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Jimmy Rees
OAM
Rees in 2017
Born
James Rees

(1987-07-15) 15 July 1987 (age 37)
Frankston, Victoria, Australia
NationalityAustralian
OccupationComedian
Years active2009–present
Spouse
Tori
​
(m. 2013)​
Children3
Websitejimmyrees.com.au

James Rees OAM (born 15 July 1987) is an Australian comedian and former children's entertainer best known for playing the role of Jimmy Giggle on ABC Kids' flagship program Giggle and Hoot from 2009 to 2020.[1][2][3][4][5]

Personal life

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Rees was born in Frankston, Victoria and grew up in Mount Eliza, Victoria and moved to the Central Coast of New South Wales, at age 22, to star as "Jimmy Giggle" in the ABC children's programme Giggle and Hoot (filmed in the ABC's Ultimo studios).

Rees married his long-term partner Tori in 2013 and they have three sons named Lenny, Mack and Vinny.[6] After Rees finished up with Giggle and Hoot, they moved from the Central Coast, New South Wales to the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.[7]

Career

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Rees was the host of the Australian ABC children's program Giggle and Hoot from 2009 to 2020. In the program, Jimmy Giggle (James Rees) is shown to enjoy mending objects, although he relies on a "problematic magic button" that never works. He is portrayed as having a brilliant talent in creating new things out of regular items. He also plays several musical instruments in the program, including the ukulele, double bass, baritone saxophone, piano and guitar. It was reported that Rees beat 5,000 other actors to win the role, and moved to the Central Coast from his home town in Victoria for the role.[8]

Rees competed in the sixteenth season of the Australian version of Network 10's Dancing with the Stars in 2019,[9] where he was partnered with Alexandra Vladimirov.[10] Rees made it to the top 5 of the contest but withdrew from the competition when one of his infant twin sons Mack suffered complications during a routine medical procedure.[11] During the Dancing with the Stars competition Rees scored best dancer in his renditions of the foxtrot and salsa performed to George Ezra's "Hold My Girl" and Pitbull's "I Know You Want Me (Calle Ocho)", respectively, and won the second week of the competition with his rendition of the Jive performed to Queen's "Don't Stop Me Now". Rees was also a member of the winning team "La La Land" of the group dance with fellow competitors Courtney Act, Jett Kenny and Michelle Bridges.

Rees has also starred in a number of pantomime stage productions. He has performed in Bonnie Lythgoe productions including Snow White Winter Family Musical in 2014 and Cinderella in 2016.[12][13] In July 2019 Rees is scheduled to appear in a production of Jack and the beanstalk as "Silly Billy",[14] alongside fellow Australian actors Peter Rowsthorn and Luke Joslin.

Rees has also made appearances on a number of Australian TV programs including JuicedTV in 2015 and Whovians in 2017.[15]

In 2018, Rees was crowned King of Moomba with Chrissie Swan as Queen of Moomba.[16][17]

In November 2019, Rees announced that he had decided to end his stint with Giggle and Hoot. He was quoted as saying that he had decided to move on to a different phase of his life. The show's "gruelling schedule", involving shooting for 47 weeks a year, had made it difficult for his growing family of three young children.[5]

In 2020 he started releasing short humorous videos on TikTok and YouTube, covering topics such as parenting, packaging and the COVID-19 pandemic.[18][19] His most well-known videos are those in a series called "Meanwhile in Australia", where he plays the role of each state and territory negotiating lockdowns, borders and vaccinations.[20][21] As of August 2021, the series had gained over 8 million followers on social media and 10 million fans on TikTok.[20]

In 2023, Rees competed as a contestant on the first season of Taskmaster Australia, hosted by Tom Gleeson.[22]

Honours and awards

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In the 2024 King's Birthday Honours list, Rees was appointed a Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), "for service to the arts as an entertainer, and to the community".[23]

References

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  1. ^ Murray, David (14 February 2012) A giggle, a hoot and a gong, ABC Radio Sydney, Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  2. ^ Duck, Siobhan (30 August 2014) Meet Jimmy Giggle, the next big thing in children's entertainment as star of Giggle and Hoot, news.com.au, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  3. ^ Koha, Nuite (29 November 2014) Jimmy Giggle, the sex symbol: Has a laugh over phone number mix-up, news.com.au, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  4. ^ Chrisoulakis, Naomi (2 September 2018) Jimmy Giggle: 'Being a sex symbol is hilarious', The Daily Telegraph, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b Moran, Robert (29 November 2019). "'A different phase of my life': ABC kids' icon Jimmy Giggle hangs up his pyjamas". The Age. Retrieved 29 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Dancing with the Stars' Jimmy Rees and wife, Tori welcome twins Mack and Vinny". NowToLove. 7 February 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Dancing with the Stars' Jimmy Rees: What you need to know ..." NowToLove. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Dancing with the Stars' Jimmy Rees: What you need to know ..." NowToLove. 13 February 2019. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  9. ^ "James Rees". Tenplay. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Meet the Dancers: Alexandra Vladimirov". TenPlay. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  11. ^ Bond, Nick (8 April 2019) Dancing with the Stars contestant Jimmy Rees dramatically exits the show, news.com.au, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  12. ^ Blake, Elissa (24 June 2014) British pantomime ready to take Sydney by storm, The Sydney Morning Herald, Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  13. ^ Hook, Chris (23 January 2016) Real Housewives of Melbourne's Gina Liano to star in Cinderella pantomime, The Sunday Telegraph, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Peter Rowsthorn, Jimmy Rees, Luke Joslin To Star in Giant 3D Family Panto Musical Spectacular JACK AND THE BEANSTALK". BroadwayWorld. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  15. ^ "James Rees". IMDb. Retrieved 29 April 2019.
  16. ^ Royall, Ian (12 February 2018) Chrissie Swan and Jimmy Giggle announced as Moomba Monarchs, news.com.au, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  17. ^ Walter, Denis (12 February 2018) "A dream come true": Jimmy Giggle named Moomba Monarch, 3AW, Macquarie Media. Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  18. ^ "Everyone's talking about Jimmy Giggle on TikTok". Daily Mercury. Retrieved 1 April 2021.
  19. ^ bay 93.9 (8 January 2021). "We Thought Jimmy was a Giggle but He's Actually a Hoot". bay 93.9 Geelong. Retrieved 1 April 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ a b Manly, Lucy (22 August 2021). "'Lockdown has been great for us': The comedians laughing through lockdown". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  21. ^ MacDonald, Emma (9 September 2021). "Lockdown Insta-faves: Who's worth a follow in these unprecedented times". Her Canberra. Retrieved 9 September 2021.
  22. ^ Gollasch, Grace (2 February 2023). ""Imperfectly perfect": How 10 is putting an Aussie spin on comedy game show Taskmaster". Mediaweek.
  23. ^ "Medal of the Order of Australia entry for Mr James Rees". Australian Honours Database. Canberra, Australia: Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
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