After a very last minute turn of events, Dru Cripps re-entered the annual competition to be Crowned Dabbers Comedy Caller Winner 2024. Dru won £1,000 at the UK’s most exciting bingo calling contest.
On Sunday 7th July, in Association with The British Comedy Guide, Dabbers Social Bingo finally finished its three-month long hunt and crowned the innovative and hilarious musical clown comic Dru Cripps as the next face of its bingo hall with the title of ‘Bingo Comedy Caller 2024’.
Dru had originally entered the heats but failed to make it further as his friend – comedian Lil Wenker pulled in more votes to see them through to the next stage.
However over the weekend Lil Wenker had to pull out of the contest due to an medical emergency, which saw Dru Cripps re-enter the contest as a ‘Wild Card’, and a WILD finale it certainly was.
Playing to a sold-out crowd, Dru won over his spectators by bringing a unique take to bingo calling which was really a ‘first ever’ at the Dabbers bingo hall. Dressed as an old skool 90’s raver, Dru bounced onto stage with a mime routine set to a soundtrack of big dance beats. He then began his bingo calling which incorporated a loop station, improvisational beatboxing and dance moves – all whilst plucking the balls from the bingo machine and occasionally stopping to lift his baggy pants!
“My favourite thing about hosting the bingo was being informed the night before I was back in the competition, Clowns were used in the circus when the Lion tamer has been eaten and they needed someone to do something to distract the audience – so it felt a bit like that. In this case, Lilian Wenker’s appendix was the Lion”
– Dru on winning the competition
Judging Panel – Kirsty Taylor Festival Curator at Latitude Festival
The entire run was hosted by BBC New Comedy Award finalist and Live at the Apollo comedian Sikisa Bostwick who certainly knows how to get the party started. She was joined by a judging panel which was made up of entertainment industry professionals including: Latitude festival Curator, Kirsty Taylor; Events Producer at Agency Unknown, Jerome Bernard; Cabaret producer, Verity Lewis; and Theatre Producer, Roland Saunders.
Babs Romance won over industry judges by delivering hilarious bingo calls and musical numbers on topical references to the results of last Thursday’s General Election.
Freddie Main from Norwich has developed his drag character over the past 12 months and said “The competition was so unhinged, in the best way, a totally bonkers baptism of fire for someone who had never played bingo before. It was so fun to see that bingo is not just for grannies but for PARTIES and I loved watching the other acts so much, as well as developing my own act through the need to structure my jokes around bingo calls.”
The final also featured Australian stand-up Kat Dellar who came close behind in the audience votes, and James Watkins who performed as 80s game show host Dick Speed complete with video graphics and interactive games.
After Dru secured the most audience votes on 7th July, he has now officially been named as the 4th winner ever of Dabbers Comedy Caller which began back in 2019. Alongside his new title wins a £1000 courtesy of sponsors, Malibu, plus a 12-month contract with Dabbers Social Bingo, as he will get the opportunity to reinvent, transform and revamp the sought-after and glorious position of Bingo Caller.
“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 twists and drama”
– JONNY UNKNOWN, Dabbers Founder
Post show Dru offered a share of the prize money with friend and fellow finalist Lil Wenker whom he replaced in the contest.
Dru Cripps, aged 24 from Oswestry Shropshire recently moved to Camberwell London. He plans to head up to Scotland this summer to perform various previews of his new show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival from the 2nd-12th August. The show ‘Druniversal Credit’ which is a one man clown show about my experiences of trying to break into the arts world.
Dru has a unique brand of spontaneously funny chaos, which he likes to refer to as “showing up and seeing what happens'”. Dru doesn’t like preparing anything for his gigs and believes the magic lies within the room with the audience he finds himself in front of.
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