Dancing with the Stars 34 renewal official; Robert Irwin joins cast

Late this afternoon, there were a pair of big announcements worth celebrating when it comes to Dancing with the Stars — so where should we start?

Well, for us personally, it makes sense to rejoice in the fact that we are officially heading back to the ballroom for another go, not that this is a surprise. While there was a dip in attention around the dance competition a handful of years ago, it honestly feels like it has had a bit of a resurgence. We’ll credit social media in part for that, but also the series feeling truly like a fall event now. It is only on once a year, but you miss it when it is on break!

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To go along with this big news, why also not talk casting for a moment? ABC has also confirmed that the first Dancing with the Stars 34 contestant is none other than conservationist Robert Irwin, son of the late, great Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. He is not the first member of his family to compete, as his older sister Bindi previously won her season with then-pro partner Derek Hough — someone who is now on the judging panel.

There have honestly been rumors about Irwin being on the show as early as last season, with a lot of people suggesting that he could be paired up with Rylee Arnold. In theory, you could argue that this is something that is still on the table and that the two would do really well.

Here is the only question we have now: Does it benefit Irwin significantly to be cast so early? It is unclear whether or not he is allowed to get any sort of informal training away from the show far in advance.

What do you think about Robert Irwin joining Dancing with the Stars for season 34?

Are you shocked that the casting came so early? Be sure to share right now in the attached comments! Once you do just that, come back for some other updates.

This article was written by Jessica BunBun.