Anthony Field - Personal Life

Personal Life

In spite of being named as "The 1999 Bachelor of the Year" in Cleo Magazine, Field married Michaela Patisteas, a former dancer whose family owned Griffiths Coffee in Melbourne, in 2003. They have three children, who have joined the Field family tradition of involvement in The Wiggles by appearing in several of their TV shows and videos. Beginning in 2007, Field, who is a registered breeder of miniature fox terriers, did some voiceover work for the TV show "RSPCA Animal Rescue," for Channel 7 in Australia.

Field, describing his enthusiasm for competitive sports, has stated, "My love of cricket is abiding", a sport that "instills the same loyalty and passions in me as I know baseball does for many in North America". He is a fan of the Australian rugby league club the Wests Tigers. He is also a fan of singer Julio Iglesias. As Field's fitness improved, to the point that his training regimen became comparable to that of an elite athlete, he gained an interest in gymnastics and acrobatics.

Field went public about his experience with clinical depression in mid-2007 to draw more attention to the condition. He has stated that "being on the road is a dangerous job for someone with depression," but has dealt with it through diet, exercise, talking about it, and having a good support system (including his father before his death in 1998, his wife, and his friend Murray Cook). He chronicled his health struggles and how he overcame them in his 2012 book How I Got My Wiggle Back.

Field is a devout Catholic, something that he reported helped him deal with his chronic health issues and depression, especially the spiritual practices of prayer and devotion to the Virgin Mary as expressed by Our Lady of Guadalupe. He wears two large tattoos on his arms, under his blue skivvy: one is the Virgin Mary with the words "My life is in your hands" in Spanish; the other is a heart with the words, "My love, my heart" in Spanish. The names of his wife and his three children are also tattooed on his arms. He admits that he got his tattoo of the Virgin, which he hid from fans for a long time, during a visit to Mexico while on tour in North America, in the middle of a bout with chronic pain and dental problem, as he put it, "in a moment of madness".

Field was made a Member of the Order of Australia on 26 January 2010 for service to the arts, particularly children's entertainment, and to the community as a benefactor and supporter of a range of charities.