Yellow Wiggle Sam Moran has posted a farewell to his online fans after he was suddenly sacked by the bandmates he had toured with for six years.
In a short video uploaded on his newly created YouTube account, Moran said he had received messages from young fans sad to see him leaving the group.
"I just wanted to send a message to all the children around the world who have sent me such wonderful messages — and some sad messages too saying how upset they are that I won't be the yellow Wiggle anymore," he said.
"I'll miss seeing your smiling faces from the stage."
Moran used the video to explain the band’s changing line-up in his own words after refusing to read from a prepared script from Wiggles management over his sacking, the Daily Telegraph reported.
"There will be another driver of the Big Red Car — it'll be Greg," he said.
"He was the yellow Wiggle before I was the yellow Wiggle, and he will be again."
Moran was called in from his holidays on his daughter's second birthday to be told that original Wiggle Greg Page was replacing him, the newspaper reported.
He was offered a payout of just $60,000 from the multi-million dollar franchise — about four months' pay — as a severance package during his meeting with managing director Mike Conway.
As the lead singer of the children's group, Moran earned around $200,000 a year, less than one percent of the Wiggles’ reported annual earnings.
He had been seeking a greater share of the band's income since early last year after starring in the group since Page's departure for health reasons in 2006.
Appearing yesterday on TODAY, Wiggles members Page, Anthony Field and Jeff Fatt were left flustered by questions on Moran's feelings ...watch video
"I haven't spoken to him, I don't know," Field said.
"Maybe you'll have to talk to Sam to find out what he thinks."
Moran spent five years as the lead singer of the Wiggles and another four before that as Page's understudy.
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