Robert Irwin Weighs in on Whether He Could Be the Next Bachelor

by

Robert Irwin may be swapping the ballroom for the fantasy suite. 

The animal conservationist, who won season 34 of Dancing with the Stars with partner Witney Carson, recently shared whether he’d consider becoming the next Bachelor.

He told Entertainment Tonight on February 6th that he’s open to possibilities, saying, “Never say never.” He explained he’s at a point where he doesn’t rule anything out.

“Who knows,” he continued. “It’s a strange world. Anything could happen.”

Despite recent rumors suggesting he’ll be the next star of the ABC show, the 22-year-old wants everyone to know his true passion is working with animals, not appearing on reality television.

He said the rumors going around during Dancing with the Stars – like the one about him becoming the next Bachelor – were surprising. “I’m just a zookeeper,” he added.

“I work to protect animals,” Robert explained. “That’s what I’m passionate about, and it shapes how I live my life. It’s quite different from how the media often portrays me.”

Plus, he doesn’t know how exciting his love life would be for TV.

He admitted his life isn’t as thrilling as people imagine. While his work with animals is incredibly exciting – things like riding crocodiles, catching snakes, and saving koalas – his personal life is actually quite ordinary.

His comments come after admitting that being in the public eye has made dating difficult.

Robert, who previously dated Rorie Buckey, a relative of Heath Ledger, told The New York Times in a November 23rd interview that dating is difficult because “anything you do will be on TikTok the next day.” He described the situation as very challenging.

And yet, the Australian native has remained true to who he is.

Robert stated he remains consistently himself, in all situations, and doesn’t feel the need to put on a false front or hide behind a different personality.

He added, “It’s just me, and I stand by who I am.”

With fans eager to find out who will win season 30 of The Bachelor, here’s a look at more couples from Bachelor Nation.

Status: Dating

Before The Golden Bachelor even premiered, Mel Owen faced some criticism. He appeared on the MGoBlue Podcasts With Jon Jansen and stated he wouldn’t consider women over 60, and preferred they didn’t have artificial hips or wigs.

Although his longtime partner, Peg Munson, is also in her sixties, their relationship is full of spark. The retired NFL linebacker described her to Glamour as incredibly energetic.

Even though he didn’t kneel during his final game in November 2025, the athlete—who is also a lawyer—presented a diamond ring from Neil Lane, explaining, “This symbolizes our dedication to each other and gives us the space to build our future together.”

Status: Engaged

Spencer Conley, who made a good impression on Jenn Tran with his friendly personality during The Bachelorette, found romance on season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise. He shared a post with Jess Edwards (who previously tried to connect with Joey Graziadei on The Bachelor) hinting they were falling for each other—a way of saying they weren’t quite ready to say “I love you” yet. In an August 2025 Instagram post, Spencer declared he’d “already won.”

Jess echoed the sentiment, posting on her social media, “Just really happy about this guy and everything!”

They were thrilled to choose each other over the $250,000 prize, and their happiness continued when they got engaged and received an unexpected check for $190,000.

“Everything that we’ve been through,” Jess said, “has led us to this exact moment.”

I’m so excited for Jess! She just shared that love is taking her to Dallas. During the ‘After the Finale Rose’ special in November 2025, she revealed she’ll be moving to Texas in just a few weeks. It’s a big step, and I’m thrilled for her new chapter!

Status: Dating

Bailey Taylor Brown shared on Instagram in August 2025 that her date with Jeremy Simon was the best first date she’d ever had, following their time on season 10 of Paradise. But could it also be their last? The social media manager, who originally tried to win Grant Ellis’ affection, and the real estate investor who almost won over Jenn on The Bachelorette, managed to get through their biggest fight yet after Bailey found out Jeremy had hesitated about sending Susie Evans home.

Their romance continued to blossom while they were in Costa Rica. Although they didn’t make it to the end of Bachelor in Paradise, they decided to keep dating after the show finished filming. They’ve even met each other’s families and are making plans to live in the same city.

In a September 2025 Instagram post, Bailey expressed how fortunate she felt to have met her partner and shared her excitement for the future.

Status: Dating

It looks like things are still going strong between Paradise season 10 contestants Andrew Spencer (who competed for Katie Thurston’s heart) and Alexe Godin (from Grant’s season). Just six days after Andrew publicly called Alexe his “love” on Instagram in August 2025, she returned the affectionate nickname, calling him her “sweetheart” in a post of her own.

Even though they picked love instead of the $250,000 prize on the BiP finale, they still received $125,000 as a parting gift.

“This is incredible,” Alexe said. “I’m leaving with money, but more importantly, with love.”

The couple is taking their relationship to Chicago, as the show will depict Alexe’s decision to relocate there with Andrew.

In September 2025, she shared on Instagram that she’d met someone she connected with, saying she was excited to build a life together with them.

Status: Dating

During the “Bachelor in Paradise” finale, a conflict arose when Sean McLaughlin claimed Kat Izzo had hidden a laptop and was secretly communicating with an ex-boyfriend through letters. Kat, who works as a nurse practitioner, strongly denied these accusations while on the show.

She asked if we were still together before all of this happened. Honestly, we were. I just hadn’t pictured meeting someone new, so I kept things going with my ex – I didn’t want to close any doors, you know?

Even though Kat and Dale didn’t make it to the final test on Paradise, their relationship continued to grow. The show recently shared that the two—Kat, who was on Zach Shallcross’ season, and Dale, who was on Clare Crawley’s—have been traveling the U.S. together and are planning a future together, including potentially moving closer to each other.

Dale wrote under Kat’s August 2025 Instagram post that things were difficult at times, but they got through it together, and he wouldn’t trade the experience for anything.

Status: Just friends—for now 

After leaving season 10 of Bachelor in Paradise, Gary Levingston and Leslie Fhima (who was a finalist on Golden Bachelor) seemed to have a promising future together, sharing a hopeful video about creating new memories. However, Leslie, who once inspired musician Prince, isn’t certain she wants to pursue a romantic relationship with Gary.

She shared that she and Gary talk constantly. Appearing on Bachelor Happy Hour in August 2025, she described him as one of her closest friends – someone she turns to when she needs advice or support. They’re always there for each other and have each other’s backs.

Even though they live far apart – she’s in Minnesota and he’s in California – she’s still optimistic about things. She explained that, for her, the most important part of any relationship, especially a romantic one, is building a strong friendship first. She wants to be with someone she considers her best friend as they both get older.

Status: Just friends

Kim Buike, who was a frontrunner on Golden Bachelorette, has found love with Faith Martin, the recipient of Gerry Turner’s first impression rose. Despite being eliminated on season 10 of Paradise, the pair are still together. In August 2025, Faith shared a video on Instagram showing Kim enjoying a date in her hometown of Washington.

In the end, they realized they were better suited as friends than as a couple.

In a September 2025 Instagram video, Faith explained that she and the other person talk about two or three times a week, despite living five and a half hours apart. She clarified that they aren’t romantically involved – they never fell in love, but they did connect well while filming the show.

Grant met twenty-five women when he first appeared on The Bachelor, and Juliana Pasquarosa ultimately received his final rose. Unfortunately, the couple broke up less than three months after their proposal was shown on television.

Okay, this is tough to share, but I want to be real with you all. Juliana and I have decided to go our separate ways. We truly gave it our all – there was a lot of love and effort from both of us – but after some really honest conversations, we realized we’re just not the right match for the long haul. It’s sad, but sometimes things just don’t work out the way you hope, and it’s important to acknowledge that.

Joan Vassos, who was a contestant on The Golden Bachelor and later became the first Golden Bachelorette, is engaged! After appearing on Gerry Turner’s season and then starring in the inaugural season of The Golden Bachelorette, she accepted a proposal from Chock Chapple.

During the November 2024 finale of The Golden Bachelorette, Joan shared a hopeful message: ‘We’re proof that even at our age, there’s always hope, no matter what happens.’ Moments before receiving a proposal from Chock in Bora Bora, she told him, ‘I’ve waited for this moment, in this beautiful place, to tell you that I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you – waking up with you every morning and kissing you goodnight.’

During the finale of The Bachelorette season 21, it seemed like Jenn Tran, who previously appeared on The Bachelor, had found love with her final choice, Devin Strader. However, Jenn later revealed in September 2024, during the After the Final Rose special, that Devin became distant as soon as filming ended.

Jenn explained to Jesse Palmer that he had strongly declared his love for her, but the very next day acted as if nothing had happened and claimed he’d never been in love with her. She said all the promises and affection he’d expressed were suddenly gone.

The situation escalated when Devin posted a 13-minute video on Instagram explaining his perspective. In the video, he took responsibility for his actions and detailed the reasons behind their breakup, which he had initially discussed during a 15-minute phone call.

Okay, so here’s what happened, according to both sides. Jenn says he ended things over the phone back in August, but he tells it differently. He claims she actually pressed him for answers, wanting to know what was wrong, even as he was trying to figure out how to have that difficult conversation face-to-face. It’s a classic ‘he said, she said’ situation, and it really highlights how different people can experience the same event.

He said he hadn’t seen another option, especially since he wanted to tell her face-to-face. Ultimately, she made him reveal it sooner than he’d planned.

Jenn then met Sasha Farber while competing on Dancing With the Stars, and the two became a couple. They continued dancing together even after being eliminated from the show in October 2024, but eventually broke up in 2025.

Greg Grippo, who appeared on Katie Thurston’s season of The Bachelorette, started dating Victoria Fuller from Bachelor in Paradise in November 2022. They announced their relationship on the season eight finale of Bachelor in Paradise, but Greg shared in April 2024 that they had broken up.

Before Victoria Fuller and Greg Grippo revealed they were dating on the season finale of Bachelor in Paradise, Victoria had ended her engagement with fellow cast member Johnny DePhillipo.

As a huge fan, I was so thrilled when Gerry Turner proposed to Theresa Nist on the very first Golden Bachelor finale back in November 2023! It felt like a real fairytale, and then, just a few weeks later in January 2024, we all got to watch their beautiful wedding on TV. Sadly, it has recently been announced that they are divorcing.

However, three months after their nuptials, the couple announced that they were breaking up.

Gerry and Theresa have been having open and honest conversations about their relationship and living arrangements. In an appearance on Good Morning America in April 2024, they announced they’ve mutually decided to get a divorce.

They reached a divorce settlement in June 2024, according to court records reviewed by TopMob News.

In April 2025, Gerry shared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast that he was seeing someone and things were progressing nicely.

Tennis star Joey has found love! After dating 32 women, he proposed to project manager Kelsey Anderson during the March 2024 season finale. He told Kelsey, “I can’t wait another minute to tell you that I love you,” and shared that her energy makes him incredibly happy – something he’s never felt before. Joey also expressed that meeting Kelsey showed him just how wonderful life could be, and he’s excited to build a future with her.

John Henry Spurlock, who competed for Charity Lawson’s affection on The Bachelor, and Kat Izzo, from Zach Shallcross’ season, became a couple during season nine of Bachelor in Paradise, but their romance didn’t last. Though they didn’t connect right away, John Henry proposed with a Neil Lane diamond, telling Kat she was everything he was looking for. However, shortly after the show’s finale, they announced their split via Instagram, explaining that their differing career goals led them to realize they weren’t a good long-term match. They expressed gratitude for the support they received from family, friends, and fans of The Bachelor franchise.

Eliza Isichei, who previously dated Clayton Echard, is engaged! Despite initial anxieties about finding love again after Paradise, she said yes to Aaron Bryant’s proposal by the ocean. She was especially touched that Aaron asked her mother for her blessing, admitting she was so emotional she couldn’t control her reaction.

However, their engagement didn’t last. Shortly after the show aired, Eliza and Aaron announced they were ending things.

Aaron shared on Instagram in December 2023 that while it was difficult to watch their relationship unfold on TV, they were committed to a positive and respectful separation.

As a bit of a relationship expert, I’ve seen it all, and this one was a rollercoaster! I was following Kylee and Aven’s story, and it was tough to watch her express disappointment that Aven hadn’t proposed in the traditional way – especially considering he was ready to propose on ‘The Bachelorette’! Ultimately, she accepted his proposal to try and make things work outside of ‘Paradise,’ even though it meant her dream engagement dress stayed in the closet. She really believed in taking a chance on love. Sadly, just two days after the finale aired, she shared the heartbreaking news that they’d broken up due to Aven’s infidelity. He later apologized, acknowledging his mistakes and the pain he caused. It’s a reminder that even when things look promising, honesty and trust are everything.

Charity Lawson is thrilled with how her season of The Bachelorette ended! She hinted to TopMob News that things were going well, but her August 2023 finale was even more exciting than expected. Dotun Olubeko, an integrative medicine specialist, proposed to Charity, a child and family therapist, getting down on one knee and declaring their love was “perfect.” He then asked her to marry him and make their relationship official.

Though they’re planning a wedding for 2025 or 2026, Charity will first be hitting the dance floor on Dancing With the Stars. Dotun surprised her with the news on The Bachelorette: After the Final Rose, excitedly telling her he knew how much she loved to dance and that he was thrilled she’d be joining the show.

 

Zach Shallcross proposed to Kaity Biggar at the end of season 27 in March 2023, despite some challenges during the Fantasy Suites. He told her, “I am so in love with you. You are my world. The love I feel for you is something I could have never imagined.” In July 2023, the couple, who are based in Texas, announced they had moved in together on Instagram, with Kaity sharing that they were now officially roommates.

Kaity and her partner got married on May 23, 2025, in a small, intimate chapel ceremony. They had originally envisioned a bigger wedding, but Kaity realized it wasn’t necessary. As she shared on the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast in June 2025, she felt the most important thing was to focus on their love and connection, and she’d gotten too caught up in the minor details.

However, one thing especially delighted her. Her aunt, who encouraged her to compete for Zach’s affection, discovered the charming chapel near Austin where they held their wedding. “It was exactly what I dreamed of,” Kaity shared.

Danielle Maltby and Michael Allio, who seemed like a promising couple after meeting on Bachelor in Paradise, have broken up. Both had experienced loss – Danielle lost her fiancé to a drug overdose, and Michael’s wife had passed away, leaving him with their son, James. After a year of Danielle moving to Ohio to be with Michael, he revealed they had split. He explained on a podcast that while they cared for each other, they weren’t compatible, and he was grieving the loss of both the relationship and the future they’d imagined together.

Brandon Jones proposed to Serene Russell on season seven of Paradise, telling her he would love her forever. However, their relationship didn’t last. Just five months after getting engaged on the show, the couple announced their split in a May 2023 Instagram post. They explained that trying to work through their issues had been difficult with so much public attention, and while they still cared for each other deeply, they were heartbroken and asked for privacy and understanding.

Pilot Rachel and contractor Tino Franco ended their engagement after he kissed someone else while their season of the show was still airing. Tino later admitted on the podcast The Viall Files that he deeply regrets his actions. He said he feels ashamed and wishes he could have handled the situation differently, adding that it continues to bother him to this day.

Susie Evans and Clayton Echard’s relationship, which unfolded on and off-screen during the 2022 season of The Bachelor, ultimately ended after six months. While they briefly reconnected after an initial rejection during the finale, Susie says the breakup was necessary for her own well-being. In a November 2022 blog post, she explained that despite happy times together, she wasn’t truly thriving and felt disconnected from her best self. Those close to her noticed she had lost her spark.

I was so excited when Susie started dating Justin Glaze from Bachelor Nation! Sadly, they announced their breakup in August 2024, which was really disappointing.

Michelle, an elementary school teacher from Minnesota, accepted a proposal and a $200,000 check for a future home from Nayte Olukoya, a sales executive from Texas, after appearing on a reality show. However, the couple ultimately broke up six months after the show’s finale in December 2021, as they struggled to connect and often argued. Nayte later admitted it was a mistake that they didn’t have the final breakup conversation in person. Michelle later found love with Jack Leius, and they announced their engagement in 2023. They were married in Minnesota in June 2025.

Fans were really rooting for Maurissa Gunn and Riley Christian as a couple, picturing a happy future together. However, the Bachelor in Paradise season seven pair only lasted a few months. In a joint statement released in January 2022, Maurissa (who previously dated Peter Weber) and Riley (a former suitor on Tayshia Adams’ season) announced they were breaking up. They explained that they both needed to focus on personal growth and hadn’t expected things to end this way.

Status: Split

The first same-sex couple from Bachelor in Paradise got engaged during season six, but they revealed they had broken up in 2019 on Halloween.

We’ve always loved and cared for each other, and making the best decision for both of us has always been our top priority. With a lot of love and sadness, we’ve decided to take a break and focus on ourselves. We believe this is the best path forward for our individual growth and well-being at this time, as shared in a joint statement on Instagram.

Despite a breakup during season seven of Bachelor in Paradise, Noah Erb and Abigail Heringer realized they were meant to be together. After initially living in San Diego, the couple recently bought a house in Noah’s hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Abigail announced the exciting news on Instagram in July 2023, saying they were entering their “Chip and Joanna Gaines era.” Noah proposed to Abigail in San Diego in August 2023, and they are now planning their wedding and looking forward to making memories in their new home.

Serena Pitt and Joe Amabile, who first connected on reality TV, secretly tied the knot in October 2022! The couple, known from The Bachelor and Paradise, decided to have a small ceremony at City Hall near their home in New York City about a year after getting engaged. They’re still planning a larger wedding for September 2023, but Serena joked that ‘who doesn’t want to get married twice!’ Serena now co-hosts the Bachelor Happy Hour podcast with Joe.

Kenny Braasch proposed to Mari Pepin with a Neil Lane diamond ring during the 2021 finale of Paradise, telling her, “I am so in love with you and can’t imagine my life without you.” Mari, who first appeared on The Bachelor and caught Matt’s eye, relocated to Chicago to be with Kenny. Before their November 2023 wedding – a 65-person oceanfront ceremony in Puerto Rico – the couple cemented their bond with matching tattoos during a trip to the Bahamas in May 2023. Kenny was previously eliminated by Tayshia Adams in week five of Paradise.

Status: Married

Becca Kufrin, who starred on The Bachelorette, and Thomas Jacobs, a contestant from Katie Thurston’s season, found love on season seven of Bachelor in Paradise in 2021. They initially split up during filming but got back together after the show ended.

In May 2022, they announced their engagement, revealing that Becca had proposed. She told TopMob News she hoped their decision would empower others to break tradition. Thomas returned the gesture by proposing to her in October of the same year. They welcomed their first child, a son named Benson, in September 2023. Becca shared on Instagram how much love and wonder they felt for their newborn.

Just weeks after Benson’s arrival, the couple had a surprise wedding ceremony on October 13th.

Read More

2026-02-10 18:50