The children's entertainment group The Wiggles has been compelled to issue a public apology after its member, Anthony Field, known as the Blue Wiggle, appeared in a social media video that seemed to endorse the use of the illegal drug ecstasy.
The Controversial Video and Its Swift Removal
The incident unfolded on TikTok, where musician Adam Hyde, who also performs under the alias Keli Holiday, posted a video. The clip featured Hyde dancing in a towel, lip-syncing to his song with the lyrics, 'Hey girl come on dance with me. You and your pocket full of ecstasy.'
Following this, the video cut to a clip of Blue Wiggle Anthony Field and his nephew, Dominic Field, who plays The Tree Of Wisdom on the show, dancing behind him. Hyde captioned the post, 'The Wiggles get it.'
The video quickly gained traction, being viewed more than 92,000 times across Facebook and TikTok in the 24 hours it was live. After media inquiries began on Friday afternoon, Adam Hyde removed the clip, but the damage was already done.
The Wiggles' Official Response and Accusations
A spokesperson for The Wiggles reacted strongly, slamming the video and accusing Hyde of deceptive editing. They stated the clip was uploaded without their knowledge or consent.
'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 said. 'The Wiggles do not support or condone the use of drugs in any form. The content being shared was not created or approved by us, and we have asked for it to be removed.'
While acknowledging that Keli Holiday is a friend of the group, the spokesperson emphasised that the video and its accompanying music were created independently. They also clarified that the group's performance at the recent TikTok Awards was entirely family-friendly and that this video was edited separately without their awareness.
Backlash from Child Psychologists and Fans
Despite the apology, the group faced criticism from child development experts and fans alike. Prominent adolescent psychologist Dr Michael Carr-Gregg labelled the post 'disturbing' and 'potentially dangerous.'
'I think it raises serious concerns when you have performers who hold enormous influence over young children ... and you’ve got them referencing illicit drugs,' he told PerthNow. 'We shouldn’t be exposing them to lyrics which normalise, sanitise and glamorise taking illicit substances.'
Dr Carr-Gregg called the episode a total 'error of judgment' and an 'epic fail' on the part of The Wiggles. Another psychologist, Clare Rowe, noted that the situation was exacerbated by the fact that Anthony and his nephew appeared in their iconic Wiggles uniforms, which hold significant sway with their young audience.
The Wiggles' spokesperson concluded by reaffirming their commitment to their audience, stating they 'deeply value the confidence families place in' them and remain 'committed to creating safe, positive, and educational experiences for children and families.'
