Robert Irwin has drawn on his deeply personal experience of losing a parent to support a grieving dancer during a raw, emotional exchange on the new US series Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro, which aired its second episode over the weekend.
The Australian wildlife conservationist — whose father, the beloved Steve Irwin, died when Robert was just two years old — shared a candid conversation about grief with contestant Allen Genkin, creating one of the most affecting moments yet on the spin-off series, part of the broader wave of 2026 in American television programming.
A Dance Inspired by Loss
The second episode challenged contestants to choreograph a routine drawn from a defining moment in their own lives. Genkin, a dancer competing for a spot as a professional on Dancing With The Stars, chose to honour the absence he has felt since the death of his mother — the person he described as his "best friend" — who passed away when he was just 15 years old.
After rehearsals, Genkin became visibly emotional, and Irwin took the opportunity to check in on him personally. The conversation that followed was a quiet, honest exchange between two people who know what it means to grow up without a parent.
"I wanted to visit Allen today because I know he's telling a very important story, and a story that's hard to tell. I want to see if I can help him through," Irwin said on the show.
Genkin opened up about the enduring weight of his grief, telling Irwin: "You know, 20 years have gone by. They say time heals all wounds, but it really doesn't." Irwin responded not with words but with a quiet, knowing shake of his head.
Genkin explained that channelling that pain through performance felt like the only way to truly honour his mother's memory. "The only way I could really do it justice is to really showcase it through art, and that's what I want to do," he said.
Irwin Reflects on His Own Experience with Grief and Dance
Irwin told Genkin he understood exactly what the dancer was facing, drawing on his own time competing on Dancing With The Stars Season 34, which he went on to win. During that season, Irwin used the platform not only to raise awareness for his conservation work but also to pay tribute to his family.
He described a Dedication Night performance in which he danced in honour of his mother, Terri Irwin. When the music ended and Terri joined him on stage, Robert said he "completely broke down." He also performed a separate tribute to his older sister, Bindi Irwin, during another episode that season.
"It's like you're facing something for the first time in your life that you've never had the strength to face," Irwin told Genkin. "But movement and dance, that is the thing that gives you the ability to face that."
It's a sentiment that will resonate with viewers who watched other public figures navigate grief in front of an audience, a moment that can be both deeply vulnerable and unexpectedly cathartic.
A Powerful Bond Ahead of an Emotional Performance
Genkin took Irwin's words to heart. Reflecting on his upcoming performance, the dancer said it would give him a chance to feel closer to his late mother than he had in years: "I think this is going to be the closest I've been to her since."
Both men fought back tears before embracing, a moment that underscored the unique emotional depth the new series has already established.
Dancing With The Stars: The Next Pro is a first-of-its-kind spin-off of the flagship competition, with the winner earning a place as a professional dancer on Dancing With The Stars. Irwin serves as both host and a guiding presence for competitors throughout the season.
