Original Yellow Wiggle rejoins Australian band

[January 18, 2012]  SYDNEY (AP) -- The Yellow Wiggle is back. The original lead singer of the world-famous preschool entertainment band The Wiggles has made a surprise return, five years after he left the group because of illness.

Greg Page announced Wednesday that he is immediately rejoining founding members Anthony Field (Blue Wiggle), Murray Cook (Red Wiggle) and Jeff Fatt (Purple Wiggle) to produce new CDs and DVDs before touring Australia, United States and Britain beginning in March.

"I'm feeling great and looking forward to doing what I love," the 40-year-old said in a statement.

A rare nervous system disorder, dysautonomia, forced Page to retire in 2006. He handed over his yellow shirt to longtime understudy Sam Moran and became a spokesman for the Dysautonomia Youth Network of America.

Moran will now leave the band he has toured with for nine years.

"I am very proud of my five years as the Yellow Wiggle and the group's continued success with me as their lead singer," Moran said in a statement.

"I have enjoyed every minute of my nine years touring with the group, but I now look forward to new opportunities and more time to spend with my wife and 2-year-old daughter," he added.

Page, Field and Cook had studied early childhood education before they founded The Wiggles in Sydney in 1991. The band has sold more than 23 million DVDs and 7 million CDs worldwide, and its TV shows are broadcast in more than 100 countries, according to The Wiggles' website.

[Associated Press]

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