In 2025, we’re celebrating a whole decade of the Aussie screwballs performing Bogan Bingo at Komedia Brighton. If you have yet to experience the simmering chaos of the comedy game-show that is Bogan Bingo, here’s main man Bogan Trev to break it down for you.
A Dream Come True
Komedia: Hi Trev! We can’t believe it’s been a whole 10 years since your first show with us. Let’s go back to the start, how did you come up with the Bogan Bingo game-show?
Ah, the moment of truth. I was halfway through a warm pint in a slightly sticky London pub with my mate Tim. We had both grown mullets during a recent clinical trial – which was the bulk of our monthly income at the time – and we’d found an old bingo game in the board games cupboard.
We ended up entertaining a few of our mates with a made-up version of bingo during a Sunday afternoon session of cooking lager and deep-fried scampi. That night we scribbled “BOGAN BINGO” on a napkin – right between a kebab stain and someone’s phone number (which I never called). Two months later, we were yelling numbers in cut-off denim shorts on stage while playing air guitar to Bon Jovi. Dreams do come true.
Komedia: You just want to live while you’re alive, we get it. What was the main challenge in bringing Bogan Bingo to the stage?
Convincing Brits that a show called “Bogan Bingo” wasn’t sh*t. I mean, “bogan” here sounded like a dodgy foot condition. But once we explained it was bingo but with 80s bangers hosted by a couple of Aussie stallions, they were in. Shoutout to Sarah at that dodgy pub in Shepherds Bush who said, “Alright, I’ll give you a Monday night. Just don’t set anything on fire.” Inspiring stuff.
The Simple Life
Komedia: Ah that popular Monday night slot. But you made it work! What about the 80/90s theme for the show then?
Mate, the 80s and 90s were a simpler time when every life problem could be solved with a key change and a slow-motion high five. And no one questioned a saxophone solo mid-pop song. The hair was big, the music bigger, and emotional vulnerability was hidden behind the glare of neon lighting. What’s not to love? Plus, it gives us an excuse to wear stonewash denim and pretend we invented the air guitar. (Which we did. Probably.)
Komedia: We believe you mate. Tell us, what’s the difference between your Australian audiences and a UK crowd?
Aussie audiences come in loud, leave louder, and ask if they have to wear shoes to the events. The Brits are more reserved at first—until about halfway through the first game. Then suddenly you’ve got some bloke from Brighton doing the worm in a Def Leppard tee. The journey from polite chuckle to full-blown bingo mosh pit is a beautiful thing to witness. Very Downton Abbey meets Mad Max, you know?
Komedia: Oh, we know! We clean the sticky floors afterwards. So the audience clearly loves it, but what about you? How do you feel when you’re on stage?
Like a rockstar who never learned to play an instrument but absolutely nailed Year 9 drama. It’s pure adrenaline, sweat and beer.
There’s nothing like watching grown adults letting go and having the time of their lives (cue Dirty Dancing track).
The Good Old Days
Komedia: One last question before we lose ourselves in that classic 80s song. What’s your favourite memory of performing at Komedia these past 10 years?
Ohhh, tough one. The bottomless brunches are always awesome fun – mainly because the audiences are there to get stuck in from the get go. We did a conga line out of the building once and someone proposed on stage (not during the conga line, but that would be pretty cool). We ended up in an ambulance after a gig once, not because we got hurt, but because we did a pub crawl with a bunch of ambo drivers after a show. True story.
Komedia: And that explains the ‘mayhem’ in ‘Mullets & Mayhem’…
Bogan Bingo is a unique entertainment experience with 80s/90s music, appalling choreography, an eye-watering version of bingo, and ridiculous prizes. Come along to a Bogan Bingo Bottomless Brunch or a Bogan Bingo evening show at Komedia Brighton to have, well, the time of your life.
Follow Bogan Bingo UK on Instagram: @boganbingo
All images by Charlotte Horton.
