Robert Irwin is set to compete on season 34 of Dancing with the Stars. As he does so, he hopes that he can honor his late father, Steve Irwin. During a recent interview with People, Robert admitted that he didn’t know what his dad would think of him joining the show. At the same time, he sees his participation in the dancing competition as true to how Steve lived his life: “He just showed what it was to truly live life at 100 percent,” Robert said.
Robert explained how he plans to honor his father.
Robert’s commitment to honoring his later father is evident. The 21-year-old continues to do wildlife conservation work, carries on his father’s mission, and shares stories and memories that honor Steve. Now, he hopes to honor his father on Dancing with the Stars.
“He’d always go, ‘I don’t care if people remember me, I want people to remember my message and what I stand for,'” Robert recalled when speaking to People. “And I think people remember his message and him. I mean, he just showed what it was to truly live life at 100 percent and above anything else, he was just the greatest dad, always there for us.”
Though Robert doesn’t know exactly how his father would feel about his participation in the competition, he aims to “make him proud.”
He added, “I just hope to keep his legacy alive, his spirit, his sense of just love for life. And so if I can bring that kind of energy into the ballroom and honor him and his legacy, then I’ve done my job.”
Robert’s sister, Bindi, won season 21 of DWTS.
Dancing with the Stars might be a new adventure for Robert, but he’s not the first person in his family to compete on the show. Ten years ago, in 2015, Bindi won the competition, and now she’s sharing some advice with her younger brother. When this year’s contestants appeared on Good Morning America on Wednesday, September 3, the hosts shared a message from Bindi with Robert.
“Hey, Robert! I am so excited that you are embarking on your Dancing With The Stars journey — oh my goodness,” Bindi said. “After being on the show ten years ago, my best advice is to just lean into the experience. This is going to change your entire life, and you are going to remember this forever. I am so proud of you, let your personality shine, you’ve got this and I can’t wait to cheer you on every week.”
Robert was clearly touched by the sweet message, and many fans were as well. Reacting to a clip of the heartfelt moment on Instagram, one fan wrote, “The Irwin family are national treasures! 😢” Another fan added, “Steve would be so proud of those two.”
It’s clear that Robert’s excited for the competition.
In an Instagram Reel shared ahead of the full cast announcement on Wednesday, Robert admitted that he has struggled to keep his dancing partner a secret, as he has known who his partner is “for a while” now. He shared that he was “so excited” for the announcement and for what’s to come. Robert has been paired with Witney Carson, and season 34 is set to premiere on Tuesday, September 16 at 8 p.m.
