Purple Wiggle Lachy debuts new girlfriend one year after divorce

It seems the rumours were true and Purple Wiggle Lachlan Gillespie has gone public with his new girlfriend, Aussie ballerina Dana Stephensen.

It’s long been believed that the 33-year-old, who announced he and Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins had split in August last year, was dating mum-of-one Dana, and on Friday he posted their first selfie together on Instagram.

The sweet shot had followers fawning, with many congratulating the new couple and sending their well wishes.

“Awesome, great photo, really happy for you,” one person wrote, while another said, “You deserve it. Glad to see you so happy,” and a third added, “So happy to see that you found happiness again.”

At the end of last year, Dana dropped into the Wiggles studios to film a segment with the Australian Ballet, and she shared photos of herself with the famous cast, including a video of her laughing along with Lachy’s ex Emma.

Who is Lachy’s new girlfriend?

Dana Stephensen, 34, is a senior artist with the Australian Ballet and is currently playing Swanilda in their show ‘Coppélia’ which involves incredibly beautiful and elaborate tutus.

A dancer since she was just three-years-old, the other major love of Dana’s life is her young son Jasper, who was born in 2015, and she was quoted in an interview the following year saying that becoming a mother truly changed her life.

“Motherhood teaches you so much and it opens up this treasure box of new things that you explore and performing is so much about life experiences,” she told the Daily Mail.

“Pregnancy is one of the most formative life experiences I've had and it informs so much of my work now.”

Like Lachy, she has been married before, to photographer Michael Kai.

Rumours began circulating in August that Dana and Lachy were dating, with a source telling the Sunday Telegraph, “All The Wiggles members, including Emma, are really happy for Lachy.”

“He and Emma remain good friends and both wish the best for one another.”

Lachy and Emma part ways

Everyone’s favourite Wiggles couple Emma and Lachy called time on their marriage in 2018, two years after they wed.

When they went public with the news, Emma, who is also a ballerina, revealed she “fell out of love a little bit” before she and her co-star decided to part ways.

At the time, Yellow Wiggle Emma had been dealing with a number of health concerns which culminated in her needing to undergo surgery for endometriosis.

She told the Gold Coast Bulletin it was a “weird time” for the couple, and they ultimately decided they were better off as friends.

In a joint statement at the time, the pair said they were embracing the “very positive change in [their] relationship”.

“We have chosen a different path to travel in our personal lives,” they said, “but please know that we are stronger than ever and we can’t wait to see you at a show soon.”

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