GREG Page had given up on the idea of being a Wiggle. When illness forced him to retire from the famous Australian group five years ago, Page's only connection to the entertainment world was the Elvis Presley museum he had set up in Parkes, NSW. Yesterday in Sydney, however, the 40-year-old donned his familiar yellow jersey and announced his return to the band he helped create 20 years ago with fellow musicians Murray Cook, Jeff Fatt and Anthony Field.
"It's really like I never left," Page told The Australian. "It's like I walked out the door yesterday and walked back in today. There is still the same chemistry between us.
Page was forced to quit the Wiggles in 2006 after contracting a rare illness, dysautonomia, which causes fatigue, making it difficult for him to meet the demands of being on stage. He was replaced in the act by singer Sam Moran, who had been an understudy in the group beforehand.
Moran stood down yesterday to allow Page to return.
Moran, who released a solo album in 2010, said in a statement he would be pursuing other interests and spending more time with his wife and two year-old daughter.
"I am very proud of my five years as the yellow Wiggle and the group's continued success with me as their lead singer."
Not all Wiggles fans were happy about the announcement, with some suggesting on the band's Facebook page that the Wiggles should become a five-piecewith Page and Moran.
"A lot of people have grown up with Sam and will be disappointed," Page acknowledges, "but I'll step in and hopefully we'll be able to connect with all of those children as well."
Page's condition has improved through treatment and he now feels strong enough to cope with the busy schedule.
"My health is good," he says.
"My condition is managed in a way that it doesn't affect me during the day, but of course recently I haven't been doing concerts so it is going to be a challenge being back on stage. I'm confident of being able to manage it because I have an understanding now of what the condition is."
The Wiggles are one of Australia's most successful musical exports. Last year they earned $28 million from touring globally and from sales of DVDs and CDs.
Albums such as Yummy Yummy, Toot Toot and Here Comes the Big Red Car have made them a household name across the globe.
Page's first gig of his second phase as a Wiggle starts next week, when the four musos enter the recording studio to write and record new material for a DVD and CD. That will be followed by tours of Australia, Britain and the US in the coming months.
"I've had a look at the schedule for the year ahead and we're going to be working as hard as we used to," he says. "That's a good thing. It keeps everybody on their game.
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