Dancing with the Starswill be returning to ABC and Disney+ for its 34th season, it was announced today with Alfonso Ribeiro and Julianne Hough returning as co-hosts and Carrie Ann Inaba, Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough back at the judges’ table.
Parade can now share that wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin will join as the first celebrity cast member. The reveal was made at HULU’s Get Real inaugural event.
Robert Irwin
Courtesy: Australia Zoo
Irwin will be following in the footsteps of his sister Bindi Irwin, who took home the Mirrorball Trophy in Season 21 alongside her professional partner, Derek Hough.
Back in 2022, when speaking to ET, Irwin said, “I’d definitely give it go. “I don’t know how far I’d go, but it’d be entertaining.” Adding of Bindi, he said, “I reckon you could give me some tips. I think it’d be a lot of fun.”
Irwin, the son of late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, recently made news for a cheeky new underwear campaign for Australian brand Bonds that he agreed to do in order to bring awareness to animal conservation. The “Made for Down Under” campaign involved posing with snakes, lizards, and spiders. And Australia is known for being home to the most venomous animals.
Robert Irwin
Courtesy: Australia Zoo
“We are all trying to continue an important legacy that my dad started,” he told People. “I’ve gotten to find my own individual ways of doing that, and sometimes that comes in the form of modeling Bonds! It seems so out of the ordinary for what I would do, but I get to be with Aussie Wildlife, I get to approach a new audience, a new platform, and get my wildlife conservation message out there to more people. And that is what means so much to me and my family.”
Related: Derek Hough Names the 1 Celeb He’d Love to See Next on Dancing with the Stars (Exclusive)
To prepare for the photo shoot for Bonds, Irwin said he did more sit-ups and had less carbs than he ever had in his life, so if he keeps it up between now and the start of DWTS, he should be in great shape to get out on the ballroom floor.
“I’ve got to stay pretty fit with all the crazy stuff I’m doing,” Irwin also told the magazine. “I’m saving crocodiles, I’m in and out of the Aussie bush every day and it’s hard work, so you’ve got to keep pretty good upper body strength, good stamina.”
The full cast of celebrities and pro dancers for Season 34 will be announced at a later date.
Dancing with the Stars will air this fall on ABC and Disney+, and stream next day on Hulu.
Next, Everything You Need To Know About Dancing with the Stars Season 34 (Including When It May Premiere)
