JENI O’DOWD: Why dancing star Robert Irwin is the balm we need in these tough times

The rarest thing on reality TV isn’t talent; it’s sincerity. Robert Irwin has both, and he uses them with Labrador warmth and pro-level energy.

With dance partner Whitney Carson, he is already the front-runner on America’s Dancing with the Stars, and even without an Australian broadcast, his dances draw millions of mid-week views here on TikTok and YouTube.

In week one, he leapt off a Land Rover; in week two, he did the tango, with a new move now copied by millions around the world; and in week three, he ripped his shirt off while doing the salsa.

As longtime DWTS judge Derek Hough said: “That was the best first dance I’ve ever seen on the show.” Not bad coming from a six-time DWTS champion and Emmy-winning choreographer.

Reality TV is usually based on scandal and softly-scripted tears for ratings. On DWTS, Robert Irwin is doing something radical: he’s making joy land. No messy backstory. Just effort, energy and decency served live to billions around the world.

And we’re hungry for it. Whether it’s the high-polish showmanship, the clear sense of purpose, or the fact that he looks like someone raised on sunrises and croc feedings, Robert Irwin has become a kind of national mood reset.

Most Australians clearly remember the day in 2006 when his dad, Steve Irwin, died while filming at Batt Reef in Queensland. I do. I remember little Robert and Bindi, as well as Terri’s stoic composure. Watching Robert now perform with such drive, I can’t help but think how proud his dad would be.

Robert Irwin, at only 21 years of age, is giving Australia exactly what it’s missing right now: sincerity and a reason to cheer.

I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted. The cost-of-living pressure is unrelenting, rents are breaking records, groceries still feel like a luxury and interest rates are hammering homeowners while wage growth limps along.

The Great Australian Dream is starting to look like a rental with mould.

Meanwhile, Anthony Albanese’s Government is long on talk and light on relief.

And to top it off, we lost the Bledisloe Cup, there was no NSW team in the NRL grand final and the Government quietly rolled out the welcome mat for women who once turned their backs on Australia to pledge allegiance to ISIS.

Add in Trump 2.0 chaos, culture wars on an endless loop, and climate anxiety thick in the air, and it’s no wonder we’re all looking for someone, anyone, who feels solid, sincere and uncomplicated.

This is why Robert Irwin pops.

On TikTok, #dwts and #dancingwiththestars have amassed more than 10 billion views, with interest spiking around every weekly episode.

And Australia sits among the top-engaged countries for DWTS content on both TikTok and YouTube, with millions of searches for Irwin.

At just two years of age, Robert featured in The Crocodile Hunter Diaries, and by three, he was a regular on US talk shows, charming late night hosts with baby animals and a wide-eyed grin that mirrored Steve’s.

We’ve seen what childhood fame usually does. Meltdowns, rebrands, courtroom battles, the long walk to rehab. But Robert? He stayed in khaki and kept talking about crocodiles.

It helps that he’s great at dancing. He’s earned the high scores. And he’s done it all while staying absolutely on message, saying DWTS is a platform to raise awareness about wildlife and conservation.

Robert Irwin gives us a clean win in a grubby media cycle. And more than that, he’s reminding us of something we seem to have forgotten: that joy still matters and that fame doesn’t have to chew you up.

Maybe it’s just a salsa on a Wednesday night. But perhaps it’s also a reminder that showing up, working hard and meaning it still counts for something.

Robert Irwin, at 21, communicates with more authenticity than most of Canberra. He doesn’t need polling to know what people want: effort, clarity and heart.

And in 2025, that might be the most radical dance of all.