Illness forces Wiggles member to quit
Wednesday, November 29, 2006

SYDNEY (AFP) – One of the founding members of the children’s super-group The Wiggles, Australia’s top-earning entertainers, is expected to quit the band due to a mystery illness, a report has said.

The group will announce Thursday that Yellow Wiggle Greg Page, 34, is quitting, the Sydney Morning Herald reported Wednesday.

The Wiggles, which have become staples for children in the United States and Britain, as well as Australia, have scheduled a “major announcement” in Perth ahead of the start of their new national tour.

The announcement relates to “members of the group”, which is made up of Page, Jeff Fatt, Anthony Field and Murray Cook.

Page pulled out of the Australian group’s US tour in June after suffering fainting spells and exhaustion, and has frequently been absent from performances since a double hernia operation last December.

The Wiggles were formed 15 years ago by a group of four schoolteachers with singing talent.

Last year, the Business Review Weekly named them Australia’s most profitable entertainers, grossing over 45 million dollars (35 million US), more than Nicole Kidman.