Could The Late Steve Irwin Have Succeeded On ‘Dancing With The Stars’? His Family’s Surprising Answer
on Jul 21, 2026
Steve Irwin tragically died in 2006 at the age of 44, leaving behind his family, the Australia Zoo, and a legacy that continues to advocate for wildlife conservation.
His death has also left behind questions…
While some questions are more serious, the late Crocodile Hunter‘s son, Robert Irwin; and his widow, Terri Irwin, were recently asked about whether they think Steve would’ve competed on Dancing with the Stars if he were still alive.
Their answer was surprising.
RELATED: Robert Irwin Is Reportedly In A New Relationship, And They Have A Lot In Common
Watch Robert And Terri Irwin Speak On What They Think About Steve’s ‘DWTS’ Potential
A clip from the red carpet of the 2026 Steve Irwin Gala, held back in May, is circulating online as Robert has begun hosting the new Dancing with the Stars spinoff, Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro.
There, the question of whether the late Steve Irwin would have done Dancing with the Stars is posed to Steve’s son, Robert; and his widow, Terri.
While the question inspired a laugh from both of them, their answer was a swift and resounding, “No.”
Still, think of how expressive Steve was on Crocodile Hunter, and how agile he was as he jumped to avoid crocodiles, snakes, and other dangerous critters.
Further, he couldn’t be as bad at dancing as conservative commentator Tucker Carlson (who was memorably on Season 3 of Dancing with the Stars)…
After all, Robert won Season 34 of the show, so maybe he’d fare well?
Expounding on her answer, Terri said that Steve probably wouldn’t have done any kind of celebrity competitive show.
Terri then shared of a moment that she says left an impression that has stuck with those who witnessed it “for nearly 30 years,” recounting how Steve was invited to hop onstage with Russell Crowe’s old band, 30 Odd Foot Of Grunts, in the late ’90s.
“Steve got up on stage with him … and they gave him a tambourine, and the whole band still talks about Steve’s complete lack of rhythm,” Terri said.
Robert chimed in, “Only person I’ve seen to just not understand the concept of rhythm.”
Terri added, “There was none.”
Turning to his mother, Robert said, “So, the musicality genetics must’ve come from you.”
Even that got a reserved response, as Terri hesitantly offered an “I don’t know.”
See a brief example of Steve Irwin dancing during his special 2002 episode on The Wiggles, starting at timestamp 1:08, here:
Watch them discuss the late Steve Irwin’s potential on Dancing with the Stars, here:
Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro airs on ABC on Mondays at 8 p.m. EST.
RELATED: Remember When Tucker Carlson Was On ‘Dancing With The Stars’?
