Robert Irwin hits back over nasty stories about his relationship with mum Terri

Robert Irwin has responded to nasty and “inaccurate” reports about his relationship with his mother Terri Irwin.

Julia Morris was forced to defend her I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! co-host Robert Irwin amid nasty reports about his mother, Terri Irwin.

The comedian and the wildlife warrior appeared on The Kyle & Jackie O Show on Monday morning to discuss their Gold Logie nominations at next month’s TV Week Logie Awards when Kyle Sandilands expressed his surprise that Robert’s 60-year-old mother did not join him in the studio for the interview.

“Are you saying that the press reports are inaccurate that everywhere you go, your mother’s there?” Kyle asked.

“I hear it all the time but I don’t believe it’s even true.”

Robert Irwin initially laughed off the reports on The Kyle and Jackie O Show...

... before explaining he and his family became a tight unit following the death of his dad Steve Irwin in 2006.

Robert, 20, laughed off the reports, sarcastically saying, “Who would’ve thought press reports are inaccurate?”

But his co-host went into full mama bear mode as she came to his defence.

“Can I just address that because it drives me absolutely nuts,” she said on-air. “It takes all my strength not to go onto the internet and go absolutely spare every time [Robert and Terri headlines are] written. All I want you to do is every time you see that written that, you know, ‘Terri hangs around’, I want you to go directly to who’s written that story and know that that person hates their parents.”

Robert’s I’m A Celeb co-host Julia Morris defended him against the nasty reports.

“If you’ve got parents that are as unbelievably awesome as Terri, and you have a great relationship, you want them to be around at all times,” she added. “If you’re trying to hide stuff from your parents, or your parents are constantly badgering or at you, then you don’t want them around and you can’t get why anyone would want their parents around, you know?”

Robert said that what people need to understand is that he, his mother and sister Bindi Irwin became especially tight after the death of Steve Irwin in 2006.

Robert says the trio’s dynamic completely changed after their massive loss, but he loves being super-close with his mum and older sister, 25,

“I think loss brings a family together like nothing else. People forget,” he said. “I think when we lost dad, our little tight knit family unit became incredibly tight.”

“And we travel with the whole family everywhere most of the time. It’s nice.”

Robert says losing family patriarch Steve Irwin in 2006 brought him, his sister Bindi and mum Terri closer together. Picture: Ethan Miller / Getty Images via AFP

In recent months, however, various outlets have suggested that mother and son are unhealthily joined at the hip, with Bindi reportedly needing to step in to tell their mother to leave Robert alone, especially after his break-up with girlfriend Rorie Buckey in February.

“Robert didn’t want Terri involved from the get-go, but not in a bad way - he wanted to work out for himself if Rorie was The One,” a source apparently told Woman’s Day.

“Bindi supported Robert knowing what she’s been through years earlier when she was first dating [now-husband] Chandler [Powell] and will have told her mum to let him live his life and trust that if he needs them he’ll reach out, and that goes for the break-up too - he needs to deal with it in his own way.”

Robert has stood by his mum since his dad Steve Irwin died. Picture: Liam Kidston

Robert was just two years old when Steve passed away.

Meanwhile, an anonymous producer on I’m A Celeb allegedly came forward to the Daily Mail to express their concerns over Terri needing to be on the set while they were filming in South Africa.

“It is giving ‘bringing your-mum-to-school-camp vibes,” the producer supposedly claimed.

“The two have an excellent relationship and Terri couldn’t be nicer, but there are not many situations where employees will have their mum at work with them, just to make sure everything is above board.”

Robert and Rorie Buckey split in February after one year of dating. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty Images

Fans on social media have also been relentless in their scrutiny, seemingly buying into the reports.

“Is Robert and his mother joined at the hip. She is in every pic you see of him,” one person tweeted, while another said, “He’s 20 now!”

But it isn’t all hate with many applauding Robert and Terri’s close bond.

“People saying why Robert has he’s mum in so many photos. Remember every day is precious. Life is fragile. The Irwin’s like millions of other families have experienced loss on a monumental scale,” one wrote.

“Steve was larger than life. It’s lovely that they do spend so much time with each other. Don’t be so critical,” another chimed in.

One more added: “What is wrong with someone having a close relationship with their mother?”

Originally published as Robert Irwin hits back over nasty stories about his relationship with mum Terri