Robert Irwin is moving from the ballroom to the host chair. ABC’s Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro will premiere July 13, with Irwin set to lead a new spinoff built around professional dancers trying to earn a place on the flagship show.
The competition will put a pool of talented dancers before judges Mark Ballas, Shirley, and a rotating spot reserved for DWTS’ finest. The winner will dance as the newest pro on Dancing With the Stars, turning the finale into more than a title chase. It is a direct extension of the franchise, and it gives Irwin a new role after winning Season 34 with Witney Carson.
That win mattered on its own. Irwin broke multiple records during the season, including the highest number of votes and the youngest male winner ever, even while dealing with a rib injury. Now he is returning to the same world from a different angle, one that asks him to welcome the next generation instead of compete with it. He said it is a privilege to be a mentor to a new crop of people who want to join the world of Dancing With the Stars.
He first heard about The Next Pro while his own Dancing With the Stars run was still unfolding, and ABC asked him to stay in the family for another project that would deepen the franchise and show what pro dancers go through to become pros. Irwin said yes without hesitation, saying, “When do I start?” That quick answer fits the opportunity, but it does not erase the odd fit: most of his hosting work has been tied to animals and wildlife documentaries, much of it based at Australia Zoo, his home.
The show’s structure leaves one detail less settled. Ballas and Shirley are fixed on the panel, but the third seat is reserved for DWTS’ finest, which means the judging will rotate from episode to episode rather than remain locked to one person. The winner’s prize is clearer: the new pro slot is a role on the flagship show, not a trophy that ends the night. ABC is using The Next Pro to build a pipeline from competition floor to professional cast, and Irwin is being placed at the center of that handoff.
