The Wiggles off-screen! Inside the lives of the children's TV stars (2024)

The Wiggles have been a staple on Aussie television screens for more than three decades and are beloved by children and parents alike.

The rotating line-up of children's TV stars are well-recognised for their vibrant costumes and iconic jingles, from Fruit Salad to The Monkey Dance.

But off screen, The Wiggles has a history of behind-the-scenes romances blossoming, while there are also little known family connections in the group.

Lachlan Gillespie was married to fellow Wiggles star Emma Watkins for two years but they have since moved on with new partners who they also met on the Wiggles set in an unlikely love 'square'.

There are also some obscure family connections within the performing group, with original Wiggle Anthony Field's daughter Lucia joining the line-up in 2022.

Elsewhere, some of the other Wiggles have marked major milestones in recent months, with John Pearce confirming his wife is currently expecting their first child.

Meanwhile, Caterina Mete also gave birth to twin daughters earlier this week after undergoing IVF with the help of an anonymous sperm donor.

Here, Daily Mail Australia takes a look at everything there is to know about The Wiggles' personal lives.

Lachlan Gillespie

Lachlan, known asLachy, became Purple Wiggle back in 2013 when he replacedJeff Fatt in the children's performing group.

It wasn't his first venture into children's TV as he previously placed Captain Feathersword in the Dorothy the Dinosaur series.

In March 2015, he announced that he had been secretly in a relationship with Yellow WiggleEmma Watkins for two years.

The pair first met in 2009 and started dating just years later, but managed to keep their romance under wraps before finally going public with the news.

Two months later, the couple delighted fans by announcing their engagement andthey went on to tie the knot in April 2016.

However, the fan favourite on-screen couple left the world shocked when they announced their separation inApril 2018 after two years of marriage.

At the time, Lachyinsisted that he and Emma were still the best of friends and that their impending divorce would not cause a fracture within the band.

'To be able to realise as a couple that we were going different ways and to stay as close as we are is a real testament, I think, to both of us,' he said.

'I love her more now than anything and she loves me more than anything.'

The pair both remained performing with The Wiggles until 2021, when Emma decided to leave the children's group.

At the time, Lachy thanked Emma for giving him a 'lifetime of memories' and for '12 years of friendship and fun' as he paid tribute to her upon her departure.

Emma, who was the first female Wiggle, now runs a solo show calledEmma Memma as she has taken her career in a new direction.

Both Lachy and Emma have also moved on and found love again with other Wiggles crew members in a 'love square'.

Months after his split from Emma, Lachy met his now-wife, ballet dancer Dana Stephensen, when she filmed a cameo for The Wiggles in December 2018.

Dana previously said she spent most of her time on set getting to know Emma, but went on to form a close connection with Lachy and they started dating.

Though rumours swirled about the romance, they didn't officially confirm their relationship until October 2019.

The loved-up pair then announced they were engaged in April 2020, 18 months after first meeting.

Just months later in September 2020, they shared the surprise announcement that Dana had welcomed twin baby girls Lulu and Lottie.

The couple tied the knot in an intimate ceremony in November 2022, with their twin daughters both attending along withDana's son Jasper from a previous marriage.

Meanwhile, Emma has also since moved on with The Wiggles' full-time musicianOliver Brian, going public with their romance in December 2019.

She previously told Stellar: '[Oliver] is the very opposite to me. He's a very calm and thoughtful person and I've always been interested in his mind and his take on life, and his morals.'

Oliver Brian plays various instruments on The Wiggles, including guitars and banjo, and has previously joined the band on several of their world tours.

Away from the performance group, Oliver is also in a folk-rock band with Emma's ex-husband Lachlan.

Emma and Oliver tied the knot on a country estate in a wedding attended by just 80 guests in May 2022, and the pair have been loved-up ever since.

Caterina Mete

Caterina is a well-known face on The Wiggles, having first featured as a regular dancer in recordings before officially becoming Red Wiggle in 2022.

Caterina was the longest-serving Wiggly Dancer before she became the second red Wiggle, having first joined the group back in 2003.

And earlier this week, Caterina shared the exciting news that she had given birth to her twin baby daughters - her first children - on June 25.

The Red Wiggle, 43, confirmed her pregnancy in February after undergoingIVFwith an anonymous sperm donor, later revealing that she was expecting two girls.

Caterina, who is single, shared an adorable post on Thursday confirming the arrival of her twins as she shared pictures and videos of herself cuddling her little ones.

Caterina confirmed the adorable names of her baby daughters - Dolly and Gigi - as she gushed over their arrival.

The children's TV star wrote alongside the precious snaps: 'I am so thrilled to announce the arrival of my precious twin girls, Dolly and Gigi.

'My heart is overflowing with happiness as I welcome to the world my two little miracles. Thank you all for your love and support during this special time.'

Caterina had publicly shared her pregnancy news in February live on The Wiggles as she held up two Red Wiggle babygrows in a sweet announcement.

Her solo IVF journey wasn't straightforward as she recently opened up about her heartbreaking miscarriage before she got pregnant with her 'miracle' babies.

She froze her eggs in her 30s and later created two embryos with her chosen sperm donor but devastatingly suffered a miscarriage from the first embryo transfer.

'It was certainly a shock to find out I had miscarried,' she told maternity brand The Inarra.

'I spoke to lots of women about it and was surprised to find out how common it is, I think talking about it has helped me through the healing process.'

Caterina went on to have a second embryo transfer and was given the happy news that she was pregnant with twins.

John Pearce

Beloved TV star John first joined The Wiggles when he picked up the purple skivvy in 2021.

But the 'hot' Purple Wiggle first rose to fame years earlier when his dance-pop group Justice Crew shot to fame following their 2010 Australia's Got Talent win.

John continued working with the group during his beginning days with The Wiggles, but the hip-hop group have quietened down in more recent years.

The group - who have two ARIA chart-topping songs - last posted regular content to their Instagram page back in late 2021.

Elsewhere, John started dating his wife Jessie Adamo in 2012 and the couple went on to tie the knot in a private ceremony in October 2019.

In June of this year, John shared the exciting news that he and his wife Jessie Adamo are expecting their first child together.

The couple announced the news on Instagram by sharing an adorable moment of the moment they discovered Jessie was pregnant.

'It has been a long journey but our beautiful angel has finally been sent to us,'they captioned the post.

'We are so full of joy and can’t wait to meet you - baby Adamo Pearce due Dec 2024.'

Anthony Field

Anthony is the only remaining original Wiggle still performing with the group, afterMurray Cook and Greg Page both retired.

The fan favourite Blue Wiggle was in rock band The co*ckroaches before becoming a TV performer, having grown up in a music-focused family in Sydney.

He took a break from music to serve in theRoyal Australian Regiment for three years in the 1980s as an infantry soldier, while he also played the bagpipes in parades.

He met the other founding members of The Wiggles at university while studying Early Childhood Education and they soon started their now-famous group.

Anthony worked as a preschool teacher in his early days with The Wiggles before the huge fame of the group forced him to quit the job and focus on performing.

As well as working with The Wiggles, Anthony is also a registered breeder of miniature fox terriers and has done voiceover work for the RSPCA Animal Rescue on Channel 7.

Over the years, Anthony has spoken openly about his struggles with depression and frequently discusses the importance of men speaking up about their mental health.

'You might think bottling up is a brave thing to do, but letting it out is even braver,' the entertainer told the Canberra Weekly in 2021.

'No one ever knows what another person is going through unless they talk about it, I could have a big smile on my face, but behind closed doors, I'd be struggling – and that's anybody.'

In his personal life, Anthony married his dancer wifeMichaela 'Miki' Patisteas in 2003 and the couple share three children -Lucia, 20, Marie, 18 and Antonio, 17.

They keep their relationship and family life out of the spotlight, with Anthony rarely sharing pictures with them to his social media page, instead focusing on his job.

Miki's family own Griffiths Coffee in Melbourne and it is currently run by brothers-in-lawPeter Patisteas and Chris Togias.

Lucia Field

Lucia has grown up as a Wiggles veteran, with her father Anthony still serving as the Blue Wiggle.

Lucia, who was born in February 2004, is the eldest of Anthony's three children with his wife Michaela.

After graduating from high school in December 2021, she followed in the footsteps of her legendary father, joining The Wiggles as a dancer in August 2022.

She serves as the secondary Blue Wiggle as part of the extended line-up, sporting the same colours as her father in a sweet touch.

Lucia took on the role when Evie Ferris changed to yellowto better represent her aboriginal heritage.

Continuing the trend of Wiggles romances, Lucia went public with her boyfriendCallum Hendry-Hodsdon earlier this year.

Callum has worked with The Wiggles as a stage performer and merchandise manager since 2017.

She went Instagram official with him on Valentine's Day with a loved-up snap after they previously featured on each other's social media feeds.

Lucia often shares adorable pictures with her boyfriend to Instagram and they recently enjoyed a romantic getaway to Japan.

Evie Ferris

Evie, 20, is a newcomer to The Wiggles family, having first joined the children's group in 2021.

The dancer, who is of Aboriginal descent, first appeared as a guest in the We're All Fruit Salad! music video before joining as an additional member of the group.

Evie now appears as part of the expanded Fruit Salad TV line-up, where she first sported a blue outfit before changing to a yellow skivvy.

As well as her TV work, Evie has also been working with The Australian Ballet since 2015 and occasionally misses The Wiggles concerts to perform.

Evie has already made her mark on the group, with original Wiggle Anthony naming her as his potential successor when he eventually retires.

'I actually said to Evie, "Hey you would look great in blue", and she said, "Well my favourite colour is blue",' Anthony teased to ABC News back in 2021.

Late last year, Evie was hit by rumours of a rift with her co-starTsehay Hawkins, but the pair were quick to hit down the speculation.

The rumours began swirling after the pair were seen sharing an awkward moment in a video from a performance where they seemed to exchange an annoyed glance.

However, Tsehay later shut down the rumours and insisted working on The Wiggles was like being part of one big family.

'It's seriously feels like such a family. Like a second family,' she shared at the time.

'We make jokes on set… We give each other looks or whatever. But in the end, it's such a positive environment.

'And what you see on, like, all the joy that we have on screen – it's just us.'

Tsehay Hawkins

Tsehay, 18, is also a relative newcomer to the long-running children's group, having joined the line up in 2021.

She was a teenager when she first became a Wiggly Dancer and she replaced Emma as the Yellow Wiggle later that year at the age of 16.

Tsehay - who was born in Ethopia and adopted by Australian parents - became the youngest ever member of the group in a huge achievement.

Last year, she shared an adorable handwritten note she was given from a young fan as she spoke about the importance of representation on screen.

The note read: 'Dear Tsehay, my name is Melody. I'm the usher up the back and I am in awe of you. The idea that these kids, living in the diaspora and seeing themselves, their curls, their colour was something unfathomable to me when I was young.

'To feel equal as a black child in Australia should have never been a request or unimaginable, yet the world we grew up in was just not ready for us.

'You can't be something, someone, if you can't see it. So from those of us who missed getting to see ourselves growing up, thankyou on behalf of the next generation.

'We see you, hear you and love you. Thankyou for running so our kids can sprint.'

Simon Pryce

Simon, 52, has been Red Wiggle since 2013 and has become a fan favourite in the touring group ever since.

He has long been open about the tougher side of being a Wiggle and the mental strain of theirfun-filled, high energy shows.

In 2022, Simontold The Daily Telegraph that their seamless live act is like a heavy work-out, and keeping fit is a way to deal with the pressures of performance.

'Physical exercise is the main way that I take care of my mind,' he shared.

'Exercise has always helpedme deal with any anxiety or stress that I may be feeling and gives me greater mental clarity.'

He explained how the group take on a punishing workload of weeks-long touring, performing up to four shows a day.

In his personal life, Simon has been in a relationship with personal trainer Laura Hannaford since 2011.

The couple tied the knot inSydney in January 2017 and welcomed their first child together in January 2021.

They had tried for years to have a baby before welcoming their son Asher William, who is now three years old.

At the time, Simon toldWHO magazineit was quitesurreal for him and Lauren to suddenly have a baby in the household.

'We're in the kitchen making a coffee and we'll be like, "Hang on a minute, there's a baby in the other room!"' he said.

'It's funny though, now you actually can't imagine your life any differently.'