Behind the scenes...

Full House is made by TV production company Tuesday’s Child. Series producer Jacci Parry gave us the lowdown on the making of the programme...

Where did the idea for Full House come from?

“I love bingo. I grew up with the game. Every summer I used to go and stay with my granny Gertie in Southport and she’d take me with her four times a week. There would be my granny, my aunty Joyce and cousins around two tables and I’d play on their used cards. I’d listen while they shared their news and gossiped about family and friends and probably overheard things I shouldn’t.”

What was attractive about the idea of filming in a bingo hall? “I’ve always felt there to be something magical about these spaces. For many communities, then as now, the bingo hall is so much more than a den for winning money. It really is a social hub, bringing together families and friends and they all bring their stories with them when they play.”

What was it about Judges Bingo in particular that made it such a special place for you and the crew?

“The Rhondda, along with many parts of south Wales, have been decimated by the loss of their major industries, but despite this they haven’t lost their core values. It’s still a community that looks out for each other.”

How did you go about gaining the trust of the bingo hall and its regulars?

“Myself and the team spent a lot of time out and about in the community and visiting the hall and chatting to regulars – between games, mind, as they get very cross with you if you disturb them when they’re playing. We were told off a few times for speaking too loudly.

“From the outset, we were made to feel very welcome. Pre-production never felt like hard work as the club’s regulars are such great characters and talkers they made casting easy. There were great people and stories we had to drop as we were overwhelmed with strong material.”

How did you choose those who were to appear on camera and be interviewed?

“Casting was an absolute pleasure. Essentially in this, the first programme, we wanted to establish the broad range of people who play and love bingo. It’s no longer the pursuit of older women as it was maybe 30 or 40 years ago.

“What we found is that the demographic is much younger so people in their 20s and 30s play, couples, families – many of them multi-generational. The Rhondda is a diverse community and we wanted to reflect this too.”