Post by Taxigirl on Dec 1, 2003 11:11:17 GMT
A Swansea man has been crowned king of the bingo callers after a tense national final in east London.
Mike Vyse, 33, beat four other regional winners to scoop the title Bingo Caller of the Year 2003.
He received his award - given by the National Bingo Game Association - from television presenter Lorraine Kelly.
A delighted Mr Vyse, who will now act as an ambassador for the game, said it had been a tough competition, with "everyone at the top of their game".
Mr Vyse, who brought two coach loads of fans along with him from his bingo club in Swansea, told BBC News Online his achievement "has still not sunk in yet".
He said: "It was a really, really good show and we all said the best man will win. Fortunately it was me."
The five finalists at the Surrey Quays event were first quizzed on their bingo and gaming knowledge, before performing a three-minute entertainment slot and finally calling bingo numbers.
Mr Vyse, a part-time singer, wowed his Welsh faithful and other members of the 1,200-strong capacity audience with his rendition of Tom Jones's Delilah.
As part of his prize, Mr Vyse won an all-expenses paid trip to Los Angeles and Las Vegas for him and his wife Zena.
Video judging
The competition is the only independent event of its kind in the UK.
Would-be champions initially had to send in videos of their bingo calling skills, with five area finalists decided for each region.
Regional finals were held in September and October for northern England, southern England, the Midlands, Scotland and Wales.
Among the judges on Sunday was the first ever winner of the Bingo Caller of the Year Patrick Bowler, who scooped the honour in 1994.
Bingo Association spokesman Nikki Rawsthorne said the winner plays an important role in the bingo industry in their winning year.
She said: "The winner has to be an ambassador for the industry, someone who can represent it in the media.
"Whenever there is anything to do with bingo and gaming laws in the news it's their job to act as spokesperson for the industry."