Wednesday, 19 August
BBC One Wales, 9pm
Full House tells the story of a special bingo hall and the valleys community it calls home.
Known as the ‘Las Vegas of the Valleys’, Judges Bingo Hall in Tonypandy has been entertaining the crowds and calling out winners for the last 130 years. As they celebrated their milestone anniversary with a one off £30,000 prize, the hall was rigged with cameras to record the night and shine a light on the lives of the club’s dedicated clientele of bingo players.
While all are hoping to hit the jackpot, for most, the club is a home from home where old friends meet up and families have a safe space to thrash out their problems to a background of bingo calling.
As the night unfolds, a host of dramas play out, as all the while, the clock ticks down to the big prize of the night and a life changing sum for someone in the hall.
Filmed last year, Full House offers a window into the lives of this close-knit community, where playing bingo offers more than the possibility of a big win.
For longstanding members Helen and Kath, who met at Judges, the club is a weekly institution and the two play every day of the week, except a Tuesday when it’s closed. For first timer Eric however, the bingo hall is the last place on earth he wants to go but he agrees to give his partner Debbie a chance for some quality time and to make a special memory while he battles a debilitating disease.
Supermarket worker Nash meanwhile is looking for love after a divorce, while single mum Rose hopes for even a small win which would help with some treats for the kids.
