Meet Emma Memma! After months of anticipating, former Wiggle Emma Watkins has debuted her new children’s character.
Swapping her black and yellow ‘bowtiful’ outfit for a delightfully bright orange and pink dress, Watkins introduced us to Emma Memma and her new sidekick, Elvin Melvin, in a video posted to Instagram.
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“Sing, Dance and Sign with me, Emma Memma and my new friend Elvin Melvin,” Watkins writes in the post.
According to Watkins’ official website, Emma Memma will “empower the next generation through movement, creativity, inclusiveness and friendship”. She and her friends will navigate challenges and adventure using sign language, choreographed dance narratives, gesture, mime, singing, speaking, listening, making craft and drawing.
Watkins was the first female member of The Wiggles when she joined in 2010. She first donned the Yellow skivvy in 2013. Watkins retired from the group in October 2021, acknowledging her ongoing PhD studies as one of the reasons for her departure.
“I’m really looking forward to devoting more time and energy to focus on completing my PhD, which incorporates my ongoing passion for sign language, dance and film editing, and to having more time to work with the deaf community,” she said at the time.
It’s clear that through Emma Memma Watkins will continue her advocacy for Auslan.
“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,” she told the Daily Telegraph recently.
Fans are responding enthusiastically to Emma Memma’s introduction, which has been made a month before Watkins’ new album release.
“Gorgeous! I am so excited and also relieved to have you back on our screens! Heavenly! Congratulations Em!” actress, singer and television personality Lucy Durack says.
Children around Australia are bound to be as excited with this news too.
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