The Wiggles might be best known for their wholesome image, but they were left denying they condone the use of MDMA after a recent TikTok.
The Wiggles are an Australian group formed in Sydney in 1991, which has been entertaining kids across the globe for decades.
The gang are known for their whiter than white image, but were forced to speak out against ecstasy.
Blue Wiggle, Anthony Field, and his nephew and fellow Wiggle, Tree of Wisdom, real name Dominic Field, appeared in a now-deleted video from singer Keli Holiday, in which they could be seen dancing behind the singer as she sang.
The video featured the song Ecstasy by Holiday, which includes the lyrics: ‘Hey girl, come on dance with me/you and your pocket full of ecstasy.’
The video immediately received backlash, with a psychologist, Dr Michael Carr-Gregg, calling the video ‘disturbing and potentially dangerous’, per The Western Australian.
It was then swiftly deleted but reportedly received over 92,000 views across TikTok and Facebook before it was removed.
The clip was captioned ‘The Wiggles get it’.
But a spokeswoman spoke for the group to the Western Australian, explaining that they asked for the video to be removed as it was not approved by the group.
In a statement, a spokeswoman for The Wiggles said: ‘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 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.’
She added that the group are pals with Holiday, whose real name is Adam Hyde and is a member of the band, Peking Duk, but had not been aware of the editing.
‘While Keli Holiday is a friend of The Wiggles, the video and the music added to it were created independently and without our knowledge.
‘Our performance at the TikTok Awards was family-friendly and fun, and this video was edited together separately and without our awareness.’
The spokeswoman added that the group ‘deeply value the confidence families place in us and we remain committed to creating safe, positive, and educational experiences for children and families in Australia and around the world.’
The Wiggles currently consists of eight members: Anthony Field, Lachlan Gillespie, Simon Pryce, Tsehay Hawkins, Evie Ferris, John Pearce, Caterina Mete and Lucia Field.
Anthony Field (the Blue Wiggle) is the longest-serving member of the group, being the only original member to remain in the band after joining in 1991.
Dominic Field is Anthony’s nephew and has been a background performer for the group officially since 2014, having previously appeared in their series and live shows as a child. His most well-known character role is The Tree of Wisdom.
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