Listen to this article:Mecca Bingo Hull’s Josie Douthwaite has been crowned the operator’s Caller of the Year after impressing judges with her calling skills, personality and musical performance.
The 34-year-old has been a caller at Mecca Hull on Clough Road for two years and came out on top at the national final held at Mecca Oldbury. She will now represent Mecca Bingo at The Bingo Association Caller of the Year grand final in Leeds this November.
The Mecca final brought together some of the operator’s top callers from around the country, all competing for the chance to represent the company at the national competition.
The judging panel was led by Mecca’s director of bingo, Mike Sime and events manager Kim Jones. They were joined by Britain’s Got Talent singer Jonathan Rippon and Choriza May, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race. Each finalist was assessed on several different criteria, including the accuracy of their bingo calling, stage presence, personality and how well they connected with the audience.
Josie managed to impress across the board. After delivering a faultless game, she showed off her entertainment skills by singing Money, Money, Money by ABBA, with the audience taking to the dance floor during her performance.
On winning the competition, Josie said:
“I was so shocked to win because everyone’s talents were so great; it was a fantastic competition. A coach of 37 customers and colleagues travelled from Hull to Oldbury to support me. They have all been so pleased for me; they believed that I could do it more than I did!”
As Josie said, she did not make the trip to Oldbury alone, and after receiving the trophy, she ran straight over to her supporters and completed a victory lap around the group.
Her success should not come as too much of a surprise considering her background. Before joining the bingo industry in 2024, Josie studied performing arts and worked as a DJ and entertainer at venues around the local area. Those skills have clearly transferred well to bingo calling, where being able to entertain a room can be just as important as clearly calling the numbers.
Josie said: “I love getting to know the customers and having a laugh with them. I enjoy calling, and the crowd can sense that, so they enjoy it too!”
Winning Mecca’s competition means Josie will now move on to The Bingo Association Caller of the Year grand final in Leeds this November. There, she will compete against representatives from other major bingo operators, independent clubs and holiday parks for the national title. She is hoping to follow in the footsteps of fellow Mecca caller Benj Maycock from Mecca Wednesbury, who won the national competition in 2022.
Since winning the title, Benj has appeared on national television and radio and has also represented the bingo industry at parliamentary events.
Josie already has plans for her own performance in Leeds.
“I’m really looking forward to going to Leeds, and I’m hoping that my customers will join me again. I’ve already decided what I’ll be singing for the Bingo Association competition and the outfit that I’ll be wearing!”
However, she has not revealed what the song or outfit will be, so her supporters will have to wait until November to find out.
Mecca Bingo will now be hoping Josie can repeat her success when she takes on callers from across the wider bingo industry.
Andy Crump, managing director of Mecca Bingo, said:
“Our bingo callers are the beating heart of our business and play a key role in delivering brilliant experiences for our customers. They create the atmosphere at every game and keep our players engaged.
Josie’s big personality, clear voice and ability to entertain make her the perfect caller, and we’ll be backing her all the way when she represents Mecca at The Bingo Association Caller of the Year competition in November.”
For the Mecca Hull Caller of the Year Josie and her fans, it might feel like a very long wait until the grand final. But in just a few short weeks, she’ll once again take to the stage, so be sure to check back with us for details of how the final went.
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