Jimmy Rees: Biography, Career, and Where He Lives

Jimmy Rees spent a decade inside a giant owl costume on ABC Kids, but if you ask someone under 18 today, they probably know him as the dad making funny faces in a kitchen video. That transition — from preschool TV host to lockdown-era internet personality — reshaped not only his career but how Australians see him. Here’s the full story of how James “Jimmy” Rees went from Jimmy Giggle to one of the country’s most relatable comedians.

Full name: James Rees ·
Born: 15 July 1987 ·
Known for: Jimmy Giggle on Giggle and Hoot ·
Awards: Order of Australia Medal (OAM)

Ten key facts about Jimmy Rees — one pattern: a career built on reinvention, from puppet sidekick to solo internet star.

Where does Jimmy Rees live now?

Current residence

Jimmy Rees lives in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. A 2025 home feature by Better Homes and Gardens Australia placed him on the Mornington Peninsula with his wife Tori and their three sons. A later Instagram post from 2025 described his home base as “regional Victoria,” suggesting the exact suburb may have shifted or is being kept intentionally broad.

Why his location is known

Rees has occasionally shared snippets of his home life on social media, and the Better Homes and Gardens feature gave fans a rare inside look. Still, he maintains a boundary: while he shows the chaos of parenting three boys, the precise address remains private. That balance — public personality, private home — is typical for comedians who rose through children’s TV.

The implication: Rees’s location strategy mirrors his entire career — controlled visibility that fuels his relatability without sacrificing family safety.

What is Jimmy Rees famous for?

His role as Jimmy Giggle on Giggle and Hoot

Rees is best known for playing Jimmy Giggle, the human sidekick to the puppet Hoot, on Giggle and Hoot. The show aired on ABC Kids from 2009 until he left in 2019 (Wikipedia). A segment on ABC’s 7.30 program described him as spending a decade on the show before reinventing his career.

His lockdown comedy skits

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Rees began posting short comedy skits on Instagram and YouTube. The videos, which parodied Australian life — from supermarket runs to home-schooling — went viral. The Nightly reported that lockdowns “nearly destroyed him financially and professionally” before becoming a “career blessing in disguise.” His publisher Simon & Schuster called his online videos “a public service during the pandemic.”

His YouTube channel and social media

Rees’s YouTube channel features comedy sketches, collaborations, and behind-the-scenes content. His official Facebook page describes him as a TV host, comedian, and father of three boys. As of 2025, his Instagram following exceeds half a million.

Recognition and awards

In 2023, Rees was awarded the Order of Australia Medal (OAM) for service to the performing arts. The award marked his dual impact: children’s entertainer and social media comedian.

The pattern: each stage of fame built on the last, from children’s TV credibility to pandemic-era cultural relevance.

What’s Jimmy Rees’s real name?

Birth name

Jimmy Rees’s real name is James Rees. He was born on 15 July 1987 in Melbourne, Victoria (Wikipedia).

Why he uses a stage name

As with many children’s TV personalities, Rees adopted a shorter, friendlier stage name. “Jimmy” is a common diminutive of James, and it fit the warm, approachable character of Jimmy Giggle. The name stuck even after he left the show.

What this means: the stage name that started as a professional convenience became a brand identifier that now spans two distinct careers.

Why did Jimmy Rees leave Giggle and Hoot?

Departure in 2019

Rees left Giggle and Hoot in 2019, after a decade of hosting. ABC’s 7.30 reported that he decided to move on to focus on his comedy career and spend more time with his family.

Focus on comedy and family

In a 2023 interview with The Nightly, Rees described the timing as serendipitous: the pandemic hit soon after he left, and his pivot to online comedy happened just as audiences were starved for lighthearted content. “Lockdowns nearly destroyed me financially, then became the best thing for my career,” he said.

The catch: what looked like a risky career move in 2019 turned into perfect timing when the pandemic reshaped entertainment consumption.

From children’s TV to lockdown skits, who is the real Jimmy Rees?

Early life and background

Born and raised in Melbourne, Rees studied at a local high school (details not publicly available). He started in entertainment with small roles before landing the Giggle and Hoot gig in 2009. IMDb lists additional credits including Jones Family Christmas and Play School.

Career transition

The shift from children’s TV to adult comedy was deliberate. The West Australian noted that audiences at his live shows vary — some know him only as Jimmy Giggle, others only as the internet comedian. His material now focuses on “everyday absurdities” (The West Australian).

Family and personal life

Rees is married to Tori, and they have three sons (Better Homes and Gardens Australia). He rarely shares their faces online, but references his family often in skits — a key part of his “internet dad” persona.

Online persona vs. real self

In a 2023 interview, Rees said he tries to keep the online version close to his real personality: “I’m just a dad of three boys who likes to make people laugh.” That authenticity, backed by consistent content, has built a loyal audience that spans generations.

Jimmy Rees went from a decade in a furry world of puppets to becoming the comedian Australians turn to for a laugh about everyday absurdities. For any performer trying to cross that gap, the lesson is clear: you can outgrow a costume, but you can’t fake authenticity. Rees used timing, talent, and a willingness to show the messy real life of a dad of three to turn a career pivot into a lasting reinvention.