When you think of Australian cultural icons – your head might jump to Kylie, or AC/DC, or even Crocodile Dundee.
But it’s Aussie children’s group The Wiggles that continues to take the world by storm, with their colourful uniforms, catchy songs and unique understanding of early childhood education.
The hearts of parents and children alike broke last week, when the phenomenally popular Yellow Wiggle (aka Emma Watkins),announced she was stepping back after more than a decade, to spend more time on her PhD and with her family.
Image: Emma Watkins has been the Yellow Wiggle for almost a decade
Watkins, who was the first female member of The Wiggles, will be replaced in the yellow skivvy by 15-year-old Tsehay Hawkins – who will not only be the youngest ever Wiggle, but also the first black member of the group.
It comes as The Wiggles attempts to diversify its ranks to make it more representative not only of Australia, but of the world.
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“I feel quite bittersweet about everything,” Watkins told Sky News on a Zoom call from Sydney. “I really will miss everybody – all the fans particularly because when we’re on the road, and we’re travelling, we get to see children and families when we perform.
“I feel a little bit more relaxed now that people will still be able to connect with whatever incarnation of The Wiggles that they used to watch or are currently watching. And now with this introduction of Tsehay, we’re so lucky to have her be part of our cast – and so to have her continue this musical adventure on in the yellow skivvy is a real treat.”
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Hawkins, a teenage dance champion who told Sky News that producers reached out on social media to see if she would audition for the group, said she was initially nervous about backlash for stepping into the yellow jersey.
Image: Tsehay Hawkins will join the main cast of The Wiggles
“I expected some negative comments,” she said.
“But I really didn’t get that much, and it was really all supportive. People from different communities were messaging me, like the adoptive community, the African community, the Latino community – they were all writing to me and letting me know how they’re happy that they have representation on the screen.
“I got such a good reaction from people saying they’re excited to see the new hip-hop side, and it’s really exciting to see how they’re embracing it.”
Before being announced as a main cast member, Hawkins was a Wiggly Dancer, and would tour with the group and take part in show recordings.
She says looking out on to an audience would mean seeing a sea of Watkins’ signature yellow bows, which made her aware of her predecessor’s popularity.
“She did so well, and she inspired so many people. So the pressure has somehow lifted because if Emma could do it, I felt like I can do what Emma did.
“But yeah, it definitely is a bit of pressure with being the first person of colour. But I feel like I can bring my own version and that people will embrace it.”
Image: Tsehay Hawkins says she grew up watching The Wiggles
Amid an ever-changing world, cultural institutions are finding themselves discussing ways of diversifying and becoming more progressive to reflect the wider populations – and The Wiggles are no different.
What started in the early 90s with four men, has now developed into a gender and racially diverse project.
“I think [the group] has moved on,” Watkins explained. “I think Australia still has time to be more aware of our community, even though we are a very multicultural and a very new country, but I think there’s still a long way to go.
“Everyone’s got room for improvement. So, here and upwards – I hope that we can continue to make sure that our content is really inclusive and progressive and accessible.”
Hawkins added: “Everyone’s become very open to identifying the need for more inclusivity and diversity. There’s always room for improvement.
“I think it’s just a stepping stone, and I’m very excited to be a part of that stepping stone.”
So what’s the secret to running the world’s most popular group of children’s performers for three decades?
Watkins says it’s a mixture of the understanding of early childhood development and the group’s laid-back Aussie attitude.
“We’re able to connect with the children where it’s not so overexcited, but it is obviously a very exciting and positive environment,” she said.
“We make sure that we are respecting our audience and talking to them in the way that they would like to interact with us as like fellow play friends.
“When I joined, I think some children thought that I was mum, or they related to me as mum – but we don’t really carry that role, obviously, as we don’t work as hard as mums.
“But it’s about creating a really positive and fun moment of escape, and with that comes music and dance.”
For 15-year-old Hawkins, who wasn’t even born when the group first formed, she says as a child she was drawn to the bright colours, infectious energy and repetitive music.
“I just loved The Wiggles,” she said, adding: “I think every little kid will.
“There’s always aspects of music that every kid loves. So when everyone grew up to it, all my friends did, my parents, friends, would listen to them on repeat with their kids, and everyone just knows The Wiggles is the iconic children’s group that’s been there for years.”
The Wiggles can be found on Netflix, and will be heading out on tour next year, beginning in North America.
Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.
The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.
The charges relate to four women.
He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.
Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.
He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.
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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges
The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.
The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.
He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”
Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.
“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”
Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.
Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.
Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.
Image: Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP
Image: Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.
Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.
“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.
“I wish you well on the next journey.”
The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.
Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.
Image: Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP
Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.
He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.
Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.
He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.
In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.
The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.
Bruce Springsteen is to release seven albums of mostly unheard material this summer.
The US singer said the songs, written and re-recorded between 1983 and 2018, were being made public after he began completing “everything I had in my vault” during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a short video posted on Instagram, Springsteen said the albums were “records that were full records, some of them even to the point of being mixed and not released”.
The 83-song collection is being released in a box set called Tracks II: The Lost Albums and goes on sale on 27 June.
Some 74 of the tracks have never been heard before.
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Springsteen first teased the release on Wednesday morning with a short social media video accompanied by text which said: “What was lost has been found”.
Tracks II is the follow-up to the star’s first Tracks volume, a four-CD collection of 66 unreleased songs, released in 1998.
Image: Bruce Springsteen at New York’s Carnegie Hall at a tribute to Patti Smith last month. Pic: PA
The New Jersey-born rocker, nicknamed The Boss, last released a studio album in 2022.
Only the Strong Survive was a collection of covers, including songs by Motown and soul artists, such as the Four Tops, The Temptations, The Supremes, Frankie Wilson and Jimmy Ruffin.
The late soul legend Sam Moore, who died in January and was a frequent Springsteen collaborator, sang on two of the tracks.