Beloved Australian children's entertainment group, The Wiggles, have been forced to issue a public statement after a controversial TikTok video surfaced, showing members of the troupe dancing to a track with explicit drug references.
Unauthorised Video Sparks Parental Concern
The video in question was shared by musician Keli Holiday, whose real name is Adam Hyde. It was filmed at the TikTok Awards earlier this month and featured his recent single, "Ecstasy", which contains clear allusions to the party drug MDMA. The since-deleted clip showed Wiggles star Anthony Field, the Blue Wiggle, and Dominic Field, known as the Tree of Wisdom, dancing to the song.
A spokesperson for The Wiggles told The West Australian that the video had been created "without our knowledge" and had caused significant worry amongst their core audience. "We understand that a video circulating on social media has caused concern for many parents and professionals, and we want to address that directly," the spokesperson stated.
Band Distances Itself from Drug-Related Content
In their firm denouncement, the band was unequivocal about their stance. "The Wiggles do not support or condone the use of drugs in any form," they asserted. They clarified that while Adam Hyde is a friend of the group, the video and its accompanying soundtrack were produced independently and without their consent. The band has formally requested the content be removed from social media platforms.
The statement went on to reassure fans that their actual performances at the TikTok Awards were "family-friendly and fun", and that the controversial video had been "edited together separately and without our awareness."
Not the First Controversy for the Children's Entertainers
This incident marks another occasion where The Wiggles have faced public scrutiny over song associations. In 2020, a clip from 2014 of the band singing "The Pappadum Song" resurfaced online, leading to accusations of cultural insensitivity.
At the time, Anthony Field addressed the criticism on X, formerly Twitter, stating he had written and directed the clip as a "celebration". He apologised, saying, "It was not my intention to be culturally insensitive to the Indian community, or to add value to ethnic stereotyping." The song featured the Wiggles repeatedly singing "pappadum" while an Indian performer danced silently beside them.
Since their formation in 1991, The Wiggles have become one of the most successful children's entertainment groups in history, having sold over 23 million DVDs and 7 million CDs throughout their long-standing career.
