Wiggle and Learn (TV series)
Wiggle and Learn is an Australian TV show that aired on ABC. It ran from June 17, 2007 to September 8, 2008. 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 Wiggle and Purple Wiggle, respectively.
| Wiggle and Learn | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Genre | Family |
| Directed by | Paul Field |
| Starring | Sam Moran Anthony Field Murray Cook Jeff Fatt |
| Opening theme | "Wiggle and Learn" |
| Ending theme | "Goodbye from the Wiggles" |
| Country of origin | Australia United States Canada Latin America |
| Original language(s) | English (AUS, USA, & CAN) Spanish (Latin America only) |
| No. of episodes | 26 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | The Wiggles |
| Producer(s) | Paul Field |
| Running time | 22 minutes[1] |
| Release | |
| Original network | ABC Treehouse TV |
| Original release | June 17, 2007 – September 8, 2008 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Series 5: The Wiggles Show |
| Followed by | Series 7: Ready Steady Wiggle |
Unlike the Wiggles’ five previous TV shows, Wiggle and Learn uses Nursery Rhymes instead of self-written songs. Also, the theme song was not written, either. Instead, it is a rewritten version of another song that was made in 2006 to promote ABC Kids, with Greg Page as the yellow Wiggle.
Supporting cast
- Paul Paddick as Captain Feathersword
- Emily McGlinn as Dorothy the Dinosaur
- Voiced by Carolyn Ferrie
- Adrian Quinnell, Kristy Talbot, and Ben Murray as Wags the Dog
- Voiced by Mic Conway
- Mario Martinez-Diaz and Rebecca Knox as Henry the Octopus
- Voiced by Paul Paddick
Production
Development
The Wiggles first pitched the idea in early 2006 and wanted to have Greg Page in it. They filmed three episodes, but the show was eventually cancelled and re-shot with Sam Moran. In 2015, Anthony Field, Murray Cook, and Jeff Fatt found the original footage while lurking around on the computer.[2] The original footage of the sets was also used for their very first documentary 15 Years of Wiggly Fun.[3]
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 and the US version aired December 2008 at 7/6c am on Treehouse TV. It also re-ran on that channel on January 2009 running at 11am weekdays, 7am weekends.
It is also the first Wiggles TV show to be completely dubbed in another language (In other countries such as Italy, earlier Wiggles TV shows had the dialogue dubbed but the songs remained in English). It airs in Spanish as "Wiggle y Aprende" on Playhouse Disney weekdays in the afternoon[4] and on Disney Junior in Brazil as "Wiggle e Aprenda".
DVD releases
| DVD Title | Region 1 | Discs | Episodes | Extras |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wiggle and Learn: Vol 1 | August 22, 2009 | 2 | 1-12 | Behind the scenes; Special Extras; Pilot & 2nd episode of The Wiggles Show |
| Wiggle and Learn: Vol 2 | 2011 | 1 | 13-19 | Bonus Episode; Photo gallery |
References
- "Australian Children's Content 2011" (PDF). Screen Australia. Retrieved 6 April 2012.
- "The Wiggles".
- Field, Paul; Roberts, David; Australian Broadcasting Corporation; Wiggles (Musical group); Sunday Telegraph (Sydney, N.S.W.) (2006), The Wiggles 15th birthday, Consolidated Press Ltd?, retrieved 5 April 2013
- https://www.extremista.com.ar/tv/1443-wiggle-y-aprende/