The Wiggles Introduce New Yellow Wiggle
Emma Watkins Bids A Wiggly Farewell To Spend More Time At Home And Devote More Time And Energy To Other Passions
Tsehay Hawkins Set To Become The New Yellow Wiggle In 2022
SYDNEY, Oct. 20, 2021 /PRNewswire/ — Today, The Wiggles, the world’s most popular children’s entertainment group, revealed that Tsehay Hawkins is set to become the new Yellow Wiggle when Emma Watkins departs the group at the end of this year, after nine years of performing in the yellow skivvy as the first ever female Wiggle.
The passing of the yellow skivvy has proven to be ground-breaking for The Wiggles. When Emma replaced Greg Page as the Yellow Wiggle in 2012, she was the first female Wiggle. Now as Tsehay, a 15-year-old from Ethiopia, takes over as the next Yellow Wiggle, she becomes the youngest ever Wiggle.
Emma Watkins has made the momentous decision to hang up her yellow bow at the end of the year. Emma explains, “After 11 years of performing with The Wiggles, and nine of those as the Yellow Wiggle, the time has come for me to pass the yellow skivvy on.”
“I am looking forward to devoting more time and energy on completing my PhD that incorporates my ongoing passion for sign language, dance and film editing, and to having more time to work with the Deaf community.”
“I am eternally grateful to The Wiggles for giving me the amazing opportunity to be the first female Wiggle, a role that I have loved and one that has brought me so much joy and an abundance of bowtiful memories that I will treasure forever.”
On behalf of The Wiggles, founding member Anthony Field said, “Emma first began performing with The Wiggles 11 years ago, when she was cast as Fairy Larissa in our Dorothy the Dinosaur concerts and videos. She went on to play other roles including Wags the Dog, Dorothy the Dinosaur, and as a Wiggly dancer. Then in 2013, Greg famously handed over the yellow skivvy to Emma, making her the first female Wiggle.”
“We’ve had an amazing time with Emma over this period and while we’re sad to see her go. We thank Emma for her wonderful contribution to The Wiggles and wish her all the very best as we look forward to seeing her continued success with her other interests.”
With Emma deciding to spend more time at home and devote more time and energy to her other passions, Tsehay Hawkins has stepped up to become the newest Yellow Wiggle.
Tsehay (pronounced se-hi, which means ‘the sun’ in Amharic) was recently announced as one of the new Wiggles’ cast members of Fruit Salad TV. She is an award-winning dancer, representing Australia at the World Latin Dance Championships. Tsehay has also won eleven Australian titles and four World titles in Latin and Commercial Dance and is the current Australian and World Youth Ladies Salsa and Urban Latin Champion and the current World Amateur Ladies Salsa and Urban Latin Champion.
Of becoming the new Yellow Wiggle Tsehay Hawkins said, “I am honoured to be joining The Wiggles at such an exciting time for the group. I grew up watching The Wiggles and I’ve already loved working with Anthony, Emma, Simon, Lachy, Evie, Kelly, John and all the Wiggly characters filming their latest TV series Fruit Salad TV. I’m now incredibly excited to be joining them in the yellow skivvy and to have the chance to go out on the road in the new arena tour, I can’t wait to meet all the Wiggly fans. Dancing has always been my passion, and I look forward to being able to share the joy of song and dance with children all over the world!”
Blue Wiggle Anthony continued, “As The Wiggles continue to evolve and we look towards the future, we’re very excited to be welcoming Tsehay into the yellow skivvy, and know that parents and children everywhere will embrace her infectious energy and warmth as much as everyone at The Wiggles and audiences of Fruit Salad TV already have.”
Tsehay will join Anthony, Lachy and Simon on the road when The Wiggles make their highly anticipated return to touring in North America in 2022.
-The Wiggles