Robert Irwin reveals why his life is 'dangerous enough' without partying

Fresh off the back of his Dancing With The Stars victory Robert Irwin has opened up on his rollercoaster US trip, while sharing the surprise thing he did to celebrate his birthday.

Robert Irwin reveals how he celebrated his 22nd birthday. Picture: Instagram

While most 20-somethings would go hard hitting the town on their birthday, Robert Irwin understandably kept his celebrations low-key this year.

In fact, arguably Australia’s most famous export wildlife warrior, dance aficionado and TV host isn’t one for hard partying.

“My life is dangerous and adrenaline filled enough without the party vibe, I don’t need any more danger,” Irwin told The Daily Telegraph.

“Oh man, it feels so weird, I am like solidly in my 20s now so I don’t know how I feel about that … but it is good.”

Irwin spoke to the Telegraph exclusively in his first Australian interview since winning Dancing With The Stars with professional dance partner Witney Carson.

He secured the coveted mirror ball trophy exactly a decade after his older sister, Bindi, won her series.

Monday December 1 marked Irwin’s 22nd birthday, which he celebrated quietly in South Africa.

Robert Irwin. Picture: Nicholas Wilson

“It was actually quite nice because it had been such a crazy time that I had a nice little kind of small celebration with my family, with my friends,” he said.

“Julia Morris was there, so it was a party. It was a fun one but it was also an early night because I was like, ‘mate, I’ve been dancing my heart out for the last three months’. I was like, ‘okay, I need to sleep’, so it was actually a very restful birthday which I don’t think many 22-year-olds are having an early night on their 22nd birthday but here we are.”

Robert Irwin and his partner Witney appear on Dancing With The Stars US performing a salsa routine. Picture: Instagram

Irwin and Morris are in South Africa preparing to film the next season of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here!, which they have hosted together for the past two years.

Season 12 will premiere on Channel 10 on January 18 with a host of new celebrities to be put through their paces living off basic food rations while competing in various jungle challenges in a bid to win $100,000 for their chosen charity.

Jumping straight into his next gig has given Irwin little time to reflect on the past few months.

While having lived in the spotlight his entire life, Dancing With The Stars America has elevated the son of late conservationist Steve Irwin to bona fide superstar status in his own right.

He is a hot commodity globally and has everyone from Hollywood (he recorded a cameo as koala Robert Furwin in the latest Zootopia 2 movie that is blitzing the box office) voiced to top brands trying to get his attention.

“I’m still trying to figure that out, it hasn’t really sunk in,” Irwin explained.

“You’ve got to remember, as soon as you finish the finale, you’re on a plane to New York, no sleep, straight into press, boom boom boom. And then you know what I’m like, I’m straight on to the next project. So it honestly hasn’t even really sunk in, but it’s sort of just starting to now.”

Australia Zoo. Chandler, Grace, Bindi, Robert, Terri. Escape 17 March 2024 Why I Travel - Robert Irwin Photo - @roberterwinphotography

Irwin’s sister and mum, Terri, were in the audience throughout the season of Dancing With The Stars US.

He was in tears after one performance that he dedicated to his sister as he danced to the same song (Phil Collins’ You’ll Be In My Heart) Bindi did when she honoured their late father when she competed on the reality show.

“It is such a surreal thing, the amount of full circle moments that happened within that experience was incredible,” he said.

“The Dancing with the Stars studio in America is the only television studio on earth that looks bigger in person than it does on TV, it is grand and incredible, and it’s a spectacle.

“I remember sitting there (at) 11-years-old, watching my sister lift that mirror ball. Then to be there 10 years later, Bindi in the same seat that I was when I was 11-year-old, and there she is watching me doing the same thing, was incredible.

“To have Witney as my dance partner, who was there on Bindi season, to have Derek (Hough), who was her dance partner there at the judges’ table, and to have Alfonso Ribeiro, the host of the show, who won with Witney 11 years ago to the day, they’re giving us our mirror ball, it was just amazing.”

Robert celebrates his 2nd birthday at Australia Zoo with his family, Humphrey B. Bear and Clifford the big red dog. Picture: Lou O'Brien

He continued: “But more than that, and deeper than that, this was a way to represent my message first and foremost and what my family’s all about and the legacy that I carry, but also that I’m trying to create. But it was also about representing Australia. And the love that I felt from home is really what kept me going, honestly. It was incredible and it meant a lot to me to represent my home.”

Irwin is, like many, looking forward to some down time to really soak up the year that has been.

“Christmas will be the first time this year, really, to actually take a little minute and to chill and unwind, which is always great and kind of just reflect on everything that’s been,” he said.

“And what a perfect way to have this transition from such a crazy year into a into a new year in 2026 than with I’m a Celeb. This show now feels like when I’m on it, it’s hard work, but it almost feels like I’m coming home. This whole crew … we’re all mates here, and we’re creating this wonderful, warm little family show that is all of the adrenaline and all of the craziness, but it is just … there’s something so warm about starting the new year off with I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here. It just feels right. It just feels really, really good to be among friends after such a whirlwind trip.”

Originally published as Robert Irwin reveals why his life is 'dangerous enough' without partying