By Samantha Hayes
The Wiggles have a squeaky clean image but a dirty stain is growing every day on the famous yellow skivvy.
Fans want to know whether Sam Moran willingly stepped aside for original member Greg Page's return, or whether he was pushed.
Last week the Wiggles broke the seemingly good news that original yellow wiggle Greg Page had returned to good health and was taking back his yellow skivvy.
Page left the group in 2006 because of illness, but news he was back with the group he founded had fans smiling.
Reports have emerged that Moran did not graciously step down as the Wiggles' claimed, but was dumped without warning and given a $78,000 severance fee - about four months of his salary.
Last year the Wiggles empire earned $36 million.
Moran has not commented on his departure, except to release this message on YouTube:
“There will be another driver of the big red car. It'll be Greg. He'll be the yellow Wiggle, he was the yellow Wiggle before I was the yellow Wiggle and he will be again. I'll miss seeing your smiling faces from the stage, but I’m sure you'll see me singing, dancing and entertaining you again in the future in another way, shape or form.”
Backlash followed when blue Wiggle Anthony Field said Moran was "doing a job", one he is no longer required for.
“I don't want to speak for Sam but I know that he's going on to…he's got a music career and he's into TV and film and things like that but personally I’m happy with the five years and I’m ecstatic that Greg's back,” says Anthony Field, the blue Wiggle.
Field also says Moran will be taken care of for life after they gave him writing credits for songs he didn't write that will generate income of $80-130,000 a year.
And despite topping the rich list of Australian performers, the Wiggles have admitted they owe the bank a sizeable debt.
3 News
source: newshub archive
