Jimmy Rees rose to fame as the cheerful puppet Jimmy Giggle on ABC Kids’ Giggle and Hoot, but the Australian comedian has since transformed into a viral comedy powerhouse with more than four million social media followers and a national tour in 2025. His career has taken an unexpected but very entertaining turn.
Full Name: James Rees OAM ·
Born: 15 July 1987 ·
Occupation: Comedian, TV Host ·
Known For: Jimmy Giggle on ABC ·
Children: 3 sons ·
Award: Order of Australia Medal (OAM)
Quick snapshot
- Jimmy Rees is an Australian comedian and entertainer (Wikipedia)
- He was born James Rees on 15 July 1987 in Frankston, Victoria (Wikipedia)
- He has three sons named Lenny, Mack, and Vinny (Better Homes & Gardens Australia)
- He received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours (Wikipedia)
- Exact current residence beyond the Mornington Peninsula
- Marital status (married Tori in 2013 but recent mentions are less clear)
- Net worth (no verified figure available)
- Whether he has officially appeared on Taskmaster Australia as a contestant
- 15 July 1987: James Rees born in Frankston, Victoria (Wikipedia)
- 2009–2020: Stars as Jimmy Giggle on Giggle and Hoot (Wikipedia)
- 2024: Receives Order of Australia Medal (Wikipedia)
- 2025: Embarks on In Reel Life tour across Australia and New Zealand (Variety Australia)
- Jimmy Rees’s In Reel Life tour runs October–December 2025 (Variety Australia)
- Perth date: Saturday, 22 November 2025 (Xpress Magazine)
- Continued creation of viral comedy videos on social media (Variety Australia)
Eight key facts about Jimmy Rees — from his real name to his family and awards — one pattern: his career spans children’s television, digital comedy, and live performance.
| Attribute | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | James Rees OAM |
| Born | 15 July 1987 (Frankston, Victoria, Australia) |
| Nationality | Australian |
| Occupation | Comedian, TV Host, YouTuber |
| Years active | 2000s–present |
| Children | 3 sons (Lenny, Mack, Vinny) |
| Notable work | Jimmy Giggle on Giggle and Hoot (ABC Kids) |
| Awards | Order of Australia Medal (OAM) |
Where does Jimmy Rees live now?
A 2025 feature from Better Homes & Gardens Australia (lifestyle media) confirms that Rees lives on the Mornington Peninsula in Victoria with his wife Tori and their three sons. The profile describes a family home with space for the boys to play and a dedicated area for Rees’s comedy work.
- Current residence: Mornington Peninsula, Victoria (Better Homes & Gardens Australia)
- Previously lived on the Central Coast, New South Wales while working on Giggle and Hoot (Wikipedia)
- Grew up in Mount Eliza, Victoria; attended St Thomas More Primary School and The Peninsula School (Peninsula Kids)
Moving from the Central Coast back to Victoria meant Rees could return to his roots — but it also meant leaving the ABC studio base, forcing him to reinvent his career as a digital content creator from home.
The pattern: Rees’s geography mirrors his career arc — from childhood on the Mornington Peninsula, to the Central Coast for television, then back to the Peninsula as a digital entrepreneur.
What was Jimmy Rees famous for?
Jimmy Rees is best known for playing the cheerful puppet Jimmy Giggle on ABC Kids’ Giggle and Hoot, which ran from 2009 to 2020 (Wikipedia). During his time on the show, he toured with the brand to more than 500,000 Australian children live (New World Artists).
After the show ended, Rees shifted to digital comedy. His “Meanwhile in Australia” series went viral during the COVID-19 pandemic, racking up up to 40 million views per video on Facebook (New World Artists). He now has over four million followers across social media.
“Comedy videos for my own entertainment really!! I’m a Dad of 3 boys, an Aussie that appears on TV !!”
— Jimmy Rees, YouTube channel description
Rees’s pivot from children’s TV to viral comedy shows how a performer can build a second act by leaning into everyday parenting humour — but it also means leaving behind the steady ABC paycheck for the uncertainty of algorithm-driven income.
The catch: Rees’s fame now rests on two very different pillars — nostalgia for Giggle and Hoot among millennial parents, and a new generation discovering him through shares of his “Meanwhile in Australia” skits.
What’s Jimmy Rees’s real name?
Jimmy Rees’s birth name is James Rees (Wikipedia). He was born on 15 July 1987 in Frankston, Victoria, and adopted the stage name “Jimmy” early in his career. Professionally, he uses Jimmy Rees for his comedy and television work.
- Birth name: James Rees (Wikipedia)
- Born: 15 July 1987 in Frankston, Victoria (Wikipedia)
- Stage name: Jimmy Rees
The implication: For fans searching his real name, the distinction between “James” and “Jimmy” is simple — but it matters for official honours, where his OAM appears under James Rees.
How many children does Jimmy Rees have?
Jimmy Rees has three sons with his wife Tori, whom he married in 2013 (Wikipedia). Their names are Lenny, Mack, and Vinny. A 2025 Better Homes & Gardens Australia feature notes that one son is 10 years old while the twins are six.
“I have become really good at things such as: playing cardboard instruments, juggling badly, annoying banjo playing, chord progressions on the ukulele.”
— Jimmy Rees, personal website
The pattern: Fatherhood is a core theme in Rees’s comedy. His parenting fails and family observations are the raw material for his most popular videos — a direct pipeline from domestic life to content.
What awards has Jimmy Rees received?
Jimmy Rees was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in the 2024 King’s Birthday Honours for service to the performing arts and to the community (Wikipedia). The honour recognised both his decade on children’s television and his ongoing work as a comedian.
- Order of Australia Medal (OAM) – 2024 (Wikipedia)
- Recognised by Frontier Touring (live entertainment promoter) as “one of Australia’s favourite entertainers”
The OAM recognises his contributions across children’s television and digital comedy.
For more on Australian entertainers, see Red Symons: Biography, Personal Life, Tragic Loss & ABC Exit and Anne Edmonds: Comedian, Taskmaster Star, and Personal Life.
Timeline of Jimmy Rees’s career
- : Born James Rees in Frankston, Victoria (Wikipedia)
- : Begins playing Jimmy Giggle on Giggle and Hoot (ABC Kids) (Wikipedia)
- : Marries Tori (Wikipedia)
- : Giggle and Hoot ends; launches “Meanwhile in Australia” comedy series (Better Homes & Gardens Australia)
- : Receives Order of Australia Medal (OAM) (Wikipedia)
- : In Reel Life tour announced for Australia and New Zealand (Variety Australia)
What we know and what we don’t
Confirmed facts
- Jimmy Rees is an Australian comedian and entertainer (Wikipedia)
- His real name is James Rees (Wikipedia)
- He has three sons (Lenny, Mack, Vinny) (Better Homes & Gardens Australia)
- He received the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) in 2024 (Wikipedia)
What’s unclear
- Exact net worth (no verified figure)
- Marital status details beyond marriage in 2013
- Whether he has appeared on Taskmaster Australia as a contestant
- Specific current address on the Mornington Peninsula
“He blends comedy, storytelling, and crowd interaction — a live show that feels like hanging out with a funny mate.”
“Rees spent about a decade as the face of Giggle & Hoot and toured with the brand to more than 500,000 people live.”
For Australian audiences, the choice between remembering Jimmy Rees as the smiling face of a kids’ show or as the dad behind the viral “Meanwhile in Australia” videos is no longer necessary — he’s both. The 2025 In Reel Life tour will test whether he can convert his online following into ticket sales, and for a comedian who started at a local pub in Frankston, the stakes are clear: keep the algorithm happy, or keep the seats filled.
kids.kiddle.co, imdb.com, facebook.com, simonandschuster.com
For a deeper look into how he built his comedy career after leaving the owl costume, check out this piece on Jimmy Reess career pivot.
Frequently asked questions
What is Jimmy Rees’s net worth?
There is no verified or publicly reported net worth for Jimmy Rees. Estimates vary widely online, but none are sourced from official financial disclosures.
Is Jimmy Rees married?
Jimmy Rees married a woman named Tori in 2013 (Wikipedia). Recent reports refer to them as living together with their children, but his current marital status is not publicly detailed beyond that.
Where did Jimmy Rees grow up?
He grew up in Mount Eliza, Victoria, attending St Thomas More Primary School and The Peninsula School (Peninsula Kids).
What is Jimmy Rees’s comedy style?
His comedy draws on everyday life — work drama, relationship quirks, parenting fails (Sheldon Ang Media). His “Meanwhile in Australia” series uses exaggerated observations of Australian culture.
Why is he called “The Guy Who Decides”?
This is a fan nickname from his role in the comedy sketch “The Guy Who Decides” on his YouTube channel. It’s not an official title but has stuck with online audiences.
Has Jimmy Rees appeared on Taskmaster Australia?
There is no confirmed record of Rees appearing as a contestant on Taskmaster Australia. He has not been listed among the cast for any season as of 2025.
James Mitchell is Editor-in-Chief at Australia Watch, overseeing editorial standards, publication decisions and corrections.