Hi-5 Historic members

Hi-5 was created by Helena Harris and Posie Graeme-Evans in 1998, after her sons overcame her TV program "Bananas in Pyjamas". Hi-5 is known as a children's pop music group as well as being a television show, much like peer children's entertainers The Wiggles. They also teach arts and crafts. Hi-5 is now shown in approximately 80 countries. Is a vibrant mix of stories, investigation, imagination and adventure. The Hi-5 cast members bring to the screen and stage their love of children and their passion for music, movement and laughter. The Hi-5 brand is complemented by an inviting, engaging, contemporary look and feel which extends to a whole world of applications and appeals beyond a preschool audience, capturing the imagination of children and adults alike. Hi-5 is loved throughout the world including Asia, the United Kingdom, Latin America, New Zealand, Canada and beyond.

The logo is a purple hand with green outline (yellow in stage since 2005) and the letters HI (Yellow), - (Pink), and 5 (Orange). The logo has changed since 2009: The purple hand now is magenta. On stage (from Series 11), the logo had minor changes: HI (Yellow and Red) and - (Blue).

Hi-5 was released in January 1st 1999 with the song Ready or not (Games) and the last song yet was Making Music (Music) (remake of the original song in 2005) in December 2011. Actually, Hi-5 has 13 Seasons with one new series Hi-5 House. Will be complete 15 years of your original creation.In every series there are nine feature songs, termed 'Songs of the Week' (the titles of which are shown below). With the exception of series six, each series has run for nine weeks, allowing each song to be featured for a full week's schedule of five episodes. To date, there have been 570 episodes aired. In 2004, filming of new episodes was not completed due to the group focussing on touring. Instead, series six was composed of 6 songs of the Week and various segments which had been filmed in 2002 and 2003. The lack of a series 14 in 2012 was also due to the same reason. Each section indicates the year in which each season aired. As with all the skits, each song focuses on teaching the audience general common values in life and childhood, such as love, growth, imagination, fun, acceptance, adventure and more. Each week, there is a theme of the week that the song goes along with. The theme is given in the beginning of each episode in animation. Since 2009, it always includes a dinosaur on wheels and a caterpillar on wheels participating in some activity that goes with the theme. The theme appears in colorful letters, children's voices announce the theme and then the show begins.

Cast history
The Hi-5 original cast was selectioned in 1998 to the first season, with Charli Robinson, Nathan Foley, Kathleen de Leon Jones, Kellie Hoggart and Tim Harding. Kathleen had the puzzles segment with the help of the puppet called Jup Jup, Charli had the moves segments, Nathan had the space segment, Kellie had the vocabulary segment with the help of the puppet called Chatterbox, and Tim I had the music segment. Everyone had the segment of Sharing stories.

The sucess was a lot, so, Hi-5 USA was created in 2003 with the Series 5 of Hi-5 Original series (Australia). But Hi-5 (USA) was separated in 2007. All members of both versions have already met once in 2005.

In 2006, Kathleen de Leon Jones was having her first baby, and so, Sun Pezzimenti was the temporary replacement. The Series 9 was released in 2007 with the debut of Sun. Kathleen has appeared in three episodes, in which she was pregnant and that is with newborn baby named Mikayla De Leon Jones. Kathleen left Hi-5 in 2007.

Tim Harding left Hi-5 in June 2007 becaused he had and accident in a motocycle, was replaced by Steve Nicholson. The Series 10 was released with the debut of Steve Nicholson in 2008.

In 2008-2011, Hi-5 UK was created, but it didn't do more than eight STOWs.

In Same year, Charli Robinson left Hi-5, she was replaced by Casey Burgess (initially, Casey was not blonde). In the Playtime tour, Nathan Foley and Kellie Crawford announced that they'd leave Hi-5 after of 10 years in October 2008 that her last show would be at Carols by Candlelight on 24 December 2008. Sun also left Hi-5 in same day. See which reasons for his departure from the group:
 * Charli: In February 2008 she left to pursue other interests in presenting work, and acting in film and television, in order to "challenge herself".
 * Kellie: Left to explore other career opportunities and to settle down and start a family.
 * Nathan: Left to concentrate on solo music career.
 * Sun: Quit as she wished to settle down, enjoy married life and possibly have children of her own.

The members Stevie Nicholson and Casey Burgess remain in the group. And Season 11 (or Season 1 with the new version) was released with then-new members Tim Maddren, Fely Irvine and Lauren Brant.

After Series 13, Fely Irvine left to pursue other acting opportunities. Her final performance was at the 2011 Carols by Candlelight. In 2012, Dayen Zheng replaced it. The TV series would follow with the Series 14, but was canceled by breach of contract and due to production changeovers: A malaysian company called Asiasons, bought all the rights to the brand Hi-5. While the group did more shows and events in Asian countries.

Occurred over a live presentation in Carols by Candlelight on 24 December 2012, and announced that the members Tim Maddren and Casey Burgess will remain until January 19 2013 on the last day of the Hi-5 Holiday tour in Cebu City, Philipines.
 * Tim II: Left after getting a role in the The Addams Family Broadway Musical.
 * Casey: Left to pursue a solo music career.

The members Stevie Nicholson, Dayen Zheng and Lauren Brant remain in the group. On January 23 2013, was the first performance with new members Ainsley Melhan and Mary Lascaris. The choice of new members was shown in the first movie called "Hi-5: Some Kind of Wonderful" lauched in March 2013 on Australia and New Zealand.

Currently, they are only doing shows outside Australia. But after the first half of their tours, they should record new songs and the new TV series called Hi-5 House it will come on November 4, 2013 from Nick Jr. Channel 2013, it will be filmed entirely in Singapore.

The Vietnamese version was announced by Tri Viet Media and is scheduled for March, 2014 by HTV 3 channel. There are rumors that there would be versions for China and Mexico, which would be the first Hi-5s of the Far East and Latin America, if this happens (in the case of a possible Mexican version), would replace the Australian cast for the second time in Latin countries. The Vietnamese version was the first series of Hi-5 to have their own language.

Guide segments
Each presenter hosts an education centric segment of the show. At times, they're assisted by their co-presenters to display social skills and group problem solving skills.


 * Mary Lascaris (House Series 1-present) hosts the section body move encouraging body co-ordination skill development through dancing, hopping, jumping and stepping. Formerly presented by Charli Robinson (Original Series 1 - 10) and Lauren Brant (Original Series 11 - 13).
 * Ainsley Melham (House Series 1-present) hosts the musical segment looking at concepts such as beat, rhythm, pitch and melody using pianos, guitars, bells and other instruments to his aid. Formerly presented by Tim Harding (Original Series 1 - 9), Stevie Nicholson (Original Series 10) and Tim Maddren (Original Series 11 - 13).
 * Lauren Brant (House Series 1-present) hosts the section word play looking at language and sounds with the help of her puppet friend Chatterbox ("Chats"). Formerly presented by Kellie Crawford (Original Series 1 - 10) and Casey Burgess (Original Series 11 - 13).
 * Stevie Nicholson (Original Series 11-13 & House Series 1-present) presents a segment exploring shape, colour, texture and pattern including coloured boxes, balls and play-dough. Formerly presented by Nathan Foley (Original Series 1 - 10).
 * Dayen Zheng (House Series 1-present) presents a segment on logical thinking and mathematics looking at numbers, puzzles and mazes - this segment also features Jup-Jup, a puppet who yet is not seen by Dayen, but constantly plays tricks on her. Formerly presented by Kathleen de Leon Jones (Original Series 1 - 8), Sun Park (Original Series 9 - 10) and Fely Irvine (Original Series 11 - 13).

There is also a segment where all five presenters join together to present a story. This segment is to promote social skills and group problem solving.
 * Dallas Nick (House Series 4-present) presents a segment form and rock over and Nathan Foley (Series 1 - 10), Shaun Taylor-Corbett (Series 1 - 2), Luke Roberts (Series 1), Stevie Nicholson (Series 11 - House 3), Javier Ramirez (Series 1 & 2), Lachie Dearing (Series 17), Tran Thanh (Series 1), Dewa Dayana (Series 1) and Sr Pelo (Series 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9).