Former Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins has revealed she’s returning to Australian screens with her new children’s character Emma Memma.

Emma has finally revealed her new, AUSLAN-speaking character Emma Memma, who wears a bright orange dress and has a love for dance, sign language and music.

“Empowering the next generation through movement, creativity, inclusiveness, and friendship. Emma Memma, with her love of dance, sign language and music, brings visual communication to the forefront of the children’s media space,” Emma explained on her website.

“Emma Memma focuses on a new generation of communication, where she and her friends navigate challenges and adventure using sign language, choreographed dance narratives, gesture, mime, singing, speaking, listening, making craft and drawing.”

Emma explained to the Daily Telegraph the significance of Emma Memma’s colour and why she hopes her new persona will encourage more children to learn AUSLAN.

“It feels like the colour represents this new chapter moving forward and because orange is symbolic of being happy, I think that is something we love to represent.

“Children learn and indicate with movement before they even talk and use any kind of spoken language. Gesture and movement is by far one of the most important connectors for children. Visual communication actually helps learning, which is why lots of children’s entertainment is colourful, it is bright and moving, because children engage with that.”

Emma Watkins Leaves The Wiggles

In news that broke little hearts all over the world, Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins announced she was hanging up her bow and leaving The Wiggles last October.

The super popular entertainer had been with The Wiggles for 11 years, spending nine of them as the Yellow Wiggle. The Wiggles announced Emma would be replaced with new Yellow Wiggle Tsehay Hawkins.

“The time has now come for me to pass the yellow skivvy on,” Emma explained in a social media video after her departure. “Like many people around the world, the pandemic has given me time to reflect on what is important in life. For me, that means spending more time at home, something that I didn’t realise I was missing out on being away eight months of the year on tour, but something that I have really cherished over the last 18 months.

“I am also really looking forward to devoting more time and energy on completing my PhD that incorporates my ongoing passion for sign language, dance and film editing, and to having more time to work with the deaf community. I am eternally grateful to The Wiggles for giving me the amazing opportunity to be the first female Wiggle, a role that I have loved and one that has brought me so much joy and an abundance of ‘bowtiful’ memories that I will treasure forever.”

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field also released a video on behalf of the group. “In 2013 Greg famously handed over the yellow skivvy to Emma, making her the first female Wiggle. We’ve had an amazing time with Emma over this period. And while we’re sad to see her go, we know she has many other passions she’d like to pursue.”

Anthony said as The Wiggles continue to evolve and look to the future they’re excited to be welcoming Tsehay into the yellow skivvy.

Sixteen-year-old Tsehay said she grew up watching The Wiggles and has already loved working with Anthony, Emma, Simon, Lachy, Evie, Kelly, John and all the Wiggly characters filming their latest TV series Fruit Salad TV.

“I’m now incredibly excited and honoured to be joining them now in the yellow skivvy and to have the chance to go out on the road in the new arena tour, I can’t wait to meet all the Wiggly fans,” she wrote on social media. “Dancing has always been my passion, and I look forward to being able to share the joy of song and dance with children all over the world! Thank you to Emma Wiggle for leading the way.”

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