Robert Irwin has officially confirmed his role as host of the forthcoming US Dancing With The Stars spin-off, but many fans appear more captivated by the size of his biceps.
Event Announcement
The 22-year-old Wildlife Warrior was prominently featured at Hulu's Get Real event in Los Angeles on Thursday, where the streaming platform unveiled its 2026 reality show lineup, including Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro, which Irwin will host. He took to Instagram on Thursday to share the news with followers via a video that included scenes from the Hulu event.
The clip opened with Irwin sitting in a car alongside his Dancing With The Stars partner Witney Carson. Dressed in a form-fitting tank top, Irwin's gym-honed arms were prominently displayed. 'We are on our way to make a very exciting announcement,' he said as Carson flexed her biceps. 'Oh wow,' Irwin responded, flexing his own bicep. 'That's not the announcement that we're making. We have something that we've kind of both been working on for a while.' With that, the pair fist-bumped before Irwin added: 'Boom.'
The video then cut to Irwin at the Hulu event, where he was escorted onto the stage by professional dancer Shirley Ballas, who will serve as a judge on the show alongside her son and three-time Mirrorball champion Mark Ballas. The announcement drew enthusiastic applause from the audience, and Ballas was quick to praise Irwin. 'Robert is the most amazing host I have ever worked with in my entire life,' she said. An excited Irwin replied: 'I just want to start dancing, Shirley.'
Fan Reactions
While many fans were quick to congratulate Irwin on the new gig, others were more impressed with the size of his 'guns'. 'No, the muscle-off at the beginning,' one fan commented, adding laughing and flexed biceps emojis. Another chimed in, begging Irwin to divulge his workout routine. 'I really do need that bicep routine and if you say it's just from wrestling crocodiles I will scream,' they wrote. A third added: 'I wasn't ready for the muscles.' A fourth summed up the sentiment of many with: 'All the women trying to get on his arms lawl.'
About the Spin-Off
The Next Pro will follow 12 dancing hopefuls competing for a spot as a professional dancer on the next season of Dancing With The Stars. The group will be joined by a lineup of returning pros who will serve as rotating mentors and guest judges. The spin-off is set to premiere in the US on July 13 on ABC, with episodes available the following day on Hulu.
Future Prospects
2026 is proving to be a significant year for Irwin, with sources recently claiming that Network Ten is looking to recruit him to front a rebooted Australian Ninja Warrior as part of a major push to secure him across multiple flagship shows. 'Robert is exactly what Ten needs right now,' an insider told Daily Mail this month, indicating that the network wants Irwin to work on more than just I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! Behind the scenes, negotiations are reportedly already underway, with the network keen to position the Wildlife Warrior as the new face of Ten.
However, other networks appear to have similar ideas, with some of Ten's biggest competitors already looking to poach the in-demand star. Insiders claim Seven Network has plans to secure Irwin as the future host of Dancing With The Stars, following his win on the US version of the series. 'Seven sees huge potential in him,' the insider revealed. 'They think he could take DWTS into a new era.' DWTS Australia is currently hosted by Sonia Kruger and Dr Chris Brown. Daily Mail first reported Irwin's involvement with the spin-off in March.
