Emma Watkins, AKA Emma Memma, on her love affair with Tasmania

The beloved children’s entertainer and former Wiggle has spent the last three months in the island state, but is already plotting her return.

Emma Watkins former Wiggle in Hobart ahead of her Emma Memma shows at the Theatre Royal later in the year. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

One thing about Emma Watkins? She loves Tasmania. And Tasmania loves her back.

The beloved children’s entertainer and former yellow Wiggle has been in the island state filming the fourth season of ABC reality series Teenage Boss for the last three months.

But she is already plotting her return with the Emma Memma Dance Island Party performances scheduled for July at Hobart’s Theatre Royal.

The tour should come as a relief to her countless adoring fans – six of whom stopped to ask for photos when she meets us on a drizzly Friday morning in Salamanca.

“The number one question I get is, ‘are you the real Emma?’” she said.

Emma Watkins former Wiggle in Hobart ahead of her Emma Memma shows at the Theatre Royal later in the year. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

“The fact that so many people are excited to see us in real life means a lot because I don’t think they expect us to come to every place.”

For Ms Watkins, the reciprocal love affair has been a constant source of awe.

With the usual touring pressures compounded by a cost of living crisis, the success of the Dance Island Party, for which she has just added a third Hobart show, is testament to her prowess as a multi-hyphenate entertainer.

She first burst onto the scene as the first female Wiggle in 2012 – a role she held for 12 years before departing to complete her PhD studies on sign language and dance.

From there, her solo venture Emma Memma was born with the mission of making entertainment accessible for all children and their families.

It seems fitting then that she has always made a point of being able to visit Tassie.

“With Emma Memma, we tried to build it to scale so we can bring the show everywhere,” she said.

“It means we can do an entertainment centre or the primary school down the road, because every child deserves to be a part of the experience.”

It had also made her a better performer, she said.

“I meet a lot more people now than I did before because I have more flexibility and more time, and it’s been lovely to get that direct feedback from people,” she said.

“It’s always tricky to tour, and I can understand why sometimes people don’t make it down here, but they’re missing out.

“You’ve got a great arts culture, beautiful landscape, people and sensibility which is why I’ve loved being here.”