John Pearce from The Wiggles & Justice Crew talks fatherhood, fitness and fame

Purple Wiggle John Pearce confesses to a secret he’s been holding on to for years.

5 min read

February 14, 2025 - 4:38PM

We catch up with John Pearce on The Wiggles & Justice Crew.

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I absolutely love my job—being a professional shopper who also gets to interview celebrities about their shopping habits?! Thirteen-year-old me is screaming.

But I have never loved my job more than the day I got to interview John Pearce, aka the Purple Wiggle. Whether you know him as one half of the twins in Justice Crew or as the Wiggle who stepped into the purple skivvy back in 2021, it’s safe to say John is a beloved Aussie icon—especially among young mums.

We sat down with him at the recent Famous Nutrition event, where he’s an ambassador, and delved into everything from The Wiggles’ backstage rider (spoiler: fruit salad, chicken, and veggies), to the secret behind his strict fitness routine, and of course, the arrival of his first child, Henry.

John stepped into the role of Purple Wiggle back in 2021, taking over from Jeff Fatt. Picture: Instagram @johnpearce

Two months ago, John and his wife Jess welcomed their baby boy, Henry. According to John, “The biggest shock has been the midnight wake-ups and the and I think the inconsistency of the sleep of this little boy. When we think we’ve worked him out, he just has a backflip and then does the opposite.”

His best advice for new parents? “Look after yourself first as weird as that sounds. I think if you don’t look after yourself, you can’t help your little one. So if your mental health and your physical health isn’t there, it’s hard to help somebody else.”

As for how life has changed since Henry’s arrival, John says, “The perfect date night now is cooking a home cooked meal and then go for a walk with the baby and get ice cream, come back and put a movie on. I think it’s as simple as that. Simple. So precious.”

It’s a stark contrast from his Justice Crew days, when he and his twin brother Len were thrust into the spotlight and became the heartthrobs of every Aussie teen girl.

John recalls one memorable moment: “There was one instance when we were both single, we were out at a party and we thought it’d be funny. Len’s with a girl and she had a quick break and then came back and I was like, ‘Len, quick, let’s swap. Let’s just see how this goes’. It wasn’t the best because she went out for a cigarette and I tasted every single bit of it.”

Left: John and his brother Len during their Justice Crew days. Right: John, his wife Jess and their two month old son Henry. Picture: Instagram @johnpearce

So whether you’ve been a fan since the Australia’s Got Talent days (where Justice Crew took home the trophy in 2010) or you’ve only known him as the loveable Purple Wiggle, here’s everything you need to know about what’s in John Pearce’s shopping cart…

WHAT’S JOHN PEARCE’S FAVOURITE ACTIVEWEAR?

“I dress for function, so if it feels nice and snug and I love tucking my shirt in. Just feeling like you’re quite functional. Actually, this is a limited edition…”

Nike Pro Dri-FIT Tight LS Fitness Top, $36 (down from $45) at The Iconic

While John was wearing limited edition Famous Nutiriton activewear (not for sale), we found this great alternative. Picture: The Iconic

Men’s Dri-FIT 8cm Brief-Lined Running Shorts, $55 at Nike

These Nike shorts are similar to the Famous Nutirition pants loved by John. Picture: Nike

Trefoil Cushion Crew Socks, $18.75 (down from $25) at The Iconic

During our interview, John was rocking a pair of Adidas crew socks. Picture: The Iconic

Unisex 1906R, $230 at New Balance

As for his favourite runners, John opts for the 1906R’s. Picture: New Balance

WHAT’S ON JOHN PEARCE’S WORKOUT PLAYLIST?

“I’m a headphones over the head guy but I usually train without music, it’s a bit weird. People come up to me and go, ‘you’ve got some head noise’ but I don’t think people that have music have head noise. I like to listen to people breathing in the gym.”

Apple AirPods Max, $888 at Amazon Australia

While he works out in silence, if John does reach for a pair of headphones he prefers an over-ear style. Picture: Amazon Australia

WHAT IS JOHN PEARCE’S FAVOURITE PRE-WORKOUT?

“I take pre-workout daily. Even on days I don’t train because the days of filming can be quite intense and smiley… have you tried smiling all day? It’s easy for some like me, but it can be exhausting. But I think you get the best out of, especially filming at The Wiggles, you’re kind of like high energy all the time. And the more ridiculous you feel, the better the outcome.”

Pre-Workout, $36 (down from $40) at Famous Nutrition

John’s current favourite pre-workout is this mango passionfruit flavour. Picture: Famous Nutrition

WHAT KIND OF DEODORANT DOES JOHN PEARCE USE?

“I wear antiperspirant. I figured this out late. I went through all of high school going, ‘why do I smell like meat pies’? Most teenagers do. And if you’ve done your antiperspirant before you exercise, you’ll smell. If you start using antiperspirant, you actually stop the smell before it gets there. Then you don’t need deodorant. If you’re smelling already and then you use antiperspirant, it makes it worse. So I just use a normal roll-on Rexona.”

Rexona Men Advanced Protection Antiperspirant Roll On, $4.49 (down from $4.99) from Amazon Australia

The key to not smelling like meat pies? This Rexona antiperspirant. Picture: Amazon Australia

“At the moment I’m wearing Paco Rabanne Black Excess. I’ve loved that since high school. It’s a sweet smelling one, but simple.”

Paco Rabanne Black XS Eau de Toilette 100ml, $79.99 (down from $170) at Priceline

If you want to smell like the Purple Wiggle, look no further than this Paco Rabanne Black XS Eau de Toilette. Picture: Priceline

WHAT’S ONE SKINCARE STEP JOHN PEARCE NEVER SKIPS?

“Moisturiser. I get a bit dry, I think that’s probably a bit of a genetic thing because my twin brother’s exactly the same and we live in different states now but we get dry in the same areas. I clean my face in the shower. I don’t over exfoliate. I’ve got naturally oily skin, so I think that’s a good thing, it’ll hopefully keep me young.”

CeraVe Moisturising Lotion 236ml, $14.39 (down from $17.99) at Priceline

While John keeps his skincare routine fairly simple, he never skips his moisturiser. Picture: Priceline

THE BEST GIFT JOHN PEARCE HAS EVER RECEIVED?

John points to the dainty H pendant around his necklace. “Jess got this for me just after my son was born and I actually got her the same necklace as a surprise. Guess what the H stands for? Henry the Octopus. Say hello to Henry everybody.”

Kirsten Ash H Outline Initial Necklace, $149 at The Iconic

While John’s necklace was a bit pricier, we found this great affordable option. Picture: The Iconic

WHAT DID YOU GET JOHN PEARCE GET HIS WIFE FOR VALENTINE’S DAY?

“I’m thinking may be like a day spa package. Maybe like a good facial”

Gift Card, from $25 at Endota

Gift cards are always a foolproof present. Picture: Endota

WEIRDEST THING WE’D FIND AT JOHN PEARCE’S HOUSE?

“Three kilo dumbbells. They’re more just to hold things down, like paperweights. I only carry heavy.”

Celsius 3kg Neoprene Dipped Dumbbell, $17.99 at Rebel

John assures us that the 3kg dumbbells are purely for holding things down around the house. Picture: Rebel

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Claudia CoySocial Media Producer

Claudia began her media career in radio, contributing to some of the most acclaimed programs at Nova Entertainment, including Fitzy & Wippa, Smallzy's Surgery and Ash, Luttsy & Susie O'Neill. Having found herself glued to digital news, the jump over to news.com.au was an easy choice. Driven by a love for storytelling, video production & shopping, Claudia now produces the social media content for news.com.au's checkout.