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It’s fair to say that bingo is a unique form of entertainment. Fast-paced, fun, and thrilling, it’s immensely popular across the globe. It’s not just grey-haired grannies who play it either. While the game did traditionally have an older demographic, it’s now enjoyed by people of all ages.
Though the game itself is great fun, it’s not only the chance to win that entices audiences in; it’s the entire atmosphere of the evening. A great way to socialize with friends and enjoy something a little different, it also comes complete with some fantastically witty commentary.
But you might be surprised by some of the people behind the voices. While most bingo halls have charismatic local callers taking to the stage, others have a more star-studded lineup. From the A-list to British OBEs, we take a look at the most surprising celebrity bingo callers.
Russell Crowe
In recent years, bingo as we know it has been transformed. Thanks to the advent of online gaming, sites like https://bingo.paddypower.com now enjoy a huge and enthusiastic audience. These players come from every conceivable demographic, from old ladies in nursing homes to the young and the hip.
Among the many fans of the game are certain A-list celebrities. And they don’t come much bigger than Russell Crowe. The legendary actor is renowned for his starring roles in films like Gladiator, Robin Hood, and Les Misérables, but before he was lighting up the silver screen, Crowe was employed as a bingo caller.
He’s spoken about this on numerous occasions, revealing to https://www.dailymail.co.uk in 2010 that it was his first-ever job and that he was fired from it after being rude to the crowd and shouting inappropriate rhymes down his microphone.
Gary Barlow
It’s not only stars of the silver screen who’ve moonlighted as bingo callers so has one of the biggest musicians of the last three decades. Gary Barlow, lead singer of UK boy band Take That and now an OBE, has toured the world and performed in front of millions. No stranger to entertaining an audience, he also has an affinity for playing to a bingo-hall crowd.
What you might not know is that this was once his primary job and he spoke about it to https://www.digitalspy.com back in 2011. But if you think he lost his love of the game when he hung up his hat, you couldn’t be more wrong. In fact, Barlow has returned to his role numerous times over the years, hosting dozens of bingo nights while on tour with Take That. The game even featured in his 10th wedding anniversary celebrations.
Shane Richie
While his name doesn’t carry quite the same global gravitas as an A-lister’s or OBE’s, British entertainer and soap star Shane Richie has also earned a place on this list. Most famous for playing ex-Queen Vic property owner Alfie Moon in the show Eastenders, Richie appeared on stage many times before his breakthrough role.
This included work not only as a bluecoat at Pontins but a job in his local bingo hall too. While we can’t say whether or not he was a hit with the crowds, his natural charisma and witty one-liners suggest he’s plenty capable of holding an audience’s attention.
While he hung up his bingo caller coat long ago, Richie is a fan of the game to this day, frequently being spotted with his wife at his local bingo venue.
From A-list celebs to OBEs, it seems bingo has a knack for attracting those who enjoy the spotlight. The next time you play, who knows what future celebrity superstar you might run into.