Listen to this article:Many readers will be familiar with the actor Jonathan Bailey, who is best known for playing Anthony Bridgerton in Netflix’s Bridgerton, Fiyero in the Wicked films, and Tim Laughlin in Fellow Travelers. Recently, Bailey appeared at a drag bingo night in Sydney to the surprise and delight of all who were there. He was in Australia promoting Wicked: For Good when he dropped in on a Wicked-themed edition of Bingay, a long-running drag bingo event held at The Beresford Hotel.
A quick guide to drag bingo shows that people love the entertainment and joy it brings them, so naturally, it has grown and has a larger audience.
The appearance took place towards the end of last year, during one of Bingay’s monthly charity nights, which raise funds for the HIV and AIDS organisation ACON. The event has become a favourite with the local community thanks to its flamboyant themes, playful rules, and lively bingo calls. On the night in question, it had already attracted a crowd thanks to its Wicked-inspired setup. However, no one who was there expected one of the film’s stars to walk through the door.
Bailey’s entrance was anything but subtle. As he entered, he shouted the event’s signature call, “Bingay!” and the room went wild. Players were pulling out their phones to capture the moment, and the atmosphere was buzzing. Drag hosts Charisma Belle and DJ Naomi Palmer, dressed as Glinda and Elphaba for the evening, welcomed him to the stage as the audience cheered.
Charisma Belle described the reaction from the crowd as unforgettable:
“For me, the joy was seeing our Bingay regulars’ surprised faces when such a big superstar walked into the room. The whole space erupted in excitement, phones were out so quickly, and everyone was just beaming with excitement. It will be a memory I’ll talk about for years to come.”
Jonathan Bailey fully embraced the spirit of the event. He joined in with the bingo calls, helped draw numbers, and played along with the hosts’ banter. When asked whether he preferred acting in television or film, he sidestepped the question in true Bingay style, replying with a grin and another enthusiastic “Bingay!”.
DJ Naomi Palmer said that Bailey’s appearance felt very different to other celebrity drop-ins:
“He’s not the first famous person to join us, but normally they just come and play along, nothing like this.”
According to Palmer, Bailey was warm, engaged, and genuinely interested in the people around him.
Bingay itself has been a fixture on Sydney’s nightlife scene since 1999. According to its organisers, each event is built around a bold theme and delivered with “weird rules, outrageous antics and deliciously lewd bingo calls”. The Wicked theme was chosen to coincide with Bailey’s visit to Australia.
The bingo appearance of Jonathan Bailey was not the only surprise he delivered in Sydney. A few days earlier, he also shocked fans by unexpectedly appearing at a showing of Wicked: For Good. Bailey was introduced by radio host Kent “Smallzy” Small before walking out to a chorus of screams from the audience. Before revealing the actor to the crowd, Small joked, “You wouldn’t believe who I found just hanging outside the cinema.”
Bailey also visited his sister in Australia, who lives Down Under with her family. The trip rounded off an incredible year for the actor, who starred in productions such as Jurassic World: Rebirth and Richard II. Alongside these roles, he made headlines after being named PEOPLE’s Sexiest Man Alive, becoming the first openly gay man to receive the title.
Speaking about the honour earlier in the month, Bailey said, “It’s a huge honour. Obviously, I’m incredibly flattered. And it’s completely absurd.”
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