Robert Irwin opens up about going from 'DWTS' winner to 'Next Pro' host
Robert Irwin is back in the "Dancing with the Stars" universe as host of the upcoming spinoff, "Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro."
This time, instead of getting down on the ballroom floor, the "DWTS" season 34 Mirrorball winner will be guiding a new group of dancers as they vie for a spot as the next pro on the "DWTS" reality competition show.
At first glance, Irwin's transition from zookeeper at Australia Zoo to dancer, reality show winner, and now host may seem unorthodox, but Irwin told "Good Morning America" in an interview Wednesday that everything has fallen into place seamlessly.
"I feel like going from contestant to host, first of all, I'm not getting judged, so that's great. The other thing is, also, I feel like I can be, in some way, a bit of a mentor, because I'm obviously not the best dancer, but I had the best partner, I had Witney Carson," Irwin said, referring to his "DWTS" season 34 partner and choreographer. "So, I know what it is to have a great pro partner teaching me ... I can say to these hopefuls, 'Hey, this is what it takes.'"
Irwin said being a "DWTS" competitor and returning as a host felt more nerve-wracking than his day job wrangling wild animals like crocodiles at Australia Zoo.
"You know, when a crocodile is striking out at you, he's gonna try and bite ya -- but when you get on the dance floor, anything could happen, it's a whole different kettle of fish," he said.
"The Next Pro" will follow 12 emerging ballroom dancers as they progress through a multi-step audition process.
"On 'The Next Pro,' we're watching -- these aren't celebrity contestants that have given [ballroom dancing] a go, these are the best in the industry, so it is hard," Irwin said. "It is really, really hard."
The winner of "The Next Pro" will earn a life-changing spot as a pro dancer on season 35 of "Dancing with the Stars."
"We actually filmed 'The Next Pro' right down the road from Australia Zoo," Irwin explained. "Showing all of my dance family Australia Zoo, welcoming them in, I got them their own khaki uniforms -- they're in there cuddling koalas and wrangling crocodiles."
As for the next "DWTS" season, Irwin said he's looking forward to rooting for "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" personality Guillermo Rodriguez, who was announced as a new cast member last month.
Irwin said he also caught up with new cast member Jackson Olson, the Savannah Bananas' second baseman.
"I said, 'Mate, the thing is, anyone who does this show, I say, you've got to lean in, you've got to let go, enjoy the process, trust your partner, and try to tell your story,'" Irwin said. "That's what sets 'Dancing with the Stars' apart. It's so much more than dancing. We can tell a message."
"Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro" premieres Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. EDT/PDT on ABC and streams the next day on Hulu and Hulu on Disney+.
The Walt Disney Co. is the parent company of ABC News, Disney+ and Hulu.
