Events & Entertainment | Posted on August 14th, 2025 | return to news

Poole comedian wins award with Wallace and Gromit act

Dorset comedian Esther Cross won Judges’ Fave award at the UK’s biggest bingo calling contest in London with her cheese-based puns.

“Crackers, Gromit!” A comedian from Poole channelled her inner Wallace to win a comedy competition in London.

Dorset-born Esther Cross stole the spotlight and the Judges’ Fave award at the Dabbers Comedy Caller 2025 final on Wednesday 16 July — one of the UK’s most prestigious and eccentric comedy competitions, in association with the British Comedy Guide and sponsored by Malibu.

Taking place at Dabbers Social Bingo in London to a sell-out crowd, the final marked the end of a three-month nationwide search for the most original and entertaining bingo caller.

Dressed as the iconic Aardman Animation character, Cross captured the hearts of the judging panel, earning their special recognition with her brilliantly bizarre performance, described as a cabaret spectacle full of cheese puns, operatic devotionals, and Wallace and Gromit-inspired antics.

She narrowly missed out on winning the audience-voted title of Comedy Caller Champion by just a handful of votes.

Judge Joy Harvey said: “Her performance is so brilliantly bizarre it defies description. Dressed as Wallace (yes, from Wallace & Gromit), she turned the stage into a cheese altar — handing out cheese (who doesn’t love free cheese?!) and crackers as communion while belting a full-throttle operetta about ‘Beans on Cheese devotion’. It was bonkers. It was brave. It was pure cabaret gold.”

Reflecting on the experience, Cross said: “I didn’t expect me and a bald cap to make it to the finals, but it was great to see how much the audience were willing to engage with my bizarre ideas and niche humour. I had a blast.”

Cross moved to London in her 20s and has built a vibrant career as a visual artist, comic, clown, mermaid entertainer, balloon modeller, and more. One of her standout projects, title ‘Bad Art and Booze’, is an alternative life-drawing event that combines creativity with themed music and audience participation.

Cross will now go on to host regular shows at Dabbers Social Bingo and become the face of their ‘Family Brunch Bingo’ show.