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Phoenix Nights - S1E1 'Opening Night'

🕑 Added 2025-09-13 06:00:08 +0000 UTC

Comments

Bolt Gaming

Matt Healy's dad snuck his way in aswell 🤣

Alex

& this is why Peter jay is the best comedian out there just now from 1997 onwards when he 1st started comedy

Kevin Duke

Charlie's Anals.

Ben

Jeff from Peep show was in the office as well. He's getting interviewed in the first scene of episode 1 and the first person to be made redundant at the end of series 1.

Andy

Now that you've started Phoenix Nights, you may as well watch 'That Peter Kay Thing' that he made a year before this. There's only 6 episodes. Each one is a parody of 'Fly on the wall' documentaries. Think of each episode as a Pilot episode, one of which is to Phoenix Nights.

Kayleigh

The realisation on his face, “get ‘em off!!!!” Lmao. My favourite scene of this show.

Kayleigh

I used to work in a club very similar to this. No, Walking in the Air isn’t appropriate lol.

Terrahawk

There are so many classic scenes in Phoenix Nights especially with Max & Paddy. Kenny Senior is the character who was talking to Roy Walker at the bar, he's similar to Jay from the Inbetweeners in the sheer amount of bs he makes up. Episode 3 is probably my favourite.

Dawn

Neil fitzmaurice aka 'Jeff' is also one of the writers on this.

Matt Draper

stranraer!!!

Andy Roberts

Roy Walker did present the games how Catchphrase in real life, you need to check out 'Catchphrase snake charmer' for a short but hilarious clip of the show

Athan Immortal

You're now introducing me to something new, this is great.

Super Hans

After the peep show debacle, this was a save, of sorts.

Paul

110%

Niall Watson

YESSSSSS!! I had no idea you were doing Phoenix Nights next!! oh my god, I'm so excited

Mike M

I mean, if your eager for more Peter then we have to suggest you watch 'Peter Kay's Car Share' it has a little more universal appeal.

MarkeB

This one is special to me as although I live in Australia these days, I'm born and bred in Bolton and my parents and other family still live there. Phoenix Nights is a gem and I was finishing school/ in University when it came out. The new episodes would come out on a Friday evening and we'd all have a few beers at one of our friends' groups' houses while watching Phoenix Nights, before heading into town to the clubs. Magic years and this is brilliant. 👏

Kevin Liversage

So chuffed you're doing this and always great that you actually get it.

Paul Archibald

What a treat. Superb. One of my favourites. Great 1st reaction.

Karlos

Jeff? As in, JEFF!?!?

Karen Campbell

I did see your reaction to misheard lyrics, it was brilliant but I first found you reacting to VoicePlay. I'm a big fan and your reactions were great 🙂

Rory

Loved this reaction! I think the DJ chose to play ‘walking in the air’ as without the CD player he was forced to choose from a presumably very limited selection, great first episode :)

Isthereany1herecalledJohn?

Are you from the States David? Have you been to the UK?

Emma Edwards

For back then, £17 sounds about right for a full set. I remember I used to pay around £20, give or take. Certainly not £17 per nail though, she was definitely being dramatic 😂

Daz Parker

A 'fun' little tidbit/tenuous link for you - in the episode of Taskmaster where Tim Key has a note to get him out of growing his nails because he is in a Daniel Kitson play - well Daniel Kitson plays Spencer in this - the guy with the big glasses who does the DJing. I think everyone would be really disappointed in me too if I didnt at least say that while he's not from Leeds, Daniel Kitson is at least from West Yorkshire (White Rose White Rose, White Rose White Rose!)

david mitchell

I found you from the peter kay videos

david mitchell

Buzzing when I saw this, amazing that you are doing this!!

Christian Rolfe

I mean good

Christian Rolfe

Tank fly boss walk jam nitty gritty You're listening to the boy from the big bad city This is jam hot This is jam hot

jamestoni

£17 per hand lol

Jimmy Sandwiches

Send the Buggers Back! - catchy tune that ;)

Elliot Langhorn

Oh and it’s not that there’s a character called Alan Johnson!

Elliot Langhorn

There’s at least one more Peep Show connection in Phoenix Nights but that will become apparent later down the line

Fordy7169

FYI, Peter Kay also does the Chorley FM radio DJ 'Paul Le Roy' voiceovers. 'Jeff's' character name in this is 'Ray Von' as in 'RRRave-on' his DJ call-sign. Actor Neil Fitzmaurice also did some writing in this and the Peter Kay prequel series 'That Peter Kay Thing' . Another great series where Peter plays multiple characters in each separate episode. Each episode is a stand-alone/different story with it's own characters, one of which is the pilot for 'Phoenix Nights'. Well worth a watch.

Kirk Deighton

Good catch on Jeff

MrBigBawzz

I came here for still game but now you're doing task master and phoniex nights is amazing 👏

Dave Spit

Oh wow I wasnt expecting this!

Mark Rudd

I always forget this is this 1st episode 😆the fact you both get and enjoy northern comedy, sets you up for a real treat

Mark Rudd

11:30 that pop up pub is actually a real pub near Bolton. I used to pass it all time when I visited Blackpool haha. Sure it’s about 10 mile or so out of Blackpool. Anyone know the place I may be on about haha ?

Mark Rudd

Also, yes!! That is Peter Kay haha. He plays Brian , max , and a few other characters which I’ll let you both see for yourself 😀 🍋

Mark Rudd

I am Brian potter😆 after this program you’ll understand why I am Like I am haha❤️ Im Also Max in the next program 🙈or was haha

Mark Rudd

Hardest 12 hours ever 😭😭😭my subscription run out hahah. Just got some cash to finally pay to be here :) so excited for this. Max nd paddy has to follow this :) no spoilers !! You’re in for a fun treat.this is life I grew up around haha

Dan Anderson

This is pretty much the OG of before benidorm was a thing 🤣

Dan Anderson

Last 2 months I been a patron and for good reason!

Dan Anderson

Oh boi, phoenix nights is on the agenda too, damn, you's are really popping off for crackers, Peep show, rickgervais show, cunk etc, damn!!!!

Adam Penn

The really funny thing for me is that my local is a Working Men’s Club and if you aired this to the regulars in there, they’d think this was a documentary not a comedy. Places like this still exist.

Theloyalmuppet

Forgot how good this actually was! Was yrs ago a watched it

Mark Hughes

I love this seen it a million times and still laugh but I love watching people watch bit for the first time make me laugh that bit harder.

Daniel Cooper-O'Reilly

This is the happiest I've ever been as a RNTV patreon 😍

Craig Jackson

Brilliant reaction guys as others have commented you’re gonna love this one!! 😂

carl rowland

This is going to be brilliant

Emma Edwards

Extras starts on Tuesday 👍🏼

Emma Edwards

It never dawned on me that Ray’s last name was Vaughn. I’ve always spelled it Ray Von. Vaughn makes way more sense as a British name 😂

Ian Warren

The actor from The Office (he plays Alex)/Peep Show (he plays Jeff Heaney)/Phoenix Nights (he plays Ray Vaughn) is Neil Fitzmaurice, and yes Jess it's him.

Gareth.S

Your gonna love this rabbit hole 😂

Ian Warren

Must admit, not too big a fan of the music reactions, music is *so* subjective. I much prefer to pull up a chair and watch a good comedy show with you both.

Erica

The bnp guy? 🤣

Adam

No way I didn’t know this was coming!

Grainy

Yes, I love it when Americans get Northern humour!

Dave Henshall

Love how Mike and Jess are picking up on Northern humour. Is Extras in the pipeline? As good as The Office

Neil Tolerton

Oh yes, what a treat. Then follow it up with Max and Paddy spin off. It's just as funny

Paul08031977

No one's mentioned yet the legend that is Dave Spikey!! Seen him do stand up twice. Co-writer to... "Do your teeth itch?"

Paul08031977

Park Avenue .....

Paul08031977

I was never as keen on Max and Paddy, still funny though.

Paul08031977

Comin' in your ears!

Paul Craigen

ChorleyFM caps needed 🤣

@plutoborn

Jeff from Peep Show was also sacked by David Brent in The Office #forklift

ElvisLee

This show came out at the same time as The Office in the UK. Phoenix Nights broke dvd sales records, but The Office surpassed it soon after.

david s

I forgot this was getting a reaction I’m so excited such a funny show :)

Emma Edwards

Looking forward to them meeting Keith 😂

Garry Allen

The fire safety seminar episode is an all timer. The first is decent but the rest are so much better.

emu cat

You little beauties !!! was up banging to Northern Soul. Northern Soul is why Phoenix Nights is carved around the music scene and has so many great tunes inserted., it later morphed into the Northern rave scene. This channel keeps hitting the notes !!! lordy lordy lord. good on ya. !! Hope you like as much as we love. PS - 'comin in your ears' was a true Chorley FM broadcast, from when it was a pirate station, a friend of a friend broadcast it.

Keatan Forrest

You'll have to check out 'Max & Paddy' as well, the spin off after this

Keatan Forrest

One of the most underrated shows ever in my opinion. The fact you're doing this and OFAH is just amazing. Legends!

Steven Sjosten

Freaking love this show... You should watch "That Peter Kay Thing" its 6 standalone episodes and Peter Kay pays a different character each episode and some of them appear in Phoenix Nights

Fandom Crusader

The audience in the clubs are real people who didn't know what was going on! LOL

Ketzalborne

"You're listening to Chorley FM, coming in your ears" 😂

Steven Sjosten

My only claim to fame was I got a TV from the Phoenix Night building years ago, it was like a mini warehouse where a high street store used to keep all the bulky stock, so paid for it in the store and was sent to pick it up from that building lol

Tom

Max declines to go the ladder and Paddy says ‘why not?’. Max: ‘two words… Falklands’.🤣 implying he suffered an injury in the 1982 war with Argentina.

David Cole

Just last night, I was at an event held in a Social Club function room, and we were saying, "This is a bit Phoenix Nights..."

Patrick Nicholls

Think someone said but it's not a Club like a Nightclub but a Working Men's Club which is more old-fashioned sort of a mix of a Pub, Members Club, family-type (in working-class areas) and events. The music that Spencer (the one with the big glasses with the CDs) is just supposed to be a bit random/not getting the vibe and also only has a few songs he can play without the CD player haha. (Not trying to be condescending btw haha - just in case it isn't clear)

Moody Marco

This show captures the utter shitness of working men's clubs across Northern England and other parts of working class UK perfectly 🤣 There's in a really rough part of Greenock, near Glasgow, where the toilet seats (plain, cheap, council, white plastic ones) are literally chained to the walls!

ElvisLee

The brilliant Roy Walker playing himself. A comedian as well as the original host of the gameshow 'Catchphrase'. My favourite joke of his: I went to an open-air cafe and it started to rain... Took me four hours to eat my soup

James Welsh

They said they didnt have a cd machine, so his cd's became irrelevant

Moody Marco

The guy who plays the dogger in the Peter Kay "Dogging" sketch is in this too

RegenerationNationTV

Ah, shoulda let us pick up on this one ourselves. Would proper laughed my ass off when I realized

Ethan furness

Omg yesss

Craig Stafford

Max and paddy spin off series next on the list too.

Spencer Chou

I knew Jeff from Peep Show was in this, but never knew he co-wrote it!

Jude

The hidden joke in this is that Brian doesn’t actually need the wheel chair. He moves about off camera, and without aid/ramps. If you look when he arrives at the club, he moves from the scooter to the wheelchair with no help. Happens throughout the series 🤣

Jay Lo

A peter kay saturday, maybe alternate with car share? 😍🤩

JEFF!?!

Its a local working man's club, not a nightclub. An evening out for members of the local community. Cheap drinks, bingo, in-house cabaret. All done badly. Walking in the air is totally inappropriate, even for a club like this. That's why its funny.

Emma Edwards

I’m looking forward to them meeting my favourite Peter Kay character in episode 3 🔥 As well as the character development of Kenny Snr and his little ‘act’ at the end of season 2 😂

zStarr

They are both great in their own way imo, I love the gang in PN but max and paddy’s antics are funny too

Jake Hines

Max and paddy’s road to knowwhere is well better

Kaye G

Yessss!! And after this, Max & Paddy's Road to Nowhere spin-off 👌

Your Precious Prints

Never got around to watching this, but watched Max and Paddy. Was a pleasure watching with you guys.

Craig Wright

The ice cream van episode in That Peter Kay Thing makes me howl.

Kourga

Well done spotting Geoff. Did you spot Kenny Snr (the chap on the roof) is the "dogger" they pull up to on Car Pool?

Karlos

Alan Johnson (another Peep Show link) the guy who was coming from Stranraer is played by a guy who is actually in Peep Show in a few seasons time. In a great episode.

Matty M

What a great Saturday morning surprise. Love this show and it will only be better watching with you guys.

Jue H

I’ve seen this a thousands times and only just noticed Roy Walker asking if turps could be smelt when he was leaving the club. Obviously Mary used turps to clean his blazer. 🤣🤣

zStarr

lol dope wasn’t expecting this, add this to the schedule and post it on YouTube and patreon will get tons more subs

James Price-Harper

I totally forgot how good phoenix nights was! I’ve not seen it since it was on TV. Thanks for reacting and reintroduce me to it!

Paul Archibald

Wow. Superb. What a treat!

John Farnall

You guys are reacting to such great shows. Still game, Only fools and now phoenix nights. You are in for such a treat.

Karlos

I've never actually seen all of Phoenix Nights. I've seen parts and it's pretty funny. Looking forward to watching along. Google Social Clubs if you want to get an idea of them. My Dad played the club circuits for years. It's almost like a bingo hall with entertainment. Usually cover bands or tribute acts. The singer in the Folk band is from my neck of the woods, Tim Healy, he was in a great show called Auf Wiedersehen, Pet. His son is the lead singer of The 1975 (pointless fact)

Jay Lo

Hell yeah!

Jue H

I didn’t know you were doing this masterpiece

MarkC

Great stuff, thank you! Max and Paddy is a must after these..

Carol

Great reaction, Mike and Jess! Peter Kay's Mum and Gran are in the audience scenes. You can see them at various times in the show. There's a close-up of his Gran at 19:46 and both his Mum and Gran can be seen at 18:42 (his Mum is wearing a red jacket and his Gran is sitting next to her in a white top). So glad you enjoyed it! xxx

Regular Viewer Bunty Hoven

It's weird seeing Beatrice Kelly in this after mainly remembering her from the short-lived Channel 5 sitcom "Respectable".

Emma Edwards

I’d be surprised if his CDs were any better tbh 😂

Regular Viewer Bunty Hoven

I've seen Daniel Kitson live and he was fantastic.

Tom

Next week’s cosplay challenge for Mike and Jess for Phoenix Nights has to involve being seated in mobility scooters.

Fordy7169

Spencer the young DJ who showed up with his CD's had to find some old 7" single vinyl records to play because and obviously his collection must have been small, hence the unsuitable 'Walking In The Air' by Aled Jones (UK No. 5 in 1985) and '19' by Paul Hardcastle (a track about the Vietnam War, UK No. 1 in 1985).

Tom

The northern club circuit is where comedians you will have come across in reactions cut their teeth. Singers too. Gary Barlow of Take That (Robbie Williams’ band) started in clubs. Robbie Williams’ dad Peter was licensee of a similar kind of club. Top bands played and failed in such clubs. Small Faces, a legendary group who Rod Stewart later joined to form The Faces, were famously thrown out of a Sheffield club after a couple of songs.

Fordy7169

Tim Healy, Dennis in the great Auf Wiedersehen, Pet series'

Andi Main

This is recorded in a real club, they don’t know what’s going to happen and they are recording their real reactions

Tom

The act in the audition at the end was doing their rendition of the classic David Bowie song Space Oddity, which is about an astronaut who was lost in space. A line from the song: “Here am I floating round my tin can/Far above the Moon/Planet Earth is blue and there’s nothing I can do’. It’s a brilliant song, written around the time of the first moon landing. Well worthy of a reaction when you get back to ‘Music Mondays’ (ha ha!)

Erica

This programme is one of my favourites it’s such a laugh . Mike you’re so right about his standup , the types of people he talks about are all in this show . Peter’s Nan was one of the ladies in the club 🤣

Kourga

Oh on actors playing multiple characters one movie to try is an old back and white British comedy about a young man assassinating his way to the family dukedom - "Kind Hearts & Coronets". ALL members of the family who are his intended victims, male and female, are played by the great Alec Guinness (Ben Kenobi in the earliest star wars movies). Ranked 6 in the British Film Institute's list of best 100 British films. https://youtu.be/lTOeAGSV5Ro?si=KyyN61qBiTOelHlv

Elliott Watson

AMAZING! Welcome to Northern Comedy 😂

Steven Leicester

He's playing terrible records because he brought a load of CDs, but they haven't got a CD player, so reduced to playing any 7" singles they had lying around

Tom

The Send The Buggers Back singer is Tim Healy. He could have been Taylor Swift’s father-in-law. His son, Matty Healy, is lead singer of The 1975, and he dated Taylor before the bloke from the NFL.

Col Boro

😂😂

Col Boro

These guys aren’t your typical Americans they understand our humour they understand the concept of sarcasm and taking the piss out of each other isn’t offensive. It’s just banter and meant to be fun.

Kourga

What a lovely surprise. I love this show but it is not just very English but specifically northern English in cultural references so given the accents, quickfire delivery and pop culture references and very northern vibe it's not one i would normally recommend for Americans to react to. But it was truly a delight to watch how much you enjoyed it. You won't pick up on all the references but you are so sharp and observant you missed little else. Again can't tell you how much it tickles me you liked it.

D̸a̶e̶d̴a̶l̸u̴s̵

Loved Jess start nodding along with the Folk band and then slowly stop as the realisation kicked in

Col Boro

Great start for my day guys thank you so much Pilkington and peter kay couldnt be funnier I’m gonna love Saturday mornings. ✌️❤️

Captain Cardboard

Roy got some wear out of that jacket. Southern Television ended in 1981!

Emma Edwards

Love you guys! 🥹 Boop! 👉🏼👃

Michael

One of my absolute favourites!

Emma Edwards

STOP IT! YOU DIDN’T!! 😳

Col Boro

It is Geoff from peep show.its Neil Fitzmaurice he co wrote this show with peter kay i knew you guys would love this show and i love you guys loving English comedy

Jeffrey44

Doesn't it have a capital 'B' normally?

Jeffrey44

Oh dear. We're all excited, Col but you've really let yourself down with your choice of language there. Very disappointing as it was totally uncalled for.

Col Boro

I think its better than phoenix nights absolutely brilliant show i have the DVD and the commentary is hilarious too

Captain Cardboard

A surprise, to be sure, but a welcome one!

John Rivenell

Ray Von played by Neil Fitzmaurice also was the forklift driver made redundant by David Brent and he is a co writer with Dave Spikey and Peter Kay of this series

Josh Read

Imagine Mike doing a young Kenny from series 2. It's not coming off

Dawn

Wow. I've missed Phoenix nights in my life. What a start to Saturday morning . Fantastic reactions x love that you guys love it xx

Tony Mingoia

One of the amazing things about this is that the reaction of the crowd is mostly genuine. They would stage the acts and have real (mostly elderly) locals as the audience, unaware that they were part of a sitcom. They'd usually then film the performance again for the actual show on a closed set, and cut in the real audience reactions. So if it seems like the acting of the extras is too good, it's because it's not even acting. 😅

Clive Parry

You are going to love this. It’s perfect ❤️

Antony Green

If you like Peter kay playing many different parts you need "that peter kay thing" in its a sketch show that pre dates phoenix nights but its where you meet Brian Potter for the 1st time

Christian Rolfe

Gets better and better, max and paddy definitely is the cherry on top

Col Boro

Omg you watching phoenix nights fucking awesome

Andy Gore

Great reaction, you will love this series and sure be one of youre favourites. The reason they was playing walking in the air is because the DJ had only brought CDs with him and they had decks ( records only) so probably all they had ..its not normal music for these kind of clubs lol.

mark

heck yes. my favourite comedy

Daniel Tooke

Such a great show which leads seamlessly into the Max and Paddy series

Linf J

Never watched this when it was on however watching with you guys just made my saturday mornings get off to a good start

Scott

What a pleasant surprise! Probably my favourite comedy series - heart, warmth and just wonderfully funny, I really hope you enjoy the journey.

Kieran B

It’s like a social club or “working men’s club” rather than a nightclub - it seems like quite a British thing although I’m sure there’s equivalents elsewhere. Peter talks about “clubland” in his stand up, especially the earlier stuff. Daniel Kitson who played the DJ (“walking in the air”) is an incredibly highly regarded stand up, he’s a comedian’s comedian, but he never records any of his shows.

Robbie Corrie

Once you've done this series, it might be worth dabbling back to That Peter Kay Thing which is Peter Kay's first series and does feature the Phoenix Club in episode 1 as well as other characters set in the same universe. Each episode is a small psuedo-documentary but without spoiling too much, gets tied together by the final episode.

Gem Lou

So glad you get the little things that a lot of people miss. There's so many hidden gems!

Antony Green

Welcome to bolton, my home town

Kippa

Oh my days I cannot believe you guys are reacting to Phoenix Nights! This is my bread and butter, and I was born and raised near to where the club is lol.

Kieran B

There was a six episode series that came before this called That Peter Kay Thing where each episode is a different character and story - the first episode is Brian and the Phoenix Club. After this you have Max and Paddy which is a spin off / sequel. Then there’s Car Share which stars Sian Gibson too who was also in That Peter Kay Thing (and she plays a character in this now I think of it…)