‘A drag queen and a blue alien turned up at our Birmingham Bingo club - and started filming for The Voice’

The numbers are up for Birmingham drag queen Fatt Butcher who made a surprise appearance at a Mecca bingo hall - with a blue alien.

Bingo callers and managers struggled to keep their eyes down to mark their cards as a film crew joined the colourful guests. Fatt was visiting the Mecca Bingo club in Acock’s Green to film a background story ahead of starring as a contestant on ITV’s singing talent show The Voice.

Fans of the show may recognise the Stockfield Road club as the show airs at 7.25pm on ITV this coming Saturday (November 18), featuring judges Anne-Marie, Olly Murs, Sir Tom Jones and will.i.am and Birmingham presenter Emma Willis.

Filming took place at the Birmingham bingo hall in November last year and staff and astonished customers have been keeping the secret for a full 12 months. Bingo lover and chanteuse Fatt aka Adam Carver, from Kings Heath, was joined by friends for the special session - and while Fatt is used to being in charge of the microphone, this time the numbers were called by Toni Cooper, the assistant manager of Mecca Bingo Acocks Green.

Toni said: “It was great fun. The filming had been arranged but the crew hadn’t shared any details of the act they were recording, so it was a big surprise when Fatt arrived with their entourage, including a blue alien!

“It was hard to keep our eyes down for the bingo with Fatt and their friends in the club. But at Mecca Bingo we’re used to giving away big money and we’re hoping our customers’ recent luck rubs off on Fatt – we’re backing them all the way to the final!”

The winner of the twelfth series of The Voice will win a recording contract with Universal Records as well as a massive £50,000 cash prize and a luxury holiday. The Acocks Green club has recently had some big wins of its own. In August a customer landed a £54k jackpot, and last month (October) another winner struck big with £40k! Mecca Acocks Green regularly hosts its own musical acts and drag bingo. For more information, including opening times, visit: Meca bingo Acocks Green