Tickets for Peter Kay’s two live shows at the Villa Marina in 2026 were sold out within 45 minutes of them going on sale.

And it was no laughing matter for fans when tickets were being offered shortly afterwards for sale online - at prices of up to $400.

The hugely popular comedian will take to the stage in Douglas for two nights, on Friday, February 20 and Saturday, February 21 2026.

Tickets went on general sale at 10am on Saturday morning and cost between £35.70 and £66.30 per standard ticket.

But by 10.45am they had all been snapped up. The Villa Gaiety said at one point 28,000 had joined the online queue to buy them.

The same day, tickets were being sold online via ticket exchange website Viagogo, with two tickets in the circle listed for a staggering $401 (£319) each.

At one point as the Examiner went to press yesterday (Monday), the same site was offering tickets in the stalls for Friday’s show for up to £286 each.

It was also offering eight seats together in the circle for Saturday’s performance for between £225 and £232 each - despite the Villa only selling a maximum of four tickets per transaction.

Most of the tickets are listed for sale by traders.

Offers for tickets were also being invited on social media platform Facebook, but it was clear that scammers using fake profiles were behind at least some of them.

This brought a swift rebuke from our readers on Isle of Man Today’s Facebook page. One posted: ‘I really wanted to go to this but profiteers got there first.’

Another commented: ‘It should be a banned practice.’

A third said: ‘When the local touts start reselling tickets, everyone should refuse to buy them and leave them out of pocket.’

Peter Kay’s performances were announced last week after the comedian revealed a host of extra dates for his record-breaking ‘Better Late Than Never Again’ tour.

In a statement, the Department of Education, Sport and Culture acknowledged that enforcing rules on resale of tickets was difficult but that three-quarters of the tickets went to island residents.

A spokesman said: ‘The excitement around these performances has been phenomenal, with around 28,000 people attempting to secure tickets online and in person, including 250 who queued at the box office, for just 2,720 seats across two nights.

‘Booking data shows that around three-quarters of tickets, limited to four per booking, were sold to Isle of Man residents.

‘While we understand the disappointment of those unable to secure tickets, we want to address some misconceptions circulating online. All tickets were sold via an open and fair process, and no tickets were held back for staff or off-island residents.

‘We are aware of tickets being listed at inflated prices on resale platforms such as Viagogo, which goes against our terms and conditions. Unfortunately, challenges such as lack of regulation and platform constraints make enforcement difficult. This is a global issue affecting major events, as seen with recent high-profile tours.

‘We strongly encourage anyone with tickets they no longer need to return them to our box office, where they can be resold at face value to those on our waiting list. This process has already helped fans secure tickets fairly and safely. Additionally, we remind the public to remain vigilant against scammers and to only purchase tickets through official channels.

‘Our team worked tirelessly to ensure a smooth booking process for this high-demand event, and we remain committed to providing a fair and enjoyable experience for all attendees.’

Meanwhile, it was announced on Monday that more major acts are coming to the island - Take That star Gary Barlow will perform at the Villa Marina on two nights in April next year, while Beautiful South frontman Paul Heaton will perform at the same venue in July.