It might sound counter-intuitive, but giving away large sums of money to complete strangers is, apparently, enormously enjoyable.
Tim Campbell, of Home and Away fame, loves doing just that as host of Seven's new interactive game show, National Bingo Night.
“It's a really good feeling and a bit of an ego trip, because you're in control of this game and you're allowed to give away big money,'' he says.
“So you take all the credit, but it's not your cash.
“Right from the first contestant on the show, who did really well, I just felt so good when people won, and with some people winning $50,000, they're pretty happy, too.
“But then with those people who didn't win, I'd feel really bad for them. I'd be there after the taping, apologising to them.''
The televised version of bingo _ a game that seems to become a compulsory part of life once you reach retirement age _ is giving everyone in the country the chance to cash in, and make Campbell seem even more generous.
You can play along with the game card found in today's Sunday Times (and another next Sunday) _ with $10,000 up for grabs.
“It's great because you can win some cash and it doesn't cost you anything to enter,'' Cambell says.
“If I wasn't on the show already I'd be getting a few mates together, taking it back to the '80s and dagging it up a bit, with my game cards and maybe some Cheezels.''
While National Bingo Night is Campbell's first turn at being a game show host, it's not his first crack at the art of number calling.
“I have called bingo, I did it for three months in the food court of a shopping centre, every Thursday, in Melbourne,'' he says.
“I didn't bother to learn all the calls _ like legs 11 and so on _ so I just made up my own ridiculous calls every time. Most people enjoyed that but the regulars did give me dirty looks.
“I did a lot of shopping-centre work in my time to support being an actor, instead of being a waiter.
“Some actors would say `Oh no, I couldn't', but so far my career has been about being a dag and its working.''
Campbell admits to being a lover of game shows, and a big fan of Andrew O'Keefe's work on Deal Or No Deal, but says he didn't want to model his hosting persona on anyone.
“I just jumped in there and relied on my idiotic instincts to get me through,'' he laughs.
“I never thought I'd be hosting a gameshow and when they offered it to me I just thought `Oh my God, now I'm Eddie McGuire.'
“But I had a ball with it. I was worried about the concept of the show at first and having to stick to a script, but it's just a matter of me understanding how the game works, taking control and having fun with it.
“I guess I'm a bit of a ham anyhow, so that helps.
“It's based on bingo, so it's not rocket science.''
When TV Guide spoke to Campbell, he was just half an hour away from ending his career on Home and Away, after three years playing Dan Baker, but that doesn't mean he's giving up acting to become the next Tony Barber.
“I'm just about to go and film my exit storyline, then I'm off to Perth to do the musical Rent, then I go to Sydney and Melbourne to do Shout, and I get to play Johnny O'Keefe, which will be great,'' he says.
“It's kind of weird leaving Home and Away, and I think I might shed a tear or two.
“It's the social aspect I'm going to miss, because as clichéd as it sounds they actually are a great bunch of people, the cast and crew. It will be a lifestyle change, but you've got to try new things.
“I've got the game show and the musical theatre but I want to jump on to another drama next year, because acting will always be number one for me.''
NATIONAL BINGO NIGHT
SUN, 6.30PM, SEVEN/GW
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