Dancing with the Stars is perhaps one of the most popular competition-based television shows these days. People adore the show and have a lot of oppinions about it as a result.
One of these opinions revolves around the winner of Dancing with the Stars from season 34.
This season’s champion was Robert Irwin, the son of the late wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin. His sister, Bindi Irwin, also earned the Mirrorball Trophy roughly a decade ago. Like his father, the young Irwin has dedicated his life to wildlife conservation.
He secured the win alongside his professional dance partner, Whitney Carson.
Irwin and Carson gave everything they had in the finale; their energetic performance won over audiences. Their fellow finalists this season included Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten, and Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach.
All finalists performed three routines: the Judges’ Choice dance, an Instant Dance, and a Freestyle. In the Judges’ Choice round, each pair selected a final ballroom or Latin style.
For the Instant Dance, contestants were challenged to learn a routine in just a few minutes. The Freestyle round allowed them to showcase a high-energy performance of their choice.
Fans voted for their favorite couples, and these votes were combined with judges’ scores to determine the winner.
Irwin and Carson impressed throughout. They delivered a Quickstep to Jet’s “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” for Judges’ Choice, danced to Sam Sparro’s “Black & Gold” and Avicii’s “The Nights” for their Freestyle, and performed a lively Cha Cha to “Cake by the Ocean” for the Instant Dance.
Both Earle and Chmerkovskiy, as well as Irwin and Carson, reportedly received more votes than any contestants in the show’s history. Judge Julianne Hough said the margin between the top two was the closest she had ever seen. In the end, Robert Irwin and Whitney Carson were crowned the winners.
But not everyone agreed with the outcome. Many viewers argued that Earle and Chmerkovskiy deserved the win. One fan wrote, “Alix Earle was robbed — her finale dance was incredible.” Another added, “My first #DWTS and even though Robert was amazing, Alix Earle should have won.”
Ahead of the finale, Witney Carson revealed that Irwin had been dealing with rib pain but kept pushing through. She mentioned how the two had grown close during the season, and how Irwin kept his father’s memory close by wearing a sentimental shirt of his to every rehearsal.
Irwin explained that the worn shirt, full of tears and missing buttons, represented the way his father lived: “At 100%.” Before every performance, he said he always did the dance once in his dad’s shirt, as it made him feel grounded and connected to home.
After the show, Robert shared that he would head straight to New York and then to South Africa for a project, before returning to Australia. He also revealed that Witney Carson would join him there.
Reflecting on his DWTS journey, Irwin said, “I’ve been able to create my own legacy with Witney as we tell stories of positivity, vulnerability, passion and fun.” He added, “I’m a proud Wildlife Warrior, and I’ll always continue my dad’s mission. I’m grateful that I got to express that in the ballroom.”
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