If you haven't been keeping up with the sparkles and the spray tans lately, you probably missed one of the most emotional finales in the history of reality television. Seriously. The energy in that ballroom was something else.
By the time the glitter settled on the floor of the Season 34 finale on November 25, 2025, it was Robert Irwin who stood there holding the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy. He did it.
It wasn't just a win; it was a legacy moment. Exactly ten years after his sister, Bindi Irwin, took home her own trophy in Season 21, Robert and his partner Witney Carson managed to pull off the same feat. People were actually crying in the studio. You've probably seen the clips on social media of Robert clutching that trophy with tears streaming down his face, quoting his sister’s famous line: "Thank you for changing my life!"
Honestly, he wasn't the only one fighting for that top spot. This season was stacked with talent that made the voting closer than it’s ever been in the show's 20-year run.
Why Robert Irwin’s Victory Was Such a Big Deal
Robert Irwin coming out on top was a bit of a rollercoaster. He’s 21, he’s a wildlife conservationist, and let's be real—he’s basically the most wholesome person on the planet. But he wasn't just "the kid who likes crocodiles." He actually had rhythm.
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Witney Carson, who returned to the show this season, pushed him incredibly hard. Toward the end, it wasn't all smiles and easy rehearsals. Robert was actually struggling with a pretty nasty rib injury in the final days. Witney mentioned on TikTok that she had to swap out some of the choreography because he was in so much pain, but the guy just refused to slow down. He wore his late father Steve Irwin’s shirt to every single rehearsal as a good luck charm. You can’t make this stuff up. It’s the kind of TV magic that producers dream about.
His final freestyle was set to a mashup of "Black & Gold" by Sam Sparro and "The Nights" by Avicii. It was high-energy, full of flips, and earned a perfect 30/30. That performance really sealed the deal for the voters at home.
The Final Standings: Who Else Almost Won?
The finale wasn't a one-horse race. In fact, Alix Earle was a massive threat. The "Alix Earle effect" is real, and her fanbase showed up in droves. She and Val Chmerkovskiy ended up in second place, which was a huge deal for the influencer. She spent a lot of the season talking about how she wanted to "prove herself" beyond just being a social media personality, and her samba in the finale was genuinely impressive.
Here is how the rest of the leaderboard shook out at the very end:
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- First Place: Robert Irwin & Witney Carson
- Second Place: Alix Earle & Val Chmerkovskiy
- Third Place: Jordan Chiles & Ezra Sosa
- Fourth Place: Dylan Efron & Daniella Karagach
- Fifth Place: Elaine Hendrix & Alan Bersten
Jordan Chiles, the Olympic gymnast, was technically the best dancer for much of the season. She and Ezra Sosa brought an athletic power to the stage that usually wins this show. Her freestyle featured a cameo by Normani, and judge Carrie Ann Inaba called it one of the best she’d ever seen. Why did she get third? It likely came down to the fan vote. The show is as much a popularity contest as it is a dance competition, and Robert and Alix had massive, vocal fanbases that stayed active throughout the night.
The Drama You Didn't See on Camera
Behind the scenes, the 2025 season was kind of chaotic.
Elaine Hendrix, who most people remember from The Parent Trap, was hospitalized earlier in the season. She had a rib injury during "Wicked Night" and actually had to miss the Halloween episode entirely. Most people thought she’d drop out, but she came back and made it all the way to fifth place. At 54, she was the "vibrant veteran" of the group, and she looked like she was having the time of her life.
Then you have Dylan Efron—Zac Efron's younger brother. He was a bit of a dark horse. He won the third season of The Traitors right before joining the ballroom, so he already had a competitive edge. He and Daniella Karagach were the masters of the emotional contemporary dance, specifically one he dedicated to his sister Olivia that left everyone a mess.
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Records Were Shattered
According to Alfonso Ribeiro, the Season 34 finale broke several records. Over 72 million votes were cast during the three-hour finale alone. Across the whole season, that number climbed over 500 million.
The gap between Robert and Alix was apparently razor-thin. It was the closest margin between a first and second-place finisher in the history of the series. If a few thousand people had changed their minds, we might be talking about Alix Earle as the champion right now.
What’s Next for the Mirrorball Champ?
Robert isn't taking a break. He’s already confirmed he’s heading back to South Africa to co-host the Australian version of I’m a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. He’s basically going from the ballroom straight back to the jungle.
If you’re wondering about Season 35, ABC hasn't officially given the green light yet, but with the ratings they saw this year, it’s a safe bet. The show feels revitalized.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
- Watch the Freestyle: If you haven't seen Robert and Witney's "The Nights" freestyle, find it on YouTube. It explains exactly why he won.
- Follow the Tour: Robert, Witney, Jordan, and Dylan are all scheduled to appear on the Dancing with the Stars Live Tour in early 2026. If you want to see them in person, tickets are usually gone pretty fast.
- Check Out the Soundtrack: The music choices this season were surprisingly modern. If you’re looking for a workout playlist, the finale tracks are a great place to start.
The Irwin family now holds two Mirrorball trophies. It's a pretty cool ending to a season that started with a lot of skepticism about the cast. It turns out, watching a zookeeper learn how to foxtrot is exactly what everyone wanted to see.