Dru Cripps wins Dabbers Bingo Comedy Caller Contest 2024
- Clowning comic Dru Cripps has won the 2024 Dabbers Bingo Comedy Caller Contest
- Freddie Main, performing as Tory MP character Babs Romance, also won a prize
Dru Cripps has won Dabbers Bingo Comedy Caller Contest 2024.
The competition, which took place on Sunday afternoon (7th July) at the London-based alternative bingo hall, involves acts performing comedy routines whilst drawing out the balls from the venue's bingo machine.
Cripps, a London-based Gaulier trained clown, appeared in the first heat of the competition but became a wildcard entry to the final when he was asked to step in at the last minute to replace Lil Wenker, who had a medical emergency.
He started his act wordlessly, playing mime-based games with the audience, before moving on to using a portable music device to perform improvised songs that reacted to the balls selected from the bingo machine.
The winner of the final, which was hosted by Sikisa, was determined by the selections the audience made on voting slips. Part of his prize package includes a contract with Dabbers Social Bingo, to host games at their various London venues over the next 12 months. Cripps was also awarded £1000 prize money courtesy of sponsors Malibu, which he has said he will share with Wenker.
The final also featured a judging panel comprising of entertainment industry professionals: Latitude festival curator Kirsty Taylor; events producer at Agency Unknown Jerome Bernard; cabaret producer Verity Lewis; and theatre producer Roland Saunders.
The judges went for drag act Freddie Main as their selection. He hosted as Tory MP Babs Romance, and delivered a set making a number of topical references to the results of Thursday's General Election. Main was awarded a year's supply of Malibu.
The final also featured Australian stand-up Kat Dellar, and James Watkins who performed as 80s game show host Dick Speed.
Jonny Unknown from Dabbers says: "What a finale show! So much energy from the audience and four brilliant contestants competing! The best act won on the day, but gosh it wouldn't be Dabbers without some last minute drama."