Robert Irwin to Host Dancing with the Stars Spinoff

Robert Irwin, the wildlife conservationist who won season 34 of Dancing with the Stars, will return to the franchise as host of a new spinoff series announced Wednesday. Titled Dancing with the Stars: The Next Pro, the competition will feature 12 up-and-coming dancers living together in a house as they vie for a professional spot on the show's 35th season through a rigorous audition process.

The series, produced by ABC and streaming on Hulu, premieres July 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT on ABC, with episodes available the following day on the platform. Irwin, 22, expressed enthusiasm for the role during the announcement at Hulu's Get Real House event. "Crikey, this is going to be fun," he said from the stage. In a promotional video shared on Instagram, he added, "For the first time in Dancing with the Stars history, the greatest dancers will compete for a spot as the next pro. Let the fiercest dance battle begin."

Joining Irwin on the judging panel are Shirley Ballas, the 65-year-old head judge on the BBC's Strictly Come Dancing since 2017, and her son Mark Ballas, a three-time Dancing with the Stars champion who retired as a professional dancer on the U.S. series last year. Mark won...