Robert Irwin, like sis Bindi, wins ‘DWTS,’ so crocodiles aren’t his only claim to fame
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- Robert Irwin, son of the late “Crocodile Hunter” Steve Irwin, won “Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 with partner Witney Carson.
- The Australian wildlife conservationist, 21, becomes the second Irwin to claim the Mirrorball Trophy, joining his sister, Bindi, who won in 2015.
- Despite battling rib injuries throughout the competition, Irwin defeated social media influencer Alix Earle and gymnast Jordan Chiles in the finale.
A new “Dancing With the Stars” champion has been crowned. After weeks of themed choreography revolving around TikTok, Disney films and one-hit wonders, the winner of Season 34 is (insert dramatic pause) Robert Irwin and Witney Carson.
Crikey!
Irwin, an Aussie wildlife conservationist and son of the late “Crocodile Hunter,” Steve Irwin, joins sister Bindi as a winner of the Mirrorball trophy. Bindi Irwin won the trophy during Season 21 of “DWTS,” in 2015.
Season 34 came down to social media personalities Alix Earle and Dylan Efron, actor Elaine Hendrix, and gymnast and UCLA senior Jordan Chiles. Tuesday night’s finale consisted of three rounds of dance. First was the judges’ choice round, followed by the instant dance challenge — in which the style of dance and the song are kept secret from performers until just before they take the stage — and then the freestyle round. With Carson, Irwin earned a perfect score in the instant dance portion of the show.
The season’s winner was determined by a combination of the judges’ votes and those from the public.
Irwin, 21, and Carson, 32, scored an aggregated score from the judges of 29 points. Earle finished second, with Chiles coming in third place, followed by Efron and Hendrix.
Ahead of the finale, Carson revealed on her TikTok that both she and Irwin were dealing with injuries.
“We’re kind of falling apart right now,” the pro dancer said. “My body is feeling it right now, Robert’s body is feeling it right now.”
During a clip from their rehearsals shown before his first dance of the night, a quickstep to Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl,” Irwin said he feared Carson might need to have a Plan B for the challenging choreography.
“If I push any harder, my body is going to break,” he said.
Irwin dealt with rib pain throughout the night. After his instant dance performance, a cha-cha to DNCE’s “Cake by the Ocean,” he acknowledged the toll the competition had taken.
“I catch crocodiles, and a crocodile has never managed to screw up my ribs like that,” he said. “Dancing is hard.”
