Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) Season 34 concluded on November 25, 2025 with a dramatic and emotional win for Robert Irwin, who overcame a painful rib injury to lift the coveted Mirrorball trophy.
Just hours before the finale, Irwin’s professional dance partner Witney Carson revealed via a social-media post that Irwin had been suffering from worsening rib pain. She described their bodies as “kind of falling apart” after 11 weeks of intense rehearsals.
Despite the physical toll, the pair delivered three final performances, a Quickstep, a Freestyle, and a Cha-Cha, earning high marks from the judges. In the face of adversity, Irwin’s resilience helped secure the victory.
Robert Irwin belongs to the iconic Irwin family. He is the son of the late wildlife conservationist Steve Irwin and younger brother of Bindi Irwin, who herself won DWTS in 2015. With Robert’s 2025 win, the siblings have become the first brother-sister pair to each win the Mirrorball Trophy, underlining a unique legacy in reality-dance history.
In earlier years, Robert built a public profile as a wildlife conservationist and television presenter, roles rooted in his family's ongoing commitment to wildlife protection. His DWTS journey introduced a different facet of his public persona, while still honouring his family’s legacy.
According to Carson and reports, the rib pain stemmed from the intense physical demand on the intercostal muscles, a common strain in demanding dance routines.
Carson explained that certain elements of their final routine were modified due to the injury. Still, they rehearsed until late night before the show, determined to deliver their best performance.
During the finale, Robert admitted the pain had been worsening yet still executed the Quickstep, a dance that requires strong core and rib-cage control drawing admiration from judges for his “strong frame” and footwork.
A rib injury can range from a simple bruised rib to a cracked or fully fractured rib, and even a severe condition known as “flail chest.”
Injuries typically result from a direct impact (like a fall, car accident, or contact sport), violent coughing, or repetitive chest trauma.
The hallmark symptom is sharp chest pain, especially with deep breathing, coughing, laughing or twisting the body; there may also be tenderness, swelling, and sometimes skin discoloration or bruising. Because ribs protect vital organs such as the lungs, heart, and major blood vessels, a fracture can, in rare cases pose serious risks: punctured lung (pneumothorax), damage to internal organs, or complications like pneumonia if breathing becomes shallow.
Treatment usually focuses on pain relief and supportive care. Since the rib cage cannot be immobilized like an arm or leg, doctors recommend gentle breathing exercises, pain management (e.g., with analgesics), rest, and gradual return to activity. Most rib injuries bruises or fractures heal over a period of 3 to 6 weeks, provided there are no complications.
(Rh/TL)
