Robert Irwin is still feeling the aftermath of his daring Dancing With the Stars performance. During TikTok Night, the Australian conservationist made headlines by dramatically removing his glittery blue shirt while performing a “Million Dollar Baby” salsa with partner Witney Carson. The routine earned the pair an impressive 22 out of 30 points and sparked a flurry of attention on social media.
The 21-year-old shared a clip of the performance on Instagram, describing the experience as “so much FUN to let loose and show a different side” of himself. He also expressed gratitude to Carson for helping him discover his “inner cool.”
Robert Irwin also offered a playful apology to his mother, Terri, and older sister Bindi, who were in the audience during his steamy Dancing With the Stars performance.
Speaking to ABC7 after the show, Irwin joked, “We thought we’d take it easy on the costume department tonight and just go as few clothes as possible.” He added that his goal was to show a cooler side of himself. Turning to his family, he said, “My whole family were in the audience. ’Sorry, guys, sorry about that!’”
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Irwin clarified that his family had been warned he might remove his shirt, but weren’t prepared for the full effect of his sultry moves. “My mom and sister were in the audience, and they didn’t know I was doing that,” he explained. “I said the shirt may come off, but they weren’t expecting, like, the hips.”
Professional partner Witney Carson admitted she had second thoughts about highlighting Irwin’s six-pack, worried he might be distracted by the flood of social media messages. “I had so many moments of regret. I was like, did I make the right choice taking his shirt off?” she told ET.
“Girls. Let’s take it down a little,” added professional partner Witney Carson, reflecting on the steamy routine.
In an interview with Extra, Robert Irwin revealed that the decision to remove his shirt was a collaborative idea between him and Carson. He also didn’t rule out doing it again in future performances.
“I mean, it’s TikTok Week. We got to take the RIZZ to another level. No cap,” Irwin said. “I want to take people on a journey in this experience and really just pump out some positivity, enjoy, and let loose. Part of that is finding that cool side and owning every side of who you are.
So, it was so much fun. And you know what? Maybe I’ll do it again.”