Robert Irwin is the new Mirrorball champion after winning “Dancing with the Stars” Season 34 alongside his professional dance partner and new bestie, Witney Carson. The pair put on an incredible show on Tuesday, November 25, which helped them secure the title, narrowly beating Alix Earle and Val Chmerkovskiy, who placed second.
Irwin and Carson were ecstatic about their win and were overcome with emotion in the moments after they were handed their trophies, but is a trophy all they get from the ABC dance competition?
What Do the Winners Get?
Irwin and Carson are celebrating their win after weeks of hard work. They have pushed themselves each week, and Irwin has continued to improve, while Carson delivered breathtaking choreography. Winning the Len Goodman Mirrorball Trophy is a way to show how much dedication they put into competing, but is this all they get?
There is no additional cash prize, sought-after contract, or anything you might typically expect from a reality TV show (and if there is, it has never been made public). Season 33 champion Jenna Johnson previously spoke about this and confirmed there were no extra bonuses. “If you win, it’s not like you win a million dollars and split it with your partner,” she said on “The Morning After” podcast in June 2025. “You’re just getting a cute trophy together.”
For Irwin and Carson, the trophy is likely enough of a reward.
Robert Irwin’s Mirrorball Win
Heading into the finale, five couples were competing for the Mirrorball Trophy: Irwin and Carson, Earle and Chmerkovskiy, Hendrix and her professional dance partner Alan Bersten, Jordan Chiles and her professional dance partner Ezra Sosa, and Dylan Efron and his professional dance partner Daniella Karagach. Hendrix placed fifth, Efron placed fourth, and Chiles placed third.
Each celebrity competitor performed three dances during the finale. Irwin and Carson danced a Freestyle routine to “Black and Gold” by Sam Sparro and “The Nights” by Avicii, and the Judges’ Choice performance was a quickstep to “Are You Gonna Be My Girl” by Jet. They also performed a Cha Cha for the Instant Dance Challenge after Irwin blindpicked the dance.
For their first dance, the Quickstep, they earned 29 out of 30, with judge Carrie Ann Inaba holding back one point. Their second and third dances were perfect scores.
In an interview with E! News after the finale, Irwin revealed he has big plans for the future. “I go to New York and then straight to South Africa to film another show over there,” he said. “And then, I’m back home.” Irwin lives in Australia and works at the Australia Zoo.
