Bingo and karaoke with Barry from EastEnders: How the UK's entertainment economy is changing

It’s midday on a Saturday a few weeks before Christmas. I arrive at one of the best-known music venues in Leeds. It normally hosts fans of some of Britain’s biggest artists, from Primal Scream to Rag’N’Bone Man. Today, there’s a rather different crowd, full of fur coats, leopard print, cowboy hats and sequins.  

What brings this eclectic group here? Bingo. More specifically, Bongo’s Bingo.  

It was launched by Jonny Bongo and Joshua Burke in Liverpool a decade ago, and traditional bingo this is not. The rules are identical, the atmosphere is anything but. This riotous version involves blaring music and a blaze of strobe lights. An ordinary bingo player would drop their dabber at the sheer volume of noise from players of all ages dancing on tables and singing along to Robbie Williams and S Club 7. 

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“I just don’t think there’s anywhere like it, they put a good show on. It’s cheap as well for a good night out,” says Sally, who is sporting a reindeer onesie and sequinned head boppers, alongside her friend Donna and their daughters. 

“We come every year,” says Lisha, dressed in a giant, flamingo-pink 25th birthday badge and tiara. Her friend Bethany is loud and proud about her love affair with the game: “It’s a fantastic time, you get loads of wacky prizes, and you get a chance to grab some cash!”  

The event has developed a cult following by combining nostalgia, rave culture and bingo in a way that only Britain could. Nothing reinforces this more than the prizes. First place wins £1,000. Second? A Henry Hoover. Other cash prizes, karaoke machines and mobility scooters are also up for grabs. 

In 2022, close to one million tickets were sold and the phenomenon has grown ever since with events – at ticket prices of around £21 – frequently selling out at over 40 locations across the UK. 

Bongo’s Bingo may be thriving, but many of the venues that host it are not. Thanks to rising running costs and the emergence of new obstacles preventing bands from touring, 125 grassroots music venues closed permanently in 2023, with a similar number predicted to have done so in 2024.  

“Live music is still incredibly popular, and people still want to see it. The bad news is it’s not very economically viable to do it,” says Mark Davyd, CEO and founder of the Music Venue Trust. “We’ve seen energy costs go up by over 400%, rent and staff costs are up, everything has been escalating.”  

Davyd says the industry is in a “dire state”, forcing many live music venues to diversify into new types of event.  

Day Fever has become a clubbing phenomenon. An idea from actor Vicky McClure, filmmaker Jonny Owen and Jon McClure of band Reverend and the Makers has allowed thousands to relive their clubbing days by shifting the timing of a night out to between 3pm and 8pm. It’s a “disco that doesn’t ruin your Sunday” and has had 85,000 boogieing the evening away to date. 

And just as in TV (looking at you, Gladiators), film (Gladiator II among many reboots or re-imaginings) and music (Oasis and plenty others), nostalgia and a bit of silliness are making a comeback at live events. 

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Early-2000s favourites including Dick and Dom, Paul Chuckle and CBBC presenter (and puppet) Hacker T Dog all tour the country DJing nostalgia themed nights, but the undisputed king of the genre is Shaun Williamson, better known as Barry from EastEnders.  

Following a sticky end to his time on the soap (Barry was pushed off a cliff by Janine Butcher in 2004), and a stint on the Ricky Gervais comedy Extras Williamson launched ‘Barrioke’. The karaoke nights are hosted by Williamson and tour nationwide, attracting thousands for jolly singalongs to hits such as The Killers’ Mr Brightside and ABBA’s Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) led by ‘Barry’ himself. 

Barrioke has brought Williamson a second wave of fame and provides much-needed income for venues that might otherwise be empty. But why are so many flocking to such events? Are they just looking for plain and simple fun?  

“Yes, I couldn’t agree more,” says Williamson. “I think people had a real thirst to get back out to watch live entertainment after Covid. We caught the wave of that, and it went from strength to strength. But we kept improving it with lots of silly props, effects and lighting and Barry masks. It’s just a fun night out with blow-up instruments.” 

The phenomenon began with a few gigs at festivals, but Williamson never believed it would supersede his acting work. “I started as a singer. I worked at holiday camps in the 80s, so the singing came before the acting and I’ve always done it as a sort of sideline.  

“It’s fair to say I’m never going to win an Oscar. It’s just the way it is. Then this opportunity came up. I do love singing, genuinely, it is my passion. I now get to tour the country again as a karaoke singer. It’s great fun.” 

The show has seen Williamson singing with artists like Sam Fender, who was performing at the same festival as him, and Olly Murs, who joined him on stage at a World Cup fanzone.  

It has become so popular that Williamson is taking it international, with events in Dubai this year. He seems genuinely humbled by Barrioke’s success. 

“Some people turn up with a t-shirt from two years ago because they’ve been before and they’ve come back, which is overwhelming. 

“There are more and more quirky, different nights out and I certainly think there’s a demand for it.” 

Given events like Barrioke and Bongo’s Bingo generate significant income and are popular with fans, they may seem like the go-to option for venues wanting to boost their finances. But for places built on promoting live music, the reality is more complicated. 

“Anything that enables a venue to survive because it’s financially viable is a good thing,” says Davyd. “But if we arrive at a model where they can’t afford to put on new and original music, the whole question of what they’re there for starts to fall into question.” 

There is a simple measure which would significantly ease the burden on such venues: a small levy on stadium and arena gig tickets to subsidise grassroots music.  

Rock band Enter Shikari kickstarted the trend among major artists by donating one pound from every ticket sold on their arena tour last year to support small venues. Now others including Katy Perry and Coldplay have also pledged to donate takings from their upcoming shows.  

According to Davyd, it’s a no-brainer if the British music scene is to remain vibrant and diverse. “The whole industry needs to support the artists of the future, and this is a very sensible and achievable way of doing it.” 

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