Robert Irwin's surprise next step announced with shirtless appearance
From the jungle to the dance floor!
Robert Irwin has announced he is joining the new season of US Dancing With The Stars – and he did so in spectacular fashion.
The 21-year-old shared the news with fans at the Hulu Get Real event in LA on Tuesday, arriving at the gathering shirtless while holding a snake around his neck as a rendition of The Troggs' hit song Wild Thing played in the background.
'All I can say is crikey!' Robert, told the crowd, before directly addressing DWTS judge Derek Hough. 'Also Derek, you wore your khakis. I love it, man.'
'Mate, I cannot tell you what an honour, what a privilege it is to be joining this season. I am over the moon. Let's do this.'
It seems joining the series has always been a dream for the I'm A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! host. It would also mean following in the footsteps of his sister Bindi Irwin, who appeared and won US DWTS in 2015 aged just 17.
'I can wrangle crocs, but can I Paso Doble? It'd be really fun,' Robert told Yahoo Lifestyle last year when if he'd ever appear on the dancing show.
'I'd want to do Dancing With The Stars with [professional dancer] Rylee [Arnold] because she's awesome. That's been the big discussion,' he added. 'Let's manifest doing Dancing With The Stars!'
Rylee was just as keen when she heard she was Robert's pick.
'Robert Irwin, imagine,' she gushed to Entertainment Tonight at the time. 'His sister Bindi was on the show and I remember watching his sister on the show when I was eight years old, and I was like, 'Robert's like my age.' I was like, 'Please he has to be on the show at least one day for me.''
Robert's shirtless announcement comes weeks after he almost broke the internet when he stripped down to his undies in an ad for Aussie underwear brand Bonds.
Last month, the wildlife warrior was revealed as one of the new faces of Bonds for a new campaign to push the Aussie brand further into the US market.
Irwin's shoot sees him wrapped in snakes and sporting a spider on his chest, wearing nothing but his Bonds undies.
Fans are dubbing the ads 'iconic' and 'hot,' although one remarked of perving on Irwin: 'I feel dirty.'
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