A local postwoman is busy packing her suitcase after winning a dream holiday to Egypt worth over £1,000 on popular interactive bingo channel Gala TV.

When Samantha Pickard from Maidstone tuned in to Gala TV, which is webstreamed on galabingo.com and broadcast on Sky and Freesat channel 861, she had no idea in the next few minutes she would be celebrating a £200 win as well as a fantastic 5-star vacation to Sharm el Sheikh.

However, it was not until the following week the 36-year-old realised she had not only won the money but the trip to sunnier shores thanks to Gala TV’s special summer holiday giveaway.

Samantha said: “I didn’t even know that I had won the holiday until Ben Hull, one of the presenters from Gala TV and the former Hollyoaks actor, popped into work to tell me the good news. I couldn’t believe it, it made my week!”

After getting married last year Samantha wanted to treat her new husband to a fantastic anniversary present. She said: “My husband and I saved for years for our dream wedding and honeymoon. It was wonderful, but this year we have had the holiday blues as we couldn’t afford to go away. I wanted to make our first anniversary really special and winning on Gala TV has made it perfect!”

Samantha added: “We were ecstatic when we found out we’d won the trip to Egypt. I had been struggling to think of traditional, paper gift ideas to mark our first anniversary. Now thanks to Gala TV my problem is solved as I can give him a plane ticket!”

Gala TV manager Kevin Loman said: “We are thrilled that Samantha and her husband can celebrate their first anniversary in style. We have over 200,000 winners every year and its always fantastic to hear how they celebrate. We hope they have a lovely holiday.”

Britain’s pets are living the high life, according to research revealed today by Gala TV to celebrate the bingo channel’s eagerly awaited ‘Pet Hour’ during April.

With half of the nation’s pet owners letting their furry friends sleep in their beds and another 49 per cent opting to sit on the floor while their pets lounge in comfort on the sofa, it seems we are definitely a nation of dedicated pet lovers.

In addition to three-quarters (74 per cent) of Brits carrying a picture of their pet on their mobile phone, it seems we also like to dine with our pets. Even if it’s steak or roast chicken we’re cooking up, 50 per cent enjoy the same meal as their owners – putting a new spin on dinner for two!

However, it seems there are limits to our dedication. While most people (90 per cent) said they would rescue their pet if their house was on fire, unbelievably one in ten (10 per cent) still said they would save their mobile phone first!

To celebrate Gala TV’s ‘Pet Hour’, the UK’s favourite bingo channel has recruited TV vet Joe Inglis to co-host the show, which will be web-streamed at www.galabingo.com and broadcast on Sky and Freesat Channel 861 between 8-9pm every Friday from 9-30 April 2010.

In addition to playing a special 10p pet-themed bingo game to win cash prizes and the opportunity to adopt a pet, the BBC’s One Show vet will be revealing other surprising facts about the ways people pamper their pets, such as:

• 33 per cent of owners allow their pets to sit in the front seat of the car
• 27 per cent have named a pet after a TV character e.g. Del Boy, Homer, Buffy
• 22 per cent will only stay in hotels which allow pets
• 18 per cent regularly take their pets to a grooming parlour
• 16 per cent only feed their pets organic meat
• 12 per cent dress their animals up in specially bought pet clothes

Joe Inglis said: “I’ve been a vet for 14 years and am still amazed at some of the things people do for their pets as we really are a nation absolutely dedicated to them. But, as well as pampering them, it’s really important to know how to care properly for our animals’ health and wellbeing, which is why I’ll be talking about everything from animal arthritis to pet passports on Gala TV throughout April.”

Kevin Loman, Gala TV manager, said: “We know our viewers are mad about their pets – some people even send in pictures of themselves playing bingo with their dog or cat! So we’re delighted that Joe Inglis will be hosting a month of pet bingo on Gala TV and would like to encourage viewers to send in their questions for him. It’s a great way to learn something useful while they play bingo!”

Gala TV awards 200,000 winners a year and gives away approximately £20,000 each night in prize money. Viewers can play bingo and a variety of side games through the web-stream or by simply using their remote control red button.

• Research conducted by One Poll

As a special Easter treat, Gala TV is welcoming Paul Ross back to the popular bingo channel on Good Friday to appear on a one-off celebrity bingo show.

Having co-presented Gala TV’s popular ‘Hollywood Bingo’ show in February, movie buff Paul will be back live on the interactive bingo channel, which is web-streamed at www.galabingo.com and broadcast on Sky and Freesat Channel 861, between 8-9pm hosting an hour of exciting bingo games as guest caller.

During the show he will also reveal what last month’s Hollywood Bingo prize draw winners got up to at the premier of new blockbuster Kick Ass. Then afterwards Paul will be in the Gala TV chatroom answering viewers’ questions on a range of topics including bingo and movies.

Paul Ross said: “I’m a huge bingo fan and used to be a bingo caller in my student days, so I’m really looking forward to coming back this Easter weekend. As well as giving away some great prizes I’ll also be giving advice afterwards in the chatroom on the latest ‘must see’ movies that are currently on at the cinema.”

Kevin Loman, Gala TV manager, said: “Paul was a huge hit with Gala TV viewers when he came in a few weeks ago to give us the inside scoop on the Oscars, so we’re excited to have him back. We hope he has lots more Hollywood gossip to share with us on Gala TV and in the chatroom!”

Gala TV awards 200,000 winners a year and gives away approximately £20,000 each night in prize money. Viewers can play bingo and a variety of side games through the web-stream or by simply using their remote control red button.

Gala TV is welcoming This Morning’s fashion expert John Scott to the studio during March to bring viewers all the latest fashion news and help with those style quandaries and frock nightmares.

John will kick off this Friday, March 5 by discussing Oscar glamour in honour of this Sunday’s world famous glamorous ceremony.

Live on the interactive bingo channel, which is web-streamed on Gala Bingo’s website and broadcast on Sky and Freesat Channel 861 between 8-9pm, he will be discussing who he’ll be looking out for at Sunday’s Oscars and the red carpet dos and don’ts, as well as winning style every day, whether at home or out and about.

Throughout March, John will also be looking at Mother’s day fashion (March 12), style to put a spring in your step (March 19) and tips for looking fabulous during the summer wedding and party season (March 26).

And, the fashion fun doesn’t stop there. Each of the dedicated shows will feature a 10p a ticket ‘Fashion Bingo’ game where, in addition to the cash prize, all full house winners will claim a share of £150 of Next vouchers to help them on the way to achieving the look they see on screen.

John Scott said: “I’m really looking forward to being on Gala TV. This show is an absolute must for anyone getting muddled up between their Prada and Primark. I’ll be sharing my top fashion tips and I’ll also be giving answers to all your style emergencies this spring.”

Kevin Loman, Gala TV manager, said: “With London Fashion Week just gone, and the awards season now in full swing, Gala TV’s chat rooms have been buzzing with conversations about who will be wearing what at the Oscars this Sunday. We’re therefore really delighted that John Scott can join us in March to impart his fashion wisdom and top style tips to help ensure our viewers continue to look fabulous.”

Gala TV awards 200,000 winners a year and gives away approximately £20,000 each night in prize money. Viewers can play a variety of bingo and side games through the web-stream or by simply using their remote control red button.

The first episode of National Bingo Night was aired on Saturday 23rd January and garnered a TVR of 5.1. This is higher than many other popular shows first episodes; including Big Boss Season Three which had a TVR of 4.6.

Some experts are sceptical as to whether the programme can continue on its initial wave. There is speculation that the first nights records are due to the media hype lasting for weeks before the show and the fact that Abhishek was joined by his father, Bollywood legend Amitabh Bachchan.

When asked about his ratings record, Abhishek said, ” I am happy that through this show I have an opportunity to connect with people all over India. I am excited by the sheer outreach of the programme and I am happy that people watched the opening episode with such anticipation.”

With this ratings record, Junior Bachchan has outperformed many other celebrities in India including; Akshay Kumar and Salman Khan.