Robert Irwin gives update on ‘painful’ Dancing with the Stars rib injury
After sustaining an injury to his rib during the Dancing with the Stars finale, Robert Irwin is "getting there" with his recovery.
Robert Irwin is “getting there” with his rib injury.
The TV conservationist, 21, won season 34 of Dancing with the Stars with his partner Witney Carson, though sustained an injury to his rib in the final stretch of the ABC show.
However, Robert has reassured fans he is on the road to recovery.
During an appearance on Good Morning America, he said: “We’re getting there. It’s painful, but no pain, no gain.”
He joked: “I’ll heal up, mate. I catch crocs, I’m used to it.”
Robert - who is the son of Terri and the late Steve Irwin - heaped praise on his partner Whitney for her “amazing” work on Dancing with the Stars.
He said: “Witney was amazing at changing up some of the moves that we had to do in there.
“We had to change on the fly, but our last dance, that freestyle, was a way to say thank you to everybody who'd been on that journey.”
During the Dancing with the Stars finale, Robert detailed how his injury began to set in when he was rehearsing for the show, admitting it had been “getting worse progressively”.
He said: “I've been dealing with rib pain because the intercostal muscles of the ribs are under a lot of tension.
“It's been getting worse progressively.”
Despite his injury, Robert and Whitney won the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy - an accoade previously won by his sister Bindi Irwin in 2015’s season 21.
Following his victory, Robert said “there is no one who deserves it more than Witney”.
He added: “She gives everything. She balances so much. She is an absolute inspiration to me and to so many people.”
Robert also said how his sister’s win was special as she used her victory to raise awareness and spread the message about their family’s charity Australia Zoo and Wildlife Warriors.
He told People: “It’s about making the world a better place. And when I watched her lift that Mirrorball, I saw her lifting that message.”
Bindi has since congratuated her brother on his Dancing with the Stars win on Instagram.
She wrote: “TWO MIRRORBALLS NOW CALL AUSTRALIA ZOO HOME!
“Congratuations and all the love in hte world to @robertirwinphotography and @witneycarson. What. A. Night.”
