In a refreshing display of “wildlife warrior” authenticity, Robert Irwin has admitted that despite his record-breaking success on American television, he was counting down the seconds until he could leave the glitz and glamour of Los Angeles behind. Fresh off his stunning Season 34 win on Dancing With The Stars—where he followed in his sister Bindi’s footsteps to claim the Mirrorball Trophy—Robert wasted no time trading the ballroom for the bush.
Speaking candidly after his win, the 22-year-old conservationist confessed that while his three-month stint in California was “wonderful,” the urban jungle was never going to be his permanent home. “I am not a city kid,” Robert told The West Australian. “I live out in the bush and have grown up there, so it’s good to be back where there’s a bit of greenery.”
From the Red Carpet to the Red Dirt Robert didn’t just leave LA; he practically sprinted toward the wilderness. Immediately following the DWTS finale, he swapped his sequins for his signature khakis to head to South Africa to host the 2026 season of I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!.
“I couldn’t wait to get here, actually,” he added, clearly more comfortable dodging snakes in the jungle than paparazzi in Beverly Hills. For Robert, the call of the wild is far louder than the applause of a studio audience. He shared that being back in a natural environment—even one as intense as the South African veldt—felt like a “homecoming” compared to the “noisy” concrete landscape of Los Angeles.
A Legacy Rooted in Nature While he dominated the US dance floor (even while battling a painful rib injury!), Robert’s heart remains firmly at Australia Zoo. He reaffirmed that his mission remains unchanged: continuing his father Steve Irwin’s legacy. “If Australia were a person, it would be my dad,” he noted in a viral quote, explaining that he feels closest to Steve’s spirit when he is as far away from the city as possible.
It seems that while Robert Irwin can certainly master a Tango, he’d much rather be wrestling a croc. As he puts it, Hollywood was a “life-changing” adventure, but the “greenery” of the bush is where he truly belongs.