Robert Irwin recalls Steve Irwin's death while mentoring emotional dancer

Robert Irwin shared an emotional reflection on the loss of his father, Steve Irwin, while comforting a contestant on Dancing With the Stars: The Next Pro, offering heartfelt advice drawn from his own experience with grief.

During the latest episode of the Dancing With the Stars spinoff, contestant Allen Genkin became emotional while rehearsing a dance dedicated to his late mother, who died when he was 15. 

Seeing his struggle, Irwin sat down with the aspiring professional dancer for a heartfelt conversation.

“I understand what it’s like to lose someone,” Irwin told Genkin, recalling that he was just two years old when his father, famed conservationist Steve Irwin, died in 2006.

The TV host reflected on his own emotional journey during Dancing With the Stars season 34, when he performed a dedication dance honouring his mother, Terri Irwin, for helping preserve Steve's legacy while raising their family.

Irwin remembered breaking down after Terri joined him on stage, describing dance as a powerful way to confront emotions that are often difficult to express.

Inspired by the conversation, Genkin and partner Adele Zaikman delivered a moving performance to Wiz Khalifa and Charlie Puth's See You Again, earning praise from judges, including Mark Ballas and Shirley Ballas, who called it the standout routine of the night.

The emotional performance moved the judges, contestants and Irwin himself, with Genkin and Zaikman advancing safely to the next round of the competition.