Justice Crew's John Pearce is now a Purple Wiggle. Photo / Supplied
Justice Crew's John Pearce is now a Purple Wiggle. Photo / Supplied
The Wiggles announced four new band members over the weekend in a major nod to diversity and gender equality, and one of the newbies is a strikingly familiar face.
John Pearce, 30, first shot to fame on the Australian dance group Justice Crew, and if you were a teenager in 2010 you were no doubt embroiled in the hysteria.
The all-male group exploded on to the scene after winning Australia's Got Talent that year, the dancers' innovative routines on the show becoming a weekly TV highlight.
Justice Crew fast evolved with the music group releasing a string of bangers (including but not limited to Boom Boom and Que Sera), which saw them nominated for eight ARIA Awards.
Justice Crew shot to fame in 2010 on Australia's Got Talent. Photo / Supplied
Flash forward to 2021 and Pearce is now a Purple Wiggle.
The performer, who is of Australian/Filipino background, was announced as one of four new Wiggles members yesterday in a major cast shake-up for the beloved children's group.
The new members join the existing ensemble of Anthony, Simon, Emma and Lachy, and will front a new series, Fruit Salad TV, dedicated to embracing all Australians no matter their race, age or gender.
John Pearce on Ninja Warrior. Photo / Supplied
After achieving global success with Justice Crew, touring with the likes of Janet Jackson and One Direction, Pearce, whose twin Lenny was also in the band, went on to show off his fitness chops on Channel 9's first season of Ninja Warrior in 2017.
A shirtless Pearce quickly became a fan favourite but unfortunately didn't advance beyond his first heat.
In a statement, The Wiggles said John, who also works as a personal trainer in Sydney, would "bring his love of getting strong and working out" to the Wiggles' new series, which premieres on September 4 on The Wiggles' YouTube channel.
"The Wiggles were created during a time when early childhood educational concepts were the focus," Blue Wiggle Anthony Field said in a statement yesterday.
"As society has evolved, we have embraced the need for diversity and inclusiveness and want children all over the world to see themselves reflected on the screen.
John on Ninja Warrior. Photo / Supplied
"It's so important that The Wiggles continue to evolve along with our society. This is the first step towards shaping The Wiggles for the next 30 years, taking us in a direction that truly represents and serves our community more inclusively.
Justice Crew's John Pearce is now a Purple Wiggle. Photo / Supplied
"We are excited for the next chapter in The Wiggles' history which will start with Fruit Salad TV and continue on with our other content and our live shows."
