THE opening night of Phoenix Nights at Manchester Arena was not quite what Dave Spikey had in mind.

After months of anticipation, the comedian was due to reprise his role as Jerry St Clair for the first time in 12 years on January 31.

Dave was due to go on in the second half for the return of Peter Kay's beloved sitcom but because he was backstage he had no idea that Ted Robbins had just suffered a heart attack.

The 63-year-old said: "I didn't know what was happening because you're isolated backstage. I thought his microphone wasn't working.

"Then I was standing behind this big screen waiting to go on and all of a sudden all these people started galloping past me panicking and shouting.

"It was just a stunning moment. Thankfully, Ted's on good form now.

"I was speaking to him on the phone the other day and and they showed a big video of him in his hospital bed on the matinee show that we did for everyone who missed the second half of the show that first night."

The show must go on and so, with the cast assured that Ted was recovering, the Phoenix rose again the next night.

The story mirrored real life with the working men's club regulars getting together to raise money for Comic Relief.

Shirking the likes of D:Ream, T'Pau, Shaggy and Lemar, Brian Potter, Jerry , DJ Ray Von and the rest of the gang decided to put on the show themselves.

Dave added: "What we did was just transfer the Phoenix to the arena basically.

"We all worked hard on our own spots and then we linked them with that loose theme of coming back together for Comic Relief.

"I know it’s a massive cliché but it’s as if we’ve never stopped.

"I missed Jerry. He’s back where he belongs. That’s his Caesar’s Palace, that’s his Las Vegas and he rises to the challenge

"He still works in bricks and comes home every night covered in brick and concrete dust. He has a bath, gets in his white jacket and red dickie bow and off he goes."

What started as two performances grew to 15 due to overwhelming demand.

Dave said: "People were just flying in to see it and they must have spent so much on accommodation and travel and the tickets weren’t cheap.

"So there was an added responsibility because you can’t let them down so we worked very hard to make sure they had a great experience.

"We’re sad it’s over. Not just because you’re walking out on stage in front of 15,000 people every night which blows you away.

"But because of the passion and enthusiasm of the audience for a little show from 12 years ago.

"We also miss being together and working as a team."

So is there any truth to the rumours that a third series is being reconsidered?

Dave, who co-wrote Phoenix Nights with Peter and Neil Fitzmaurice, added: "There weren’t any plans to use this as a litmus test to see if the desire was there to do a third series, a tour or a Christmas show

"I’d take the idea seriously if something came up but nothing has. We’re sad it’s all over but we’ll leave it as that for now."

- Dave Spikey is at The Lowry on Sunday, March 8. Visit thelowry.com for tickets

DAVID MORGAN