It’s little wonder that a number of celebrities started their careers as bingo callers, but it definitely takes a certain type of person to call the numbers. You need confidence, vivacity and a way with words and your audience. Even in the online environment – for example on Paddy Power bingo – the rooms are full of players with personality and the social aspect is still very much there. Some celebrities even endorse online brands, or have ambassador roles, in order to attract customers. But would you believe that some of these celebrities started their careers in the bingo industry?
Simon Webbe
He is probably best known for being one-quarter of 2000s boyband, Blue, but Simon Webbe actually started out as a bingo caller. Now 40 and a solo artist, as well as a music manager, Simon once revealed he was Britain’s youngest bingo caller.
“I started at the Gala Bingo in Small Heath, which isn’t there any more, three days after my 18th birthday. We weren’t allowed to do the ‘Two little ducks’ and so on calls, but I did have a spiel at the start of the night. I’d say ‘Take a seat, rest your feet, welcome to Gala Small Heath’”.
Gary Barlow
It’s no surprise to hear that Gary Barlow was once a bingo caller, considering he’s such a fan of the game. So much so, the Take That star still hosts bingo nights and has previously revealed that while on tour, he’d organise games to help tour staff relax. He’s made no real secret about his past, revealing: “I used to be a bingo caller when I was first starting out. I used to love reading out the numbers. We have bingo nights backstage on the Take That tour to help everyone relax”. He even uses his own bingo machine, paper and daubers for the games, calling it ‘Barlow's Bingo’.
Antony Cotton
He’s been on our screens since 2003 starring in Coronation Street as Sean Tully, and it’s surely no surprise that the outgoing actor also moonlights as a bingo caller. However, it’s not how he started out (although he loves playing and compering), it’s a venture he continues with now, in between filming for the soap. It was even reported last year that he’d rake in up to £3,000 each night appearing at student nights across the country, surely making him ‘top of the shop’?
Shane Richie
Another soap star with the gift of the gab, we could certainly picture Shane Richie calling the balls – which is exactly what he did at a local hall, before turning his hand to a bluecoat at Pontins. Known for his career spanning over 20 years in music, television, film and stage, Shane is Mr. Entertainment. Little known fact, his son (who goes by the same name), has followed in dad’s footsteps and is a bluecoat at the same Pontins resort and we wouldn’t be surprised if Shane Snr gave him a few pointers.
Russell Crowe
From the unsurprising to the unlikeliest of candidates – believe it or not, actor Russell Crowe started out as a bingo caller. In fact, in his pre-acting days, he tried his hand at a number of jobs, including bartending and waitering, as well as horse-wrangling. However, the bingo calling wasn’t a huge success, as Daniel Abineri revealed in an interview: “He had just been sacked from his job as a bingo caller in Rotorua – apparently he was rude to the crowd when he was calling out the numbers, and he was quite proud of that”. The composer gave Russell his big break, starring in musical Bad Boy Johnny and the Prophets of Doom – and as they say, the rest is history!
