Robert Irwin is trading wildlife adventures for the ballroom! The 21-year-old son of the late Crocodile Hunter, Steve Irwin, is competing in Season 34 of Dancing With the Stars, bringing his signature charm and energy to a whole new stage. Robert, who grew up following in his father’s footsteps at Australia Zoo alongside his sister, is now stepping into the spotlight of live television as he takes on the challenge of ballroom dance. With fans already rooting for him, his journey on DWTS is shaping up to be one of the season’s most exciting storylines.
Learn more about him below.
Robert was just 2 years old when his father, Steve— the beloved “Crocodile Hunter”—tragically died in 2006 after a stingray accident. Since then, Robert has carried on his dad’s legacy, often speaking about how deeply Steve’s passion for wildlife continues to inspire him.
“I’ll often come across archive footage that I haven’t seen before,” Robert said in an interview with Access Hollywood. “And all of a sudden, his memory just starts flooding back. So it’s weird that decades later, after losing someone when I was 2 years old, I almost have an even greater picture of the person he was.”
“As I start to reach the same sort of milestones that he did as a young bloke growing up, I, yeah, I feel closer to him in a way,” he added. “I really do. My dad is like a superhero figure. He’s like this omnipresent, just a superhero to me. And I’m so grateful for that, because while I didn’t have much time with my dad, I have a human being who exemplifies everything I want to be in life.”
