Australian wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin has claimed victory on Dancing with the Stars, winning the coveted Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy exactly a decade after his sister Bindi achieved the same feat. The 21-year-old and his professional partner Witney Carson were crowned champions of the show’s 34th season on Tuesday night in an emotional finale dedicated to his late father, Steve Irwin.
The finale drew a record-breaking 72 million votes, making it the highest-rated episode since Bindi’s 2015 win. Robert narrowly defeated runner-up Alix Earle in what hosts described as the closest vote margin in the show’s 20-year history.
Despite suffering a rib injury in the lead-up to the finale, Robert pushed through three demanding performances, including an emotional freestyle routine that served as a tribute to his father. “I wish he could see it, I really wish he could be here,” Robert said before taking the floor. The performance earned a perfect score from the judges.
The victory makes Robert and Bindi the first sibling duo in Dancing with the Stars history to both claim the Mirrorball Trophy. Bindi won season 21 in 2015 when she was just 17, partnered with Derek Hough, who now serves as a judge on the show.
Robert had harboured dreams of competing since watching his sister as an 11-year-old. Footage from 2015 showed the young Robert telling cameras: “Definitely, I would love to. That would be so much fun.”
Bindi shared an emotional video on Instagram of herself embracing Robert as he clutched his trophy. “I love you so much,” she wrote. “Words can’t describe how proud I am of you. You EARNED this.” In a separate post, she declared: “TWO MIRRORBALLS NOW CALL AUSTRALIA ZOO HOME!”
In his victory speech, Robert echoed the words his sister spoke a decade earlier. “My sister said it best, thank you for changing my life,” he said. “To follow in those footsteps has meant everything to me.”
Both Mirrorball trophies will be displayed at Australia Zoo in Queensland, where the Irwin family continues their wildlife conservation efforts.
