Mecca Bingo has announced the winner of its Caller of the Year 2024 competition. Kelly Horton, 46, has worked as a caller at the operator's Brierley Hill, Dudley location for 17 years, having won the competition with her calling and line dancing capabilities – the latter of which Mecca Bingo is now offering classes in.
The Caller of the Year competition saw callers from across Mecca Bingo locations compete in regional heats before six finalists were chosen to go head-to-head at an event at Mecca Bingo Wednesbury. They were judged on factors such as personality, stage presence, audience engagement and others.
Now, Horton is set to compete in the UK’s National Bingo Game Caller of the Year competition, which will include callers from other operators, independents and holiday parks. The event, to be hosted in Wakefield in November, will take place in front of both judges and fans.
Said Horton: “I’ve worked at Mecca Bingo for a really long time (17 years), so it differs every day! I love the spread of different people I get to meet and chat to every day. But, above all, it’s such a great feeling when you call out winning numbers for big wins – especially when it helps them pay for big life events like a hen party or moving house...
“Having competed at Wednesbury against some of the best of the best it’s a real honour to be heading to Wakefield to represent Mecca in the industry’s National Bingo Game Caller of the Year competition. I hope I’ve done Brierley Hill proud and can’t wait to celebrate with our customers.”
Mecca Bingo Managing Director Andy Crump added: “Our bingo callers have a hugely important role to play in delivering brilliant entertainment experiences for our customers. They create the atmosphere for every game, make sure that every customer is engaged, announce all our lucky winners and most definitely help to create exciting memories for all our players.
"In addition to clear voices and top calling skills, the judging panel was looking for big personality and talent for our Bingo Caller of the Year. We found that in Kelly and we’ll be backing her all the way when she represents Mecca at the National Bingo Game Caller of the Year competition in November.”
In July, London-based Dabbers Bingo hosted its Bingo Comedy Caller Contest 2024, which saw an assortment of comedians compete for a £1,000 ($1,280) prize and a year-long contract with Dabbers Social Bingo.
Elsewhere at Mecca Bingo, the operator recently signed a five-year, $12.7m gaming machine supply and servicing partnership with Inspired, with Mecca Bingo receiving 170 additional gaming machines and a servicing package from the supplier.
This also isn’t the operator’s first competition this year, as in May Mecca Bingo hosted its first cross-channel slots tournament in Luton, Bedfordshire, where slots players both online and at retail locations competed for a top prize of £10,000.
