Comedy star Peter Kay made a cheeky jibe about the Isle of Man after gatecrashing a live weather forecast on BBC North West Tonight.

The 53-year-old comedian and actor interrupted presenter Molly Brewer during Wednesday morning’s programme as she was reporting on an upcoming yellow weather warning.

Kay, who had been a guest on the BBC programme, walked on screen and sat down beside Brewer, telling her: ‘Go on Molly, I’ll sit here, I’ll not disturb you.’

The Bolton-born star was then handed Brewer’s clicker, giving him control of the on-screen weather graphics.

As he moved around the map, Kay spotted the Isle of Man and circled it before quipping: ‘Isle of Man, give me six.’

The clip has been shared widely online and some fans speculated that the was a reference to the long-standing stereotype that Manx people have six fingers or six toes, a familiar piece of British folklore about the island.

Kay has previously used similar jokes about towns and cities across Britain.

But far from being offended, the majority found the joke humorous, with one calling it ‘absolutely hilarious’.

The comedian is best known for his hugely successful television sitcom Phoenix Nights, which he created, wrote and starred in, as well as Max and Paddy’s Road to Nowhere.

He has also appeared in films including The League of Gentlemen’s Apocalypse and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, while his stand-up tours have made him one of Britain’s best-known comedians.

Kay has a history of disrupting weather forecasts, having previously interrupted the late Dianne Oxberry while she was presenting the BBC North West Tonight forecast in 2011.