Jimmy Rees

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.{{Cite news|date=7 February 2019|title=Dancing with the Stars' Jimmy Rees and wife, Tori welcome twins Mack and Vinny|work=NowToLove|url=https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/jimmy-rees-twin-boys-54034|access-date=29 April 2019|archive-date=19 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190319030417/https://www.nowtolove.com.au/parenting/celebrity-families/jimmy-rees-twin-boys-54034|url-status=live}} After Rees finished up with Giggle and Hoot, they moved from the Central Coast, New South Wales to the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria.{{Cite news|date=13 February 2019|title=Dancing with the Stars' Jimmy Rees: What you need to know ...|work=NowToLove|url=https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/dancing-with-the-stars/jimmy-rees-dancing-with-the-stars-54135|access-date=29 April 2019}}

Rees was the host of the Australian ABC children's program Giggle and Hoot from 2009 to 2020. In the program, Jimmy Giggle (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.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nowtolove.com.au/reality-tv/dancing-with-the-stars/jimmy-rees-dancing-with-the-stars-54135|title= Dancing with the Stars' Jimmy Rees: What you need to know ...|date=13 February 2019|work=NowToLove|access-date=29 April 2019}}

Rees competed in the sixteenth season of the Australian version of Network 10's Dancing with the Stars in 2019,{{cite web|title=Dancing With The Stars - Jimmy Rees|url=https://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/dancing-with-the-stars/celebrities/jimmy-rees|work= Tenplay |access-date=29 April 2019}} where he was partnered with Alexandra Vladimirov.{{cite web|title=Meet The Pro Dancers - Alexandra Vladimirov|url=https://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/dancing-with-the-stars/photos/meet-the-pro-dancers#5|work= TenPlay|access-date=29 April 2019|archive-date=11 March 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190311103942/https://tenplay.com.au/channel-ten/dancing-with-the-stars/photos/meet-the-pro-dancers#5}} 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.{{cite-web|last=Bond |first=Nick |date=8 April 2019 |url=https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/reality-tv/dancing-with-the-stars-contestant-jimmy-rees-dramatically-exits-show/news-story/4f3989f4136298bca26bcb279dcac570| title=Dancing with the Stars contestant Jimmy Rees dramatically exits the show |website=News Corp Australia |access-date=16 April 2019}} 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.Blake, Elissa (24 June 2014) [https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/british-pantomime-ready-to-take-sydney-by-storm-20140625-zskg6.html British pantomime ready to take Sydney by storm] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416123156/https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/british-pantomime-ready-to-take-sydney-by-storm-20140625-zskg6.html |date=16 April 2019 }}, The Sydney Morning Herald, Nine Entertainment Co. Retrieved 16 April 2019.Hook, Chris (23 January 2016) [https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/arts/real-housewives-of-melbournes-gina-liano-to-star-in-cinderella-pantomime/news-story/261b349d4fd9bb9305dc7d5d083238f4 Real Housewives of Melbourne's Gina Liano to star in Cinderella pantomime] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160718014952/http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/entertainment/arts/real-housewives-of-melbournes-gina-liano-to-star-in-cinderella-pantomime/news-story/261b349d4fd9bb9305dc7d5d083238f4 |date=18 July 2016 }}, The Sunday Telegraph, News Corp Australia. Retrieved 16 April 2019. In July 2019 Rees is scheduled to appear in a production of Jack and the beanstalk as "Silly Billy",{{cite web|title=Peter Rowsthorn, Jimmy Rees, Luke Joslin To Star in Giant 3D Family Panto Musical Spectacular JACK AND THE BEANSTALK|url=https://www.broadwayworld.com/sydney/article/Peter-Rowsthorn-Jimmy-Rees-Luke-Joslin-To-Star-In-Giant-3D-Family-Panto-Musical-Spectacular-JACK-AND-THE-BEANSTALK-20190220|work=BroadwayWorld|access-date=29 April 2019|date=20 February 2010|archive-date=15 July 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230715100048/https://www.broadwayworld.com/sydney/article/Peter-Rowsthorn-Jimmy-Rees-Luke-Joslin-To-Star-In-Giant-3D-Family-Panto-Musical-Spectacular-JACK-AND-THE-BEANSTALK-20190220|url-status=live}} 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.{{cite web|title=James Rees|url=https://www.imdb.com/name/nm7395332/|publisher=IMDb|accessdate=29 April 2019|archive-date=15 February 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170215005644/http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7395332/|url-status=live}}

In 2018, Rees was crowned King of Moomba with Chrissie Swan as Queen of Moomba.{{cite web|last=Royall |first=Ian |date=12 February 2018 |url=https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/chrissie-swan-and-jimmy-giggle-announced-as-moomba-monarchs/news-story/1f0ee64ed4e742f82f9231adb248348f |title=Chrissie Swan and Jimmy Giggle announced as Moomba Monarchs |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416123202/https://www.news.com.au/national/victoria/chrissie-swan-and-jimmy-giggle-announced-as-moomba-monarchs/news-story/1f0ee64ed4e742f82f9231adb248348f |archive-date=16 April 2019 |website=News Corp Australia |access-date=16 April 2019}}{{cite web|first=Denis |last=Walter| author-link=Denis Walter |date=12 February 2018 |url=https://www.3aw.com.au/a-dream-come-true-jimmy-giggle-named-moomba-monarch |title=A dream come true: Jimmy Giggle named Moomba Monarch| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190416123159/https://www.3aw.com.au/a-dream-come-true-jimmy-giggle-named-moomba-monarch/ |archive-date=16 April 2019 |website=Macquarie Media |access-date=16 April 2019}}

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.{{cite news |last=Moran |first=Robert |title='A different phase of my life': ABC kids' icon Jimmy Giggle hangs up his pyjamas |url=https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/a-different-phase-of-my-life-abc-kids-icon-jimmy-giggle-hangs-up-his-pyjamas-20191129-p53ffe.html |accessdate=2019-11-29 |work=The Age |date=2019-11-29 |archive-date=29 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191129074436/https://www.theage.com.au/culture/tv-and-radio/a-different-phase-of-my-life-abc-kids-icon-jimmy-giggle-hangs-up-his-pyjamas-20191129-p53ffe.html |url-status=live }}

In 2020, he started releasing short humorous videos on TikTok and YouTube, covering topics such as parenting, packaging and the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|title=Everyone's talking about Jimmy Giggle on TikTok|url=https://www.dailymercury.com.au/news/why-everyones-talking-about-jimmy-giggle-on-tiktok/4019918/|access-date=2021-04-01|website=Daily Mercury|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-01-08|title=We Thought Jimmy was a Giggle but He's Actually a Hoot|url=https://www.bay939.com.au/news/entertainment/123867-we-thought-jimmy-was-a-giggle-but-hes-actually-a-hoot|access-date=2021-04-01|website=bay 93.9 Geelong|language=en-gb|archive-date=14 March 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230314035234/https://www.bay939.com.au/news/entertainment/123867-we-thought-jimmy-was-a-giggle-but-hes-actually-a-hoot|url-status=dead}} His most well-known videos are those in a series called "Meanwhile in Australia", where he plays the role of political leaders such as the then-Prime Minister Scott Morrison and each state and territory Premier (of a state) or Chief Minister (of a territory) negotiating lockdowns, border restrictions and vaccinations.{{cite web|url=https://www.smh.com.au/culture/comedy/lockdown-has-been-great-for-us-the-comedians-laughing-through-lockdown-20210812-p58i6n.html|title='Lockdown has been great for us': The comedians laughing through lockdown|first=Lucy|last=Manly|work=The Sydney Morning Herald|date=22 August 2021|access-date=9 September 2021|archive-date=9 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909105607/https://www.smh.com.au/culture/comedy/lockdown-has-been-great-for-us-the-comedians-laughing-through-lockdown-20210812-p58i6n.html|url-status=live}}{{cite web|url=https://hercanberra.com.au/life/conversation/lockdown-insta-faves-whos-worth-a-follow-in-these-unprecedented-times/|title=Lockdown Insta-faves: Who's worth a follow in these unprecedented times|first=Emma|last=MacDonald|date=9 September 2021|access-date=9 September 2021|work=Her Canberra|archive-date=9 September 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909105610/https://hercanberra.com.au/life/conversation/lockdown-insta-faves-whos-worth-a-follow-in-these-unprecedented-times/|url-status=live}} As of August 2021, the series had gained over 8 million followers on social media and 10 million fans on TikTok.

In 2023, Rees competed as a contestant on the first season of Taskmaster Australia, hosted by Tom Gleeson.{{Cite web |last=Gollasch |first=Grace |date=February 2, 2023 |title="Imperfectly perfect": How 10 is putting an Aussie spin on comedy game show Taskmaster |url=https://www.mediaweek.com.au/imperfectly-perfect-how-10-is-putting-an-aussie-spin-on-comedy-game-show-taskmaster/ |website=Mediaweek |access-date=3 March 2023 |archive-date=2 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230202022212/https://www.mediaweek.com.au/imperfectly-perfect-how-10-is-putting-an-aussie-spin-on-comedy-game-show-taskmaster/ |url-status=live }}

==Honours and awards==

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".{{Cite It's an Honour |ausawardid=3026559 |date=10 June 2024 |recipient=Mr James Rees |award=Medal of the Order of Australia |access-date=10 June 2024}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website}}
• {{IMDb name|7395332}}

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Category:1987 births

Category:Living people

Category:21st-century Australian male actors

Category:Australian male television actors

Category:Australian children's musicians

Category:Australian TikTokers

Category:People from Mount Eliza, Victoria

Category:Male actors from Melbourne

Category:Television personalities from Melbourne

Category:Recipients of the Medal of the Order of Australia