The Sad Reason Why The Wiggles Started Using Their Iconic Finger Guns Move

The Wiggles have unveiled the biggest shake up in the band's history and they're embarking on a bold new look for the next three decades.

The iconic band has added four new members and three non-binary characters to make the group more culturally and gender diverse.

Joining Anthony, Emma, Lachy and Simon will be Evie, Kelly, John and Tsehay.

In a video showing off the new gang, the eight members of the band were seen throwing up the iconic Wiggle Fingers or Finger Guns as they're known.

It's such a big part of the Wiggle pose and people all over Australia would recognise it immediately.

But while it seems like a fun stance, there's actually a sad reason behind why the original members of the group started doing it.

Murray Cook, who was the OG Red Wiggle told SBS' The Feed that they wanted to make sure no one questioned them when they were around kids.

"The thing of being a man in early childhood (education), when you're a teacher in early childhood, you have to be aware that you can be accused of things," he told host Marc Fennell.

"In photos for instance, if there are kids there, if you've got your hands doing this (gesture), everyone sees where your hands are.

"It's a shame that it's an issue, but it's an issue and you have to protect yourself, as well."

The group has managed to maintain a squeaky clean image since the beginning and the Wiggle Fingers has added to that.

But the longest serving member of the band, Anthony Field, is hopeful this new direction will help them relate to more Aussies around the country.

Tsehay is an award-winning dancer from Ethiopia with an interest in salsa and urban Latin while Evie is a Taribelang woman from central Queensland and was the second First Nations woman ever to have joined The Australian Ballet.

John is of Australian and Filipino descent and was a member of the ARIA nominated band The Justice Crew, while Kelly has Australian and Chinese heritage and has performed on loads of children's shows like Sesame Street.

They'll be joined by the non-binary characters of Officer Beaples, a dancing police officer, Shirley Shawn, a unicorn, and Bok the hand puppet.

Anthony said NCA Newswire: "I'd been thinking about it for the last couple of years and there's no better time than now.

"Morally we have to do this ... I looked around the world and I thought we have to reflect our audience. Our audience is not just one culture. We want children to see a mirror of themselves.

"I got a beautiful email from someone who said they came out because of Shirley Shawn the Unicorn; they said that we gave them acceptance and helped them accept themselves.

"But you do get people who don't like change. I do worry for our wonderful brand new members that they might get negative stuff on the internet."

The expanded line up comes ahead of their new series Fruit Salad TV, which will premiere next month on the band's YouTube channel.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: Australia