Robert Irwin, Dancing With The Stars Winner 2025: Aussie claims Mirrorball trophy in Dancing with the Stars win
Lights, camera, mirrorball: Yes, Robert Irwin has won the coveted Mirrorball Trophy!
The Aussie star and his dance partner Witney Carson have been named Dancing With The Stars champions in a nail-biting finale.
Irwin and Carson teared up as they accepted the trophy, with Irwin taking the mic for a short victory speech.
Watch the video above.
“My sister said it best, thank you for changing my life,” he said, referring to Bindi Irwin’s video message shortly before the announcement, in which she referenced her own win on the show 10 years ago.
Bindi took to Instagram immediately after the win to congratulate her brother, writing, “Two mirrorballs now call Australia Zoo home.”
“Congratulations and all the love in the world to Robert Irwin and Witney Carson. What. A. Night.”
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The pair won in “one of the tightest gaps” the show has ever seen against runner-ups Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy.
Both couples individually received more votes than anyone has ever received in the show’s history.
Before the winner was announced, video messages from the loved ones of each contestant were aired, with some famous faces in the mix.
For Robert, the well-wishes came from mum Terri, sister Bindi and family friend Russell Crowe.
The finale spanned a couple of hours as each pairing performed three dances each.
Their first dance, the judges’ choice, was a quick-step. The Aussie scored two 10s and one 9, totalling a score of 29 out of 30.
In their second routine of the night, the instant dance, the pair danced the Cha Cha to Cake by the Ocean by DNCE, scoring a perfect score with 10s across the board.
Their third dance, the freestyle section, was a routine full of tricks, spins and showmanship that scored them 10s across the board.
He shed a tear in the preview before the dance, saying he wished his dad could see him on the show and expressed how badly he wanted to make him proud.
The wildlife warrior was struggling with rib pain this week ahead of the finale, with concerns over his health leading up to the performance.
But on stage, he was all smiles with no indication he was in pain.
It’s been quite the journey for the son of Steve and Terri Irwin, whose first performance on the show blew everybody away.
Robert’s routine to Born to be Wild impressed the judges and the audience alike, as he debuted on the show with the charisma of a pro dancer.
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Judge Derek Hough called the dance the “best first dance” he had ever seen on the show.
The dance scored Irwin and his partner a 15 out of 20.
In the second week of the competition, Irwin pulled off an intense tango.
In week three, he dropped jaws when he ripped his shirt off during a routine that went mega-viral.
The moment happened during his salsa performance to Million Dollar Baby as part of the show’s “TikTok night.”
He then rolled his hips and gave a smouldering stare to the camera.
At the end of the salsa, Robert winked to the camera while getting a standing ovation from the audience.
The judges couldn’t believe their eyes after watching the performance.
“Robert Irwin is all grown up, wow, you’re making me feel like a grandmother – put your shirt back on. Great performance,” Carrie Ann Inaba said.
There was also the emotional dance he dedicated to his mum Terri Irwin for tribute week.
Terri appeared on stage with her son at the end of the dance, prompting Robert to burst into tears and embrace her.
The touching moment also sparked an emotional reaction for the judges – there wasn’t a dry eye in the room!
Judge Bruno Tonioli told Robert his late father was “looking down and smiling”, adding: “You gave us all of your heart and soul… this was a true expression of everlasting love.”
Irwin also gave us the memorable Halloween Week performance, where he was splattered in blood, as well as the Dancing Through Life routine that caught the attention of Wicked star Jonathan Bailey.
Former Mirrorball champion Bindi Irwin also made an appearance with her brother on the Dancing with the Stars stage.
While he was on the show, Irwin also experienced emotional moments in his personal life, which he bravely shared with the world.
The same week as his tribute dance dedicated to his mum, he shared that their dog Stella had undergone surgery back home in Queensland.
“This is a tough one. I wanted to give an unfortunate update on my sweet little pup, Stella,” he wrote in an Instagram post at the time.
“A mass was discovered that ended up being cancerous. We still don’t know the full extent of the cancer.
“I have faith she’ll be in the clear. She is such an important part of our little fam, so it’s been stressful to say the least, being away from home and away from her while she goes through this.”
Robert also touched on losing his dad, saying whenever he wanted his father, his mum was there and “that was enough.”
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