Robert Irwin’s Mom Terri Irwin Reveals if She Would Compete on Dancing With the Stars
The Irwin family may be adding a third Mirrorball trophy to their collection one day.
In fact, Terri Irwin—whose kids Robert Irwin and Bindi Irwin both won their respective seasons of Dancing with the Stars—shared her thoughts on the possibility of throwing on her dancing shoes to compete on the ABC reality series in the future.
“I’ll review the petition,” the Australian conservationalist, 61, exclusively told E! News in a joint interview with her son at the 3rd Annual Steve Irwin Gala at the Bellagio in Las Vegas May 2, “and get back to you in five to seven business days.”
“I am honored to be asked if I would do it because it’s an amazing thing,” she continued. “I remember Bindi saying, ‘This is the closest you’ll ever get to flying. You feel free. It’s euphoric. It’s amazing.'”
Indeed, the TV personality expressed her awe at the athleticism of the professional dancers as they lead their celebrity partners in the ballroom.
“The guys will often, when you see them, they’ll just grab and engage, twirl you around a little bit,” Terri explained. “The dancing has gotta be the most athletic, incredible, moving experience that you could have, so I think it would be really special.”
And Robert—who won the most recent season of DWTS with partner Witney Carson—assured that he’ll get his mom on board no matter what it takes, saying, “I’ll get her. Don’t worry. We’re gonna get her on the next season. I’m gonna make it happen!”
As for the pro the 22-year-old would choose to pair his mom with, Robert named Val Chmerkovskiy, who has three Mirrorballs under his belt.
“Mum, I’d think you’d dance so well with Val,” he told Terri. “That would be really fun.”
And the season 34 champion isn’t alone in thinking Val would be the perfect pick to take his mom for a spin on the dance floor, as his DWTS partner Witney Carson also agreed.
“I think that she would be best paired with someone who’s seasoned, but can really have fun with her,” the 32-year-old exclusively told E! in a separate interview at the Steve Irwin Gala. “Dare I say Val.”
“Val would be really great with her because he’s able to be very strict and guide her through everything,” she added, “but able to have a lot of fun in the rehearsal room too.”
Ethan Miller/Getty Images
Meanwhile, like Robert, Witney expressed her hope that Terri will one day join Dancing with the Stars. In fact, the professional dancer can already see the Australia Zoo owner’s potential.
“She’s the last Irwin. We’ve got to get Terri on the show. I think she would do incredible. We had her do a little bit in our dedication dance,” Witney explained, referring to Terri’s cameo in her and Robert’s emotional contemporary performance in October. “She was adding things. She wanted to do a passé. She was adding a flick. I was like, ‘Go Terri!'”
To learn more about the beloved Irwin family, read on…
–Reporting by John Redmann
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
Steve Irwin
Being the Crocodile Hunter was more than Steve Irwin‘s career—it was his destiny.
“I was born into it,” he told Yahoo! Australia in 2002. “Didn’t have a choice.”
From a young age, Steve joined his herpetologist dad Bob Irwin and wildlife rehabilitator mom Lyn Irwin on expeditions and helped at their reptile park in Australia’s Queensland. He captured and relocated crocodiles as part of a public safety and conservation effort by the government.
In 1991, Steve took over his parents’ reptile park. It was there he met wife Terri Irwin while she was visiting from Oregon. After they wed in 1992, they began filming the docuseries The Crocodile Hunter.Steve and Terri continued their passion of spreading conservation education through their TV shows and park, which they grew into the Australia Zoo, and became parents to daughter Bindi Irwin and son Robert Irwin.
Steve died on September 4, 2006, after a stingray’s barb entered his heart while he was filming in the Great Barrier Reef. He was 44.
Today, his legacy lives on through his work and family.
“The proudest thing I’ve achieved personally,” he said in a video shared by Australia Zoo, “is my children.”
Monica Schipper/Getty Images for Discovery, Inc.
Terri Irwin
Like Steve, Terri developed a love of animals at an early age—working at an emergency veterinary hospital and wildlife rehabilitation organization before meeting her perfect mate.
“I think it’s definitely fate that brought us together,” she told Oprah Winfrey in 2002, “and that ability to seize opportunity and not be afraid. Steve’s really good at not being afraid. But when I met him and he said, ‘Do you want to get married and live in the Australian bush and catch crocodiles with me?’ It was a bit of a leap of faith to say here’s a wonderful opportunity in the most incredible, wonderful, sexy guy I’ve ever met.”
After Steve’s death, Terri continues to run Australia Zoo, lead their nonprofit Wildlife Warriors and drive conservation efforts. She also released her book My Steve in 2007, became an Australian citizen in 2009 and starred on the show Crikey! It’s the Irwins with her kids from 2018 to 2022.
“My life is very full and very rich,” she told Us Weekly in May 2025. “And every day I wish Steve was here, but I’m so lucky.”
Jamie McCarthy/Getty Images for Endometriosis Foundation of America
Bindi Irwin
Born in July 1998, Bindi has grown up on fans’ screens.
After making her TV debut on The Crocodile Hunter, she went on to star on shows like Bindi: The Jungle Girl and Crikey! It’s the Irwins. She also won season 21 of Dancing With the Stars in 2015.
In addition to following in her parents’ footsteps with her conservation work, Bindi is the author of the children’s book You Are a Wildlife Warrior!: Saving Animals & the Planet and an advocate for those battling endometriosis, having shared her own journey.
She’s ushering in the next generation of Irwins, too. In 2021, she and husband Chandler Powell welcomed their first daughter together, Grace Warrior Irwin Powell.
And, of course, keep her dad’s memory alive remains a priority.
“To the world, you will forever be remembered as the greatest Wildlife Warrior,” she wrote on Instagram in February 2025. “To me, you’ll always be the most incredible dad and now our family’s guiding light. I love you and I miss you every day.”
Stewart Cook/Disney via Getty Images
Robert Irwin
Five years after Bindi was born, Robert made his debut in December 2003.
And just like his family, he has used the power of television to teach others about nature, including on series like Wild But True and Crikey! It’s the Irwins.
Separately, Robert has hosted shows like I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!, done some modeling and won season 34 of Dancing With the Stars. He also knows his way behind the camera and is a wildlife photographer.
Otherwise, he stays plenty busy working at the Australia Zoo and continuing his dad’s work.
“He is my superhero. He always will be,” Robert told BBC Radio 2 in 2024. “He was I think a superhero to an entire generation. There is not a day goes by where someone doesn’t share a story about him. To hear that, it really means the absolute world. It’s an honor. It really is an honor to make sure everything he lived and died for continues.”
Instagram / Bindi Irwin
Chandler Powell
Just like Steve and Terri, Bindi and Chandler met when the Florida native was visiting the Australia Zoo.
In 2013, Chandler (then a professional wakeboarder) was in Australia for a competition and went on a zoo tour led by Bindi.
“We hit it off right away,” he recalled on a 2024 episode of the In Real Life Podcast. “There was no looking back as soon as we met each other. It was like we were on the same wavelength immediately.”
Because they were just teenagers at the time, Chandler spoke to Bindi’s mom before pursuing a relationship.
“I didn’t hear from Chandler for quite a while afterwards,” Bindi told Entertainment Tonight in 2016, “and that’s because he sent a letter asking if he could stay in contact with me.”
In a full-circle moment, they then tied the knot at the Australia Zoo in 2020.
“Marrying your best friend …” Bindi wrote on Instagram in May 2025, “10/10 would recommend.”
Instagram / Bindi Irwin
Grace Warrior Irwin Powell
Grace entered the world in March 2021 and quickly inherited her family’s love of wildlife. Although, Bindi isn’t having her daughter get close to the crocodiles yet.
“When she is 18, and if she wants to help us feed the crocodiles, that’s great—but not now and not anytime soon,” she told TODAY.com in February 2025. “I understand how wildlife behaves and…I don’t ever have Grace in a situation or meeting an animal that she’s not ready for. Her world pretty much revolves around koalas, tortoises, giraffes and red pandas… which I know she’s totally good with.”
And yes, Grace knows all about her grandfather Steve.
“I always said I want to make sure that Grace knows Dad, her ‘Grandpa Crocodile’ as she calls him,” Bindi gushed to Us Weekly in May 2024, “and it’s really special watching her just loving the documentaries.”
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