Brian Potter (Peter Kay) owned The Aquarius Club until it flooded. His second venue, The Neptune, burned down. And then he had The Phoenix Club, and he was determined to make it the best working men’s club in Bolton.
Unfortunately, he was surrounded by inept staff. Confined to a wheelchair as a result of an accident during the flood, the cantankerous Potter was obsessed with Den Perry (Ted Robbins), the successful proprietor of The Banana Grove.
It was a rivalry that could only end in tears – or more accurately, ashes.
The character of Brian Potter first graced British TV screens in That Peter Kay Thing (2000), a comedy anthology in which Kay played different roles starring in fly-on-the-wall documentary films.
Filmed in a real club in Farnworth, Bolton, Phoenix Nights was co-written by Kay with Dave Spikey and Neil Fitzmaurice (who played DJ Ray Von). Although it only ran for two short seasons, Phoenix Nights was something of a cult hit.
A follow-up series, Max & Paddy’s Road to Nowhere, saw the former doormen on a road trip on the run from hitmen.
As Kay’s star began to rise, largely thanks to his sell-out stand-up comedy tours, he resurrected Potter for a one-off duet with Matt Lucas as Lou (also in a wheelchair) from Little Britain, singing a cover of The Proclaimers‘ 500 Miles in aid of the Comic Relief charity telethon.
In 2014, the phoenix once again rose from the ashes as Peter Kay announced a UK-wide arena tour of “Phoenix Nights Live.”
Brian Potter/Max/Keith Lard
Peter Kay Jerry St. Clair
Dave Spikey Young Kenny
Justin Moorhouse Paddy
Paddy McGuinness Kenny Senior
Archie Kelly Ray Von
Neil Fitzmaurice Holy Mary
Janice Connolly Les
Toby Foster Alan
Steve Edge Den Perry
Ted Robbins Marion
Beatrice Kelley
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A follow-up series, Max & Paddy’s Road to Nowhere, saw the former doormen on a road trip on the run from hitmen.
