. A broken man, Brian dreams of rebuilding the Phoenix Club. On his trip to Asda
Asda
Asda Stores Ltd is a British supermarket chain which retails food, clothing, general merchandise, toys and financial services. It also has a mobile telephone network, , Asda Mobile...
, he finds Jerry and Alan singing to promote products. Brian begs Jerry to help him to rebuild the Phoenix but Jerry rebuffs him and tells him to forget about the Phoenix. Still undeterred, Brian travels to Blackpool
Blackpool
Blackpool is a borough, seaside town, and unitary authority area of Lancashire, in North West England. It is situated along England's west coast by the Irish Sea, between the Ribble and Wyre estuaries, northwest of Preston, north of Liverpool, and northwest of Manchester...
to visit an old friend, Frank Cartwright (played by Jim Bowen
Jim Bowen
Jim Bowen is an English stand-up comedian and TV personality. He is best known as the host of the ITV gameshow Bullseye, which he hosted between 1981 and 1995.-Early life:...
), owner of the Hotel "Le Ponderosa", who tells him to sell bottles and cans to get around the ban, get a licensee who he can manipulate and have lots of facilities under one roof. Brian then goes around to find all of the staff, he finds Les working as a butcher, Kenny Senior as a lollipop man
Crossing guard
A crossing guard , a school crossing patrol officer , school crossing supervisor or school road patrol is a traffic management specialist who is normally stationed on busy roadways to aid pedestrians...
, Ray Von at a fairground, and Holy Mary in church. In what was to become an iconic moment for the series he calls Max and Paddy
Max and Paddy
Maxwell "Max" Bygraves and Patrick "Paddy" O'Shea are fictional nightclub bouncers created by comedian Peter Kay and performed by Kay and fellow comedian Patrick "Paddy" McGuinness....
as they are driving elderly Asian gentlemen to the mosque and singing at the tops of their voices to Is This the Way to Amarillo
Is This the Way to Amarillo
In the United States, a version by the writer of the song Neil Sedaka made to number 44 in the Billboard charts in 1977, and the title was shortened to "Amarillo".-Tony Christie featuring Peter Kay version:...
by Tony Christie
Tony Christie
Tony Christie is an English musician, singer and actor. He is best known for his track, "Is This The Way To Amarillo", a double UK chart success.-Career:Tony Christie has sold over 10 million albums Worldwide...
, which is playing on Chorley FM
Chorley FM
Chorley FM is a radio station based in Chorley, Lancashire, England. The station was created by volunteers back in 2001 to broadcast a special two week licence in conjunction with the Midsummer Festival which was located on Botany Bay near the M61.-History:...
. Brian succeeds in bringing all of them together to discuss his plans, and convinces Jerry to become the new licensee.
Episode 2
Reconstruction is going quite well, and a fun day is organized to raise awareness of the rebuilding. However, an inflatable that looks like an erect penis is not popular with the staff so it is fastened to the ground and covered up. Unfortunately, the penis escapes from its cover and explodes, shocking everyone who is spending their money. Furthermore, a botched face-painting job leaves Young Kenny with a permanent tiger face. Elsewhere, Max and Paddy go to France to stock up on booze while unwittingly picking up two Chinese immigrants
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
in the process.
Episode 3
Brian decides to get the club on Crimetime for publicity and a chance to accuse Den Perry, changes are made throughout the club to make it look good for the TV crew, but the TV appearance is a disaster when Brian loses it after he believes that he is being accused of burning the club down himself. Elsewhere, Spencer is hired for the vacant bar job.
Episode 4
Brian comes across two Japanese people
Japanese people
The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...
promoting their new lager, and offers them a chance to promote it in the club, an offer they accept, a pub quiz
Pub quiz
A pub quiz is a quiz held in a public house. These events are also called Quiz Nights or Trivia Nights and may be held in other settings. Pub quizzes are still extremely popular and may attract people to a pub who are not found there on other days. The pub quiz is a modern example of a pub game...
is arranged, with the winner taking home a years supply of the lager, both Brian and Den Perry enter teams to try and win it. Brian's team wins, but his victory is short-lived when it turns out the lager is non-alcoholic. In the other suite, Jerry's medication binge gets the better of him and he loses it on stage, which causes him to go into the next suite and urinate everywhere, shocking the customers.
Episode 5
A power cut in Brian's home sees him stuck on his stair lift all night until Jerry breaks his door down the next morning. At the club, Jerry has turned part of the club into a Chinese restaurant
American Chinese cuisine
American Chinese cuisine refers to the style of food served by many Chinese restaurants in the United States. This type of cooking typically caters to Western tastes, and differs significantly from the original Chinese cuisine.-History:...
called "The Golden Phoenix", and a ladies night has been arranged, which causes Paddy to go onto the stage dressed in nothing but a fake moustache
Fake moustache
A fake moustache or false moustache is an item of prosthetic make-up used in dressing-up, acting, espionage and crime. Fake moustaches are made in different ways, but usually require the wearer to use spirit gum to affix the moustache to his face. Some have a self-adhesive backing...
, leather thong and a trident
Trident
A trident , also called a trishul or leister or gig, is a three-pronged spear. It is used for spear fishing and was also a military weapon. Tridents are featured widely in mythical, historical and modern culture. The major Hindu god, Shiva the Destroyer and the sea god Poseidon or Neptune are...
. Outside, Max is accosted by a woman who wants her husband killed. Max deals with her that he will kill her husband for £8000. Lying to Paddy that she will pay them both £1000, Paddy goes with him to do the job. Max, Paddy and Max's brother Terry go to practise shooting using a Broomhandled Mauser
Mauser C96
The Mauser C96 is a semi-automatic pistol that was originally produced by German arms manufacturer Mauser from 1896 to 1937...
which Max's grandad left to him. When Paddy starts to fire, he accidentally shoots Terry. Eventually, Max and Paddy can't kill the man and give him £3000 to leave the country, Max gives Paddy £1000, and spends £4000 on a motor home
Recreational vehicle
Recreational vehicle or RV is, in North America, the usual term for a Motor vehicle or trailer equipped with living space and amenities found in a home.-Features:...
.
Episode 6
Max and Paddy spot the man they were meant to kill in town, and are later confronted by his angry wife, who hints that she has put a hit out on them, she also reveals that she paid Max £8000 to Paddy, who only received £1000. In the club, Brian has arranged Stars In Your Eyes to impress a brewery representative who is coming over, Den Perry however, has other ideas and cancels the acts by impersonating Jerry, however, in a memorable series of scenes, all of the staff from the club dress up
Dress-Up
Dress-up is a game played mainly by children. It involves dressing up, usually to impersonate someone or something, like an animal or character in a fairy tale...
to become acts, including Holy Mary as Lulu
Lulu (singer)
Lulu Kennedy-Cairns, OBE , best known by her stage name Lulu, is a Scottish singer, actress, and television personality who has been successful in the entertainment business from the 1960s through to the present day...
, Ray Von and Les Alanos as Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants
Adam and the Ants were a British rock band active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. The original group, which existed from 1977 to 1980, became notable as a cult band marking the transition from the late-1970s punk rock era to the post-punk and New Wave era...
, Kenny Senior as Britney Spears
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears is an American recording artist and entertainer. Born in McComb, Mississippi, and raised in Kentwood, Louisiana, Spears began performing as a child, landing acting roles in stage productions and television shows. She signed with Jive Records in 1997 and released her debut album...
, Young Kenny
Young Kenny
Young Kenny is one of many characters from the comic world of Peter Kay.Young Kenny is a quiet member of The Phoenix Club played by Justin Moorhouse. He Appeared in Peter Kay's Phoenix Nights and briefly appearing "butt naked" in Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere.Young Kenny is the uncredited member...
as Meat Loaf
Meat Loaf
Michael Lee Aday , better known by his stage name, Meat Loaf, is an American hard rock musician and actor...
, Jerry as Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
, Brian as Elton John
Elton John
Sir Elton Hercules John, CBE, Hon DMus is an English rock singer-songwriter, composer, pianist and occasional actor...
and Spencer as Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter
Gary Glitter is an English former glam rock singer-songwriter and musician.Glitter first came to prominence in the glam rock era of the early 1970s...
. At the end of the episode, Den Perry threatens Brian and talks to him about burning the club down before and makes threats to do it again, unaware that Brian has switched on a radio microphone on his desk, meaning that the entire club has heard the conversation. Den Perry is arrested and the staff celebrate. Ray Von then reminds Brian now the truth has come out, he can get his license back. However, Brian decides to let Jerry remain as licensee and the staff hold a toast to Jerry. At the end of the episode, Max, terrified that there is a hit out on him, is about to flee all over the country in his motor home, when Paddy decides to come with him, setting the scene for the spin-off series Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere
Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere
Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere was an award-winning British comedy television show on Channel 4 starring and written by Peter Kay and Patrick McGuinness. All the episodes were also directed by Kay. It began on 12 November 2004 and ran for six 30 minute episodes up until 17 December 2004, with each...
.
TV Broadcasting
- Series 1: six episodes, broadcast 14 January 2001 to 18 February 2001
- Series 2: six episodes, broadcast 8 August 2002 to 12 September 2002
See also
- Peter Kay's Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and Possibly a New Celebrity Jesus Christ Soapstar Superstar Strictly on Ice