Just when you thought the Irwin family couldn't get any more charmingly ubiquitous, Robert Irwin — fresh off his Dancing with the Stars win in December 2025 — is stepping into a new pair of shoes. Literally. The 22-year-old Australian is slated to host Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro. Because apparently, winning isn't enough; now you have to oversee the hopefuls.
This also means that between Robert's Mirrorball trophy and his sister Bindi's win almost a decade prior, the Irwin family now officially owns a significant portion of the DWTS hall of fame. Someone check the property deeds.
The Next Step in Reality Dance Domination
Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro will sashay onto ABC on July 13, 2026. The premise is delightfully straightforward, if not a little cutthroat: twelve fresh-faced dancers will live together, compete, and likely engage in some dramatic side-eye, all for the coveted title of becoming the newest professional dancer on the main Dancing with the Stars series. It's like Big Brother meets a sequin factory.
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Start Your News DetoxIrwin, a man known for his palpable charisma (a trait he shares with his legendary late father, Steve Irwin), has waxed poetic about his time on the show. He told People it was "life-changing," helping him connect with new audiences and express himself in ways he hadn't before. Which, if you think about it, is a pretty profound outcome for a show involving weekly spray tans and interpretive dance.
His experience as a contestant gives him a unique insight into the sheer agony and ecstasy of those dance rehearsals. Fans are, predictably, thrilled to see him guide the next generation of twinkle-toed hopefuls. One can only imagine the dad jokes he's already perfecting.
