The wait was over Tuesday night as “Dancing with the Stars” hosted its season 34 finale. The final five couples stepped back into the ballroom for their last shot at the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy: Robert Irwin and Witney Carson, Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, Jordan Chiles and Ezra Sosa, Dylan Efron and Daniella Karagach, and Elaine Hendrix and Alan Bersten.
And the trophy goes to: “The winners and new champions of Dancing with the Stars are, Robert and Witney,” announced Alfonso.
Before his freestyle, Irwin became emotional, reflecting on the journey that brought him to the finale night. “I want this Freestyle to say thank you to America,” he told Carson. He then broke down, saying he wanted to make his father proud. “I wish he could see it, I really wish he could be here.”
Irwin also credited fans for carrying him through the season. “I just could feel this support,” he said.
During rehearsals, he admitted his ribs were “really painful” and he had to keep stopping to rest. Despite that, Irwin pushed forward.
Behind the scenes, the pain continued. In a TikTok video posted Monday, Carson said Irwin’s “ribs have been killing him” and that viewers would see more during the finale. “More will be revealed on Tuesday,” she promised.
“You guys can get a better idea of what we’ve been dealing with all week on Tuesday,” she said. Carson also revealed she had to alter choreography involving other dancers because of Irwin’s condition. “It’s just honestly the most stressful part.”
Despite everything, she said Irwin refused to slow down. “He’s going to want to rehearse until the very last second. This entire season just feels like the biggest gift. I’m just so thankful.
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He and Carson began their freestyle to “Black & Gold” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights” by Avicii. The gold-lit set matched the high energy as the two flipped, spun and moved across the floor with a team of backup dancers.
Derek Hough praised him first. “Robert, I remember in this very room sitting right there at 11 years old, and now you had just done the most beautiful Freestyle. You are a dancer. You are a phenomenal human being.” He honored the Irwin family legacy as one of “grace and gratitude.”
Bruno Tonioli referenced Steve Irwin in his comments. “He sees you,” he said. “What he’s gonna say is, ‘Mate that was a solid gold 24-karat performance.’”
Carrie Ann Inaba told Irwin she hopes he can absorb the love from fans as a “conciliation” for his dad not being here.
They earned a perfect score.
Score: 30/30
Each finalist performed in three rounds: Judges’ Choice, Instant Dance and Freestyle. Irwin’s biggest physical challenge came early in the night.
During practice for the Judges’ Choice round, Hough surprised Irwin and Carson. He praised Steve Irwin for teaching him “so much” and said Robert was carrying his father’s torch. Hough assigned a quickstep and asked Irwin to “show us a beautiful, wide frame.”
Irwin revealed he had been experiencing worsening intercostal rib pain. “It’s been getting worse progressively,” he said. Carson grew worried. A medic stopped practice to evaluate him and advised adjustments to the routine. “If I push any hard, my body’s gonna break,” Irwin admitted.
Despite that, he performed the quickstep to “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet. He smiled through the routine and kept the energy high.
Hough called him “a Quick Step King.” Tonioli compared him to multiple animals. “He had the acceleration of a cheetah, the footwork, nimble, light, like a gazelle and the power of a lion. You’ve got it!” Inaba attempted a critique, but the crowd booed loudly.
Score: 29/30
Irwin’s next challenge came when he drew the dance he least wanted. During the Instant Dance round, he and Carson were assigned a Cha Cha to “Cake by the Ocean” by DNCE.
“So much cleaner, your placement, you were on fire,” Tonioli told Irwin after the performance. Inaba agreed and praised their partnership. Hough admitted he was nervous for them but said Irwin’s hip rotation was impressive. “That dance is so hard and you did fantastic. Well done.”
Irwin joked about his ribs after the performance. “The ribs are sore, especially after those Cha Cha moves,” he said while talking to Julianne Hough. “But you know, I catch crocodiles and a crocodile has never messed up my ribs like that. Dancing is hard.”
Despite his hesitation, he earned another perfect score.
Score: 30/30
