Peter Kay had 176 driving lessons before he passed his test.
The comic actor – whose recent sitcom ‘Car Share’ was set entirely inside a motor vehicle – was useless behind the wheel and failed his test on four occasions before passing on the fifth attempt.
During an appearance on Alan Carr’s talk show ‘Chatty Man’, the 41-year-old star said: "I can drive but it took me five times to pass. I was not very good at driving. It would not click. It took me six years, 176 lessons. I started when I was 16 in 1990 and passed in 1996. Best thing I ever did – but you have to persevere.
"I had five instructors. One, a guy called Barry, used to get his pipe out and do some shag and talk to me. I remember him saying he would bring me photos from Bulgaria. Another one called Mandy had a club foot. I don’t know how she did it but she did."
Although he got his license, Peter admits he still has a low level of skill when it comes to driving and is always bumping his car.
He added: "I’ve no sense of space. I am always bashing my car or hitting things if you go into bays or things. I just don’t think I was ready when I was younger. It cost a fortune. I did it that long they brought out the theory test. That was hard. People were like, ‘Why don’t you just give up?’ People ran out of references when I kept failing my test. My mum can’t watch ‘Car Share’. She says, ‘I can’t enjoy it as you are not watching the road,’ but I have told her that I can’t act and drive. I don’t want to shine light on the magic for her."
In ‘Car Share’, Peter plays supermarket manager John Redmond who drives to work every day with his colleague Kayleigh Kitson, played by Sian Gibson, and despite the minimal setting the series has been a critical success attracting viewers in their droves.
The BBC are planning to bring it back for a second series and a potential Christmas special.
A source told the Daily Mirror newspaper: "We definitely want the series to continue and are just working on the details with Peter and are hopeful it will happen. It was such a hit a second series would be a no brainer for the BBC."
Peter Kay took 176 lessons before passing driving test
