The Wiggles gets four new members representing diversity, gender equality

Get ready for double the fun as The Wiggles cast grows by four, putting gender equality, diversity and inclusivity firmly on the global stage. Find out more about each member.

The Wiggles will double in numbers and take the beloved children’s entertainers into the 21st century with gender equality, ethnic diversity and new non-binary characters.

Joining the current Wiggles crew of Anthony, Emma, Lachy and Simon will be three more women — two of whom will wear pants with one getting around on a skateboard — as well as a former pop singer from Justice Crew.

First there’s red-wearing Tsehay (pronounced Sah-high) Hawkins, who is only 15. Sydney-based Tsehay was adopted from Ethiopia when she was seven months old and started dancing when she was two because of The Wiggles.

The new Wiggles 8 line-up as they’ll appear in the premiere on Fruit Salad TV. Picture: The Wiggles

In blue ballet slippers is Evie Ferris, who was born in Cairns but moved to Melbourne as a child to follow her dreams of becoming a ballerina.

The 24-year-old Taribelang dancer was the second Indigenous woman to have joined the Australian Ballet, and is also a yoga teacher.

Tsehay, pictured with Dorothy the Dinosaur, is just 15 years old. Picture: Fruit Salad TV

Evie Ferries dances her way into The Wiggles. Picture: Fruit Salad TV

Kelly Hamilton will join Emma as a yellow Wiggle, the Chinese-Australian having previously performed with The Wiggles as a dancer, as well as featuring on shows ­including Sesame Street.

The 45-year-old Sydneysider has also worked backstage for artists including Beyonce, Pink and Prince.

Then there’s John Pearce from pop music group Justice Crew. The 30-year-old personal trainer has a Filipino background.

The new ethnically diverse line-up is the brainchild of founding Blue Wiggle Anth­ony Field as the group ­enters its 30th year entertaining young fans.

“I feel like this is something very special for our 30th year and so important,” Field said.

“It’s really coming from the children who watch us — we want them to see themselves when they watch The Wiggles and see a reflection of themselves, so I am so happy that we’re celebrating diversity at this time.

“This is the future of The Wiggles … it’s the first step towards shaping The Wiggles for the next 30 years, taking us in a direction that truly represents and serves our community more inclusively.

“They all have incredible talent, incredible energy, and we celebrate that.”

(Front, from left): Tsehay Hawkins, John Pearce, Kelly Hamilton and Evie Ferries join The Wiggles. Picture: Fruit Salad TV

A few months before Covid restrictions, the expanded team shot a new series celebrating their newly found ­diversity, with Fruit Salad TV set to premiere exclusively on The Wiggles’ YouTube channel on September 4.

The new series was written by Field and there was no casting — he hand-picked the new crew himself.

But this doesn’t mean his retirement is imminent. He has merely told Simon to give him a subtle nudge when he gets “too long in the tooth”, whenever that may be.

“I actually believe the universe puts people together,” he said.

“When I met Evie I was playing bagpipes for Jimmy Barnes at his concert at the Opera House. Evie was doing Coppelia and walked by and I said: ‘Would you mind taking our photo of all us pipers in our gear’ … and then I realised she was in the Australian Ballet so she got in the photo and we became friends,” he said with a laugh.

Tsehay, Bok, Anthony and Kelly. Picture: Fruit Salad TV

“And I run into John you would not believe how many times.

“In fact it happened so many times I said there is a reason this is happening and I have to follow this up.

“Kelly is an amazing performer, dancer, person … then I met Tsehay.

“You should see her dance and the person inside is just incredible … it’s been a great experience meeting her and her family and seeing the love they have for each other.

“It was basically I met them all before and worked with them before and just great people with incredible talents.”

The Wiggles have sold more than 30 million albums and DVDs and have two ­billion views of their videos in 190 countries.

The new Wiggles line-up will also include three new non-binary characters: Officer Beaples, a dancing police officer, Shirley Shawn the Unicorn, who drives around in a mini red car, and Bok the hand puppet, a shy character with big emotions for children to empathise with.

“I got a beautiful email from someone who said they came out because of Shirley Shawn the Unicorn; they said that we gave them acceptance and helped them accept themselves,” Field said.

“But you do get people who don’t like change. I do worry for our wonderful brand new members that they might get negative stuff on the internet.

“I hope they’re all right with that stuff because we get so much positive, but we do worry about those terrible people who write terrible things. But people say ‘you affirmed me’, that’s just fantastic and that’s what we are doing – trying to ­empower children.

“If you don’t represent them, they can feel marginalised … like ‘I didn’t see people with my colour skin or my background on the TV so I can’t be that’. It’s really great for them to see a mirror of themselves.”

Fruit Salad TV will premiere on September 4 on The Wiggles’ YouTube channel.