Tom Dale
Encyclopedia
For the American Mayor with the same name see Nampa, Idaho
Tom Dale is a fictional bingo caller created and played by Peter Kay
. He appears in the 'Eyes Down' episode of That Peter Kay Thing
.
Originally from Liverpool, Tom Dale works at the Apollo bingo hall in Bolton
as the main caller. He titles himself "The King of the Callers" and is implied to be the real driving force behind the running of the Apollo at the expense of the various managers over the years, including the incumbent, Ron Hibbert, who were (and are) little more than puppets with no real authority over what goes on, prompting Apollo employee, Patrick O'Neil (Kay) to refer to Dale and his manegerial underlings as "The Bingo Mafia". This situation would appear to be confirmed by the fact that Dale has a plush and spacious wood-pannelled office whereas Hibbert's office is tiny and cramped, appearing to be little more than a converted storeroom or airing cupboard. Despite being seen by the lower-level employees as something of a coward, Tom is loved by his elderly clientele (many of whom would love to go home to his caravan
) and takes great pride in his reputation as the area's top bingo caller.
Although his act involves little more than standing on stage, cracking a few jokes and calling out numbers, Tom takes his job very seriously, drinking energy drinks and doing warm-ups before going on stage. He even has his own entry music upon entering the stage: "Let's Get Ready To Rhumble" by PJ & Duncan AKA
. He criticises the younger members of staff for their lack of enthusiasm, for him a degree is meaningless when, with hard work one could work up to becoming a caller. It is implied by Patrick that it is Dale who holds sway over the hall's hirings and firings and has a particular dislike to Patrick in particular for his untidiness, laziness and general hatred of the job. Tom and Patrick do not cross paths or speak to each other directly during the course of the episode, suggesting that Tom is indeed too cowardly to confront employees himself, preferring to let the manager do the firings for him.
Nampa, Idaho
Nampa is the largest and the fastest growing city in Canyon County, Idaho, USA. The population of Nampa was 81,557 at the 2010 census. Nampa is located about west of Boise along Interstate 84, and six miles west of Meridian. Nampa is part of the Boise metropolitan area...
Tom Dale is a fictional bingo caller created and played by Peter Kay
Peter Kay
Peter John Kay is an English comedian, writer, actor, director and producer. His work includes That Peter Kay Thing , Phoenix Nights , Max and Paddy's Road to Nowhere , Britain's Got the Pop Factor... and other independent productions which have included two sell out tours.-Early career:Peter Kay...
. He appears in the 'Eyes Down' episode of That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing
That Peter Kay Thing was a series of six spoof documentaries shown on Channel 4 in January 2000. Set in and around Bolton, these followed the lives of different characters and starred Peter Kay as the subject of each documentary. All of the episodes displayed Kay's penchant for nostalgic humour and...
.
Originally from Liverpool, Tom Dale works at the Apollo bingo hall in Bolton
Bolton
Bolton is a town in Greater Manchester, in the North West of England. Close to the West Pennine Moors, it is north west of the city of Manchester. Bolton is surrounded by several smaller towns and villages which together form the Metropolitan Borough of Bolton, of which Bolton is the...
as the main caller. He titles himself "The King of the Callers" and is implied to be the real driving force behind the running of the Apollo at the expense of the various managers over the years, including the incumbent, Ron Hibbert, who were (and are) little more than puppets with no real authority over what goes on, prompting Apollo employee, Patrick O'Neil (Kay) to refer to Dale and his manegerial underlings as "The Bingo Mafia". This situation would appear to be confirmed by the fact that Dale has a plush and spacious wood-pannelled office whereas Hibbert's office is tiny and cramped, appearing to be little more than a converted storeroom or airing cupboard. Despite being seen by the lower-level employees as something of a coward, Tom is loved by his elderly clientele (many of whom would love to go home to his caravan
Travel trailer
A travel trailer or caravan is towed behind a road vehicle to provide a place to sleep which is more comfortable and protected than a tent . It provides the means for people to have their own home on a journey or a vacation, without relying on a motel or hotel, and enables them to stay in places...
) and takes great pride in his reputation as the area's top bingo caller.
Although his act involves little more than standing on stage, cracking a few jokes and calling out numbers, Tom takes his job very seriously, drinking energy drinks and doing warm-ups before going on stage. He even has his own entry music upon entering the stage: "Let's Get Ready To Rhumble" by PJ & Duncan AKA
Ant & Dec
Anthony McPartlin and Declan Donnelly , known collectively as Ant & Dec, are an English comedy and TV presenting duo from Newcastle upon Tyne, England...
. He criticises the younger members of staff for their lack of enthusiasm, for him a degree is meaningless when, with hard work one could work up to becoming a caller. It is implied by Patrick that it is Dale who holds sway over the hall's hirings and firings and has a particular dislike to Patrick in particular for his untidiness, laziness and general hatred of the job. Tom and Patrick do not cross paths or speak to each other directly during the course of the episode, suggesting that Tom is indeed too cowardly to confront employees himself, preferring to let the manager do the firings for him.