Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, 58, reveals why The Wiggles had to change after welcoming four new ‘diverse’ members – and what his future in the band looks like
Last week, The Wiggles announced the hiring of four new ‘diverse’ members.
In an interview with ABC, Anthony Field – the only original Wiggles member still a part of the band – revealed the moment he realised the successful children’s group needed to make a change.
The 58-year-old explained he was working on The Wiggles’ World alongside Broadway performer James Harkness, who noted that although they had people from different cultures on the show, they weren’t wearing the coloured skivvies full-time.
Time for a change! In an interview with the ABC, Anthony Field revealed he realised The Wiggles needed to change when guest star James Harkness noted the band didn’t have people from different cultures on the show wearing the coloured skivvies full-time
‘If you really want them to be part of the club, they’ve got to have the blue, yellow, red or purple,’ Anthony told the news site.
‘Now we have Fruit Salad TV: We have four women, four men and we only have those colours because they are the Wiggles colours.’
Three women and a former pop singer will be joining Anthony, Simon Pryce, Emma Watkins and Lachlan Gillespie.
Former Wiggles dancer Kelly Hamilton, 45, will be sharing the stage with newcomer Tsehay Hawkins, a 15-year-old who was adopted from Ethiopia.
Diversity: The Wiggles last week announced the hiring of four new ‘diverse’ members: Tsehay Hawkins, John Pearce, Kelly Hamilton and Evie Ferris
They will be joined by Justice Crew member John Pearce, a 30-year-old personal trainer with a Filipino background.
Rounding out the new arrivals is Evie Ferris, a 24-year-old Indigenous dancer from Cairns.
Elsewhere in the ABC interview, when asked if he has any plans to stop working, Anthony admitted his bandmate Simon will hold him accountable.
‘If I start missing my lines and timing goes, he’s going to tap me shoulder,’ he says.
And he also hopes to continue with the band working behind the scenes as a songwriter down the track.
Behind the scenes? Down the track, Anthony Field said he also hopes to continue with the band working behind the scenes as a songwriter. Pictured with Lachlan Gillespie (left), Emma Watkins (centre left) and Simon Pryce (centre right) in NYC in June 2018