A Civic Theatre packed with excited and eager fans sent the original Wiggles off with a chorus of singing, dancing in the seats and aisle and plenty of clapping in Invercargill yesterday.

But it was not just the kids who got into the action when the four colourful, skivvy-wearing children's entertainers performed for the last time together in New Zealand as the original lineup.

The band announced this year that Jeff Fatt, Murray Cook and Greg Page would be handing the purple, red and yellow skivvies to a new generation of performers. Blue Wiggle Anthony Field will continue on stage.

Mums, dads - some of whom may have been Wiggles fans when the quartet first jumped into the Big Red Car 21 years ago - and the current generation of fans were treated to more than an hour of classic Wiggles hits and characters. The crowd's enthusiasm was highlighted by one young fan chanting for The Wiggles to take to the stage after a five-minute delay.

Excited to be at The Wiggles Celebration Tour Rose Dougherty, 5, said she was looking forward to the songs.

"I love Dorothy the Dinosaur and the Red Wiggle," she said.

Mum Nicky said it was the combination of music and learning that made The Wiggles a hit in her home.

A fan of Wags the Dog, William Cooper, 3, came dressed as his favourite character.

William's mum, Rachel, said three of her kids had grown up with The Wiggles.

The Civic Theatre hosted three near sold-out shows, in a testament to The Wiggles' popularity.

Original Yellow Wiggle Greg Page said the New Zealand audiences had been incredible.

"We have enjoyed seeing the people joining in with the singing and dancing.

"The warmth extended toward The Wiggles has overwhelmed us, with many people stopping us in the streets to wish us well on our last round of tours in New Zealand as the original lineup of The Wiggles," he said.

During the final shows, the group had begun to recognise that the special bond they had together as the original Wiggles would no longer exist after they had departed from the stage, Page said.

"There is no doubt that the last show together will be one of mixed emotions. We will always be friends and mates, but we will no longer share those amazing experiences together on tour and on stage."

- © Fairfax NZ News

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