Wiggle and Learn


Wiggle and Learn is an Australian TV show that aired on the ABC. It ran from 12 May 2007 to 10 February 2010. It is The Wiggles 6th TV series. It was the first TV series to not feature Greg Page, who had to depart the group in 2006 due to poor health, and the only one to feature Sam Moran as the Yellow Wiggle, as well as the last Wiggles show until Ready, Steady, Wiggle! in 2013. It was also the final series with Murray Cook and Jeff Fatt as the red and purple Wiggles respectively.
Unlike the Wiggles' five previous TV series, Wiggle and Learn uses Nursery Rhymes in addition to self-written songs.

Supporting cast

Development

first pitched the idea in early 2006 and wanted to have Greg Page in it. Page helped write all the songs for a related video and album called Getting Strong!, although the title of the opening track was already written for one of the idents on the children's channel, "ABC Kids", where Page was presented in place of Moran. Also, the instruments and back-up vocals of the backing track for this version were heard differently throughout, and a full guitar was added to the backing track. After filming three episodes, Page was diagnosed with Dysautonomia and was unable to participate and the episodes were eventually re-shot with Moran. In 2015, Anthony Field, Murray Cook, and Jeff Fatt found the original footage while lurking around on the computer. The original footage of the sets was also used for their very first documentary 15 Years of Wiggly Fun.

Episodes

11-minute versions

Writing

The original draft consists of three plots:
  • The Wiggles and Dorothy the Dinosaur plan to go on a picnic.
  • The Wiggles play soccer on the beach.
  • The Wiggles must save their friends by singing songs.

    Broadcast

The Australian version aired from 2007 to 2008 on ABC and Playhouse Disney. Then the Canadian version premiered April 2008 on Treehouse TV and the US version aired December 2008 at 7/6c am on Playhouse Disney. It also re-ran on that block in January 2009 running at 11am weekdays, 7am weekends, and would continue to do so up until May of that year.
It is also the first Wiggles TV show to be completely dubbed in another language. It aired in Spanish as "Wiggle y Aprende" on Playhouse Disney in Latin America and later Disney Junior, and on Disney Junior in Brazil as "Wiggle e Aprenda".
The show remained in reruns in some countries, most notably Australia and Latin America, until 2013 or 2014, despite Moran being fired from the Wiggles in 2012 due to Page's return, and Cook and Fatt leaving the group in 2013.

DVD releases